Why baton or chop with a knife?

Sulaco said:
We do it to drive trolls, err, I mean, posters like you crazy. :)
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Pretty rude post about a fellow knife person that is relatively new to the forum. Do you know for sure that he is a troll, or that he just has a different opinion than yours. I thought this forum was to exchange ideas and discuss knives, which he is doing. Just because he does not want to baton his knives, and he stated why, gives no reason to attack him because he doesn't think just like you. Other posters gave him an answer why they baton with their knives, which is what he asked for in the first place.

By the way, who is "we"?

Blessings,

Omar
 
I predict this thread being shut down if it continues on its current course but I will attempt to get it back on course.

People baton or chop with some knives cause they are made for it look at a couple of the heavier duty Beckers and tell me those aren't made for chopping , although I do agree when able it is usually simpler to bring an ax or hatchet for chopping firewood.
 
I've been considering your question lately, OP (original poster in thread.) For those with the experience-based skills necessary for safe axe handling, an axe or hatchet certainly seems a smarter idea for whaling away at a bunch of wood. Conversely, lugging an axe for a day hike is likely to be overkill, whereas having a strong, fixed-blade knife is just plain sensible (can I get an amen! :-D ) For those trips where one only has a fixed blade knife, then having batoning abilities with that knife is a wise course of action.

I'm starting to think the ideal compromise is having a fixed blade on the belt and an effective folding saw in the pack. The saw's available for bigger work if needed, and the knife's on the belt in case one gets separated from one's pack. Throw in a multitool (Leatherman all the way for me) and a thin-bladed folding knife, and I'm more than happy with my tool selection.
 
RUNIT said:
I was always taught to baton a dead horse. Personal preference I guess. ;)
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You baton the bones, chop the skull. That's how the pioneers and mountain men did it. At least that is what I have gleaned from watching video's on the internet that the pioneers and mountain men posted.
 
OHALLUM said:
Pretty rude post about a fellow knife person that is relatively new to the forum. Do you know for sure that he is a troll, or that he just has a different opinion than yours. I thought this forum was to exchange ideas and discuss knives, which he is doing. Just because he does not want to baton his knives, and he stated why, gives no reason to attack him because he doesn't think just like you. Other posters gave him an answer why they baton with their knives, which is what he asked for in the first place.

By the way, who is "we"?

Blessings,

Omar
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"In a variety of forums and sub-forums, I see posts by people about damaging/destroying their knives by batoning or chopping wood, concrete, chains, bed-frames, plywood, etc and then crying when they break, bend, chip or break those same knives AND bitch when the manufacturer says they voided their warranties.

So can someone(s) try to explain what is the fascination with doing this?"

He's troling. He didn't cite examples, just a biased opinion.
 
I usually only take two knives with me when backpacking, hiking or camping. A folder and a fixed blade.

The fixed blade needs to be able to take a beating without me even giving a thought of it breaking.

I don't carry an ax down here. You would see me with a machete first, then a large chopper.
 
Karda said:
Believe it or not, there are knives made that will chop (or baton) as well or better than any axe/hatchet and are made just for the purpose of chopping wood.
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And believe it or not there are silly guys that are members of a silly organization called Blade Sports International and we hold competitions that involve chopping (and other feats of cutting) with knives.

The current world record for chopping a 2x4 in half is just over one second with a 10 inch blade...seems like that blade is a pretty good tool for the job;)

http://youtu.be/LBng4zzYjFc
 
I do a LOT of chopping(2-4 Thousand chops a month on average)

I have also tested well over 200 Choppers from every maker I can get my hands on

It is a false belief that an Axe is better than chopping than a big knife as a blanket statement.

If what you're chopping can not move--(thick branch,tree strump,etc-an axe is a excellent tool and can outchop most big knives.)

If you are trying to clear a path and the chopping medium can move(small branches,tall grass,etc) an axe is a lousy tool for the job.

I have a patient with 200 Acres that allows me to chop all the Mesquite trees I want and spend almost every weekend helping him make trails wider for his livestock.

A 1/8" machete would not be able to handle the Hard Mesquite wood that I chop without edge damage.

You learn real fast what does and does not work--and an axe would be the last tool I would want to use for that purpose.

Another thing I KNOW most of us that have and use Big Choppers will agree on is that Chopping with a GOOD chopper is a LOT of fun--much more so than an axe.

I do not baton much so I will not comment on that

But Chopping I know cold and knives that can also chop well are just a TON of fun to use and once you use one--you will understand.

If you make it to Abilene--look me up and we will do some chopping.

Dr.Bill

This is the area I test in

Some of the knives I have tested






 
As a kid, I lived in the woods with friends camping and hiking and we never used a knife for batoning.
But hey, do what you have to do.
 
IMHO batoning seems like a safer and more controlled way of breaking down tinder into kindling. Im not super coordinated. And therefore if I can prevent myself from swinging a 5 pound edged object at any time I will. Batoning allows you to place a blade on the wood and hit that from behind. Id rather take the swinging object to a knuckle than a hatchet in the foot. But that is what I would do. Many others might not. Is it wrong? Not at all. Its a different way of cooking the same meal. And one way or another might be safer and more controlled for someone given their experience. Like they always say there is more than one way to skin a cat.
 
Why? Because its fun. But also, with this combo, there is nothing I can't get done, weighs in ( sheath, 1311 and pocket knife) at 32 ounces, and works quite well as a machete against lighter vegetation.

56EE8FEA-6ACD-432A-AF42-CBA72D086430-278-000000270EEEC6D0.jpg


No axe needed
 
TwinStick said:
You will get many pro/con responses, i am sure.

I am pro batoning. Why, you ask. because i am simply not that good with an axe or hatchet or tomahawk. My mind works like this: swinging sharpened steel at an object that can move, have knotts, etc.., is asking for trouble. You can miss, be distracted for a split second, log can fall. Almost every year without fail, while camping, someone chops themselves with an axe or hatchet because of a miss, glancing blow, knott, etc... . Alcohol does NOT help. When batoning, I place the sharp edge exactly where i want it & then hit it. In my mind---much safer. Also fun, to see what your knives can take. :D

I have never broke one of my knives batoning. If you cant baton with it, it is not worth having IMHO.

This is just my .02 cents. YMMV :D
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Well said, I had never thought about it that way... from a safety standpoint, (especially in a survival situation where even a small injury can have big consequences)it makes more sense.
 
Harv24 said:
Well said, I had never thought about it that way... from a safety standpoint, (especially in a survival situation where even a small injury can have big consequences)it makes more sense.
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Well said and I agree with you. Swinging a stick is inherently safer than swinging a blade.
 
because us knife nuts have too much fun playing with knives. :p

personally I think carrying a small fixed blade or light folder like an opinel plus a folding saw or small hatchet is infinitely more useful (and often lighter) than carrying a massive fixed blade for chopping. obviously there are cases like the poster above who clears a ton of hardwood and has found choppers to fit that role the best, you can't really argue against that.

but for basic backpacking and light camping I prefer my combo. while I think batoning has recently been propped up as a common task to perform when its really not necessary, you have to remember that we go out for enjoyment in the first place. If having a thick chunk of infi steel on your belt or pack makes it more enjoyable for you then you should absolutely do that.

while I think batoning with a knife is often unnecessary, I don't find it overly unreasonable as long as you accept that you may damage your knife if something goes awry. however chopping with a knife I find to be pretty daft and putting your edge or more in a very precarious situation. please note that I do not consider a purpose made "chopper" to be a knife in this statement. obviously a chopper can excel for this task. also note that I actually have chopped with smaller knives and nothing bad happened, I just think they chop really crappily and I would fully accept the consequence of that action to be a damaged knife.
 
This guy isn't trolling, I also never understood why some people use knives to chop and baton with when I was first introduced to knives being used for that purpose. A heavy duty machete always has and always will work for me for chopping anything, from samplings to trees (it can be done, its just takes some time). And I never had batoned before until I saw people doing it on youtube. I never had a reason to. On every camping trip I've been on (I've camped a lot), there was always enough kindling and small twigs and branches to make a fire, if it was wet, it would just be a bit more difficult. This was before I knew what battoning was. But recently on a small day trip after some rain everything was wet, so I had to baton the wood to get into the dry center. I used my 2mm thick 15" machete to do it. What do you know it worked without breaking after all the horror stories I've read of people busting knives while battoning! The fire went well with that wood

Looking at some of the knives, with a 1/4" thick tang and 9" blade, well that sure must be a decent chopping tool, with all that weight being swung into the wood and all, but chopping with a 5" blade? No, not really a good way to chop wood in my opinion, but if you are a minimalist, and that's what you wanna use, then dude use it. being light has its advantages, and battoning is indeed probably safer. Axes aren't all that safe. You need to be accurate with an axe so that you don't hit the handle of it, or missing and hitting you or someone else, but with knives and machetes, there's a bigger blade surface area to bite in, so safer, but as what was mentioned, personal preferences. You technically don't even need to carry a chopping tool. You can just bring a small foldable gas stove and be set with nothing more than a folding knife for food prep, but it sure is fun chopping wood!

I personally don't mind carrying my panga around. It's not THAT heavy. It's not just a chopping tool, it can be used as a spade, or to transport coals to a smaller fire, or a walking stick, or something. A smallish folder, a decent sized fixed blade, and my panga, and I'm set :)
 
zzyzzogeton said:
OK - Please tolerate my lack of understanding here, but why, except in a for-real, no-@#$%, "I'm lost in the woods with just a knife" survival situation, would anyone baton or chop with a knife? ANY knife? I mean, that's what hatchets and axes are for. When I go camping, and I intend to make a fire, I take both an ax and a hatchet. When hiking, even my small R10 Western hatchet would beat the hell out of any knife for chopping (pun intended).

I was taught to use the appropriate tool for the job and to treat my tools properly to make them last. (note - was raised by farmers/ranchers and am one - we are more frugal than most folks).

In a variety of forums and sub-forums, I see posts by people about damaging/destroying their knives by batoning or chopping wood, concrete, chains, bed-frames, plywood, etc and then crying when they break, bend, chip or break those same knives AND bitch when the manufacturer says they voided their warranties.

So can someone(s) try to explain what is the fascination with doing this?
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Because if I really was in that for-real, no-@#$%, "I'm lost in the woods with just a knife" survival situation, it sure would suck to take one wack on your knife and have it fall into pieces. I would rather have gotten that little shindig over with at my house then when I really need a knife.
 
Ibatton because I can and because I think it`s fun to use my knife for various tasks...
If I know it can take it, I`ll do it,,,
 
The best answer to this is that we all have a little 'rambo' inside us and need an excuse to use a large knife.
 
I baton simply because I find it fun and relaxing. I can safely say I have never HAD to baton and most people are the same way now if they will say that or not is a different story all together.

The axe vs big knife is really up the skill of the user. If someone is more skilled with a big knife then it will out chop the same person using an axe. If both are equally skilled the axe will win hands down there is simply more weight and more force.
 
You don't tug on supermans cape... you don't spit into the wind.... you don't baton, or chop with a folding knife....and you don't mess around with Jim...
 
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