Why Battoning?

kgd said:
People who baton don't insist that you have to baton, they just understand that it is a skill that can be used at will.
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There's the real meat of it. It's a skill, which one can choose to use or choose not to use depending on the circumstances. To demonize this skill, or compare it to mall ninja-ing, is downright idiotic, in my eyes. It's just a skill, amongst a thousand others that may or may not be useful in a given outdoors scenario.
 
Anyone got a better way to shape a hearthboard for a bowdrill set out of a round branch in the bush?
Remember, the bottom has to be flat enough to not roll, and often a knife is the only edged tool you have on a hike since not everyone carries and axe everyday.
 
Thanks for the informative responses gents.
Perhaps I need to visit with you over there in the USA and learn a thing or two.
 
fmajor007 said:
Anything from the OP or was this just a nice trolling exercise? Well done BTW!
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Anything constructive from you, or was this just an effortless response?

MustardMan said:
There's the real meat of it. It's a skill, which one can choose to use or choose not to use depending on the circumstances. To demonize this skill, or compare it to mall ninja-ing, is downright idiotic, in my eyes. It's just a skill, amongst a thousand others that may or may not be useful in a given outdoors scenario.
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Idiotic, what was the other term you used? Small minded? unimaginative?

Just because someone posts a question that goes against the grain of what most on the forum think, doesn't necessitate name calling. You could have responded with "I disagree and believe that this skill is justifiable because of xyz"
 
beef said:
Idiotic, what was the other term you used? Small minded? unimaginative?

Just because someone posts a question that goes against the grain of what most on the forum think, doesn't necessitate name calling. You could have responded with "I disagree and believe that this skill is justifiable because of xyz"
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You need to work on your reading comprehension. I didn't say asking the question was idiotic. I said it was idiotic to demonize the practice, and I stand by that statement.
 
Your tone could do with moderation.

"If you lack the imagination to find a reason why batoning can both save energy and provide more precise cuts, I feel sorry for you. And if you have a POS fixed blade that can't handle reasonable batoning, I feel REALLY sorry for you."
 
Jim malone said:
Battoning with a knife seems to be a last resort to cut wood to get firewood in the wild. Now, the last time i was in the woods i saw numerous dead trees with hanging dead branches and dead wood on the ground. While not as sufficient as a nice log for a fire , it seems strange to use an object NOT intended for splitting wood to split wood.
I have never seen an axe with a 3 mm thick blade, and it would quickly deform or break if you used one.
So why keep on insisting to batton wood. I have seen numerous threads where someone is disappointed because his favourite camp knife broke when he tried to pound it thrue a tree log.....
Why do they keep trying this, especially with a knife you intend to use as a knife later?
When you chop wood with a splitting maul you see that the wood splits along the grain and that it is never a clean straight cut thrue.
Enormous forces are placed on the blade if you try to pound your knife thrue wood. So why in the world would you try it, unless you are in a survival situation?
You could easely make a star shapped fire with dead branches, and fallen tress, burn thru the tree to "cut it".
Mors Kochanski mentions battoning in his book. But only GREEN trees that can be bend with one arm, not seasoned logs.
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There's a difference between the average folder and the abilities of well heat treated high carbon steel used in todays beaters and machetes. Pick up a rat RC5 or Becker and tell me the knife isn't beefy enough to split wood... I've battoned hard frozen stuff for years in Wisconsin, for fall bonfires, the fireplace in my parents' 150 year old victorian house, and if you know what you're doing and don't blatantly batton through crazy knots and resinous wood, I wouldn't consider it unnecessary abuse at all. I can batton all day with my RC5 or a Condor machete and see no major damage, or dulling, for that matter, of the edge of the blade. Even though I live in high desert, we've had a LOT of rain this spring, and for whatever reason the dirt seems to want to retain it. Battoning is easy, safe, and time efficient for splitting wet wood to expose the dry stuff underneath to burn-once you get a coal base going, it's not as huge of a deal and you can start using dead wet stuff you find on the ground. People have used these methods for centuries, so I don't see what the huge deal is or why people make such a big deal about battoning. It isn't hard on a beater if you are using correct technique.
 
Jim malone said:
Why do they keep trying this, especially with a knife you intend to use as a knife later?
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As some of the other guys have said, when everything is wet, dry wood can be found in the interior of thick logs/branches. Batonning is an efficient method to get at that dry wood.

Split wood burns better in general. If you don't have an axe, a knife will work. Likewise, wooden wedges can be driven through a log to split it or even fabricate boards. With out an axe, a knife can be used to start the split.

Do you need to baton? Most often not. But it's a nice technique to have in your repertoire.
 
personally, i'd rather use a hatchet than a knife for wood splitting duties.

but with that said, i'd expect my outdoors fixed survival knife to be able to baton wood if necessary.
 
I do quite a bit of motorcycle camping and weight/bulk is a major issue. If I can use one tool to do the job of three then I use it. Sure, there are some minor compromises, but it's worth it. I baton out of convenience. If I don't have to bring a hatchet then I can bring more beer.
 
jay2pointoh said:
Because axes are heavier and single purposed?
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not necessarily. axes are simply a better designed tool for that particular job.

i'd rather take a 3" and 5" knife along with a small hatchet than a 4" knife and a 10" knife.

besides, a useable hatchet is generally a lot cheaper than some thumping great chopper.
 
I carry a thick blade for that reason. I haven't broken a blade yet. I don't carry a axe a tomahawk hand axe large chopper knife medium knife and small knife. I just carry one knife and I'm good.
 
come to NW oregon in spring, fall or winter and try to find dry fire wood I dare you.
thats why batoning, to get the dry wood in wet conditions.
 
I've split wood with a knife and a baton on a couple of occasions when I have had no small, dry kindling and no hatchet available.
 
dawsonbob said:
I don't even understand the debate, really. If you want to baton, then baton. Otherwise, don't.

I've been batoning all my life, since long before I knew it had a name, and never thought anything of it. If I need to shape a piece of wood, and batoning works, then that's what I do.

I baton with my bolo or my BK-2, but I sure as heck don't baton with my Vic Farmer. Some tools baton without worry, others don't.

If you want to baton, then do. If you don't, then don't.
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Like the above old geezer :rolleyes:, I have been batoning forever. Didn't know it was called batoning until I joined BladeForums. All the batoning I did was with a Mora Ericksen or a Tram bolo. Never damaged either.

Chris Janowski (R.I.P.) of the World Survival Institute even advocated, "Let’s look at the tasks a folding knife should be able to perform in a wilderness survival situation:…………………………….Strong enough to split firewood by pounding on it with another piece of wood." (page 51, American Survival Guide, July 1996)

As brother bob said, "If you want to baton, then do. If you don't, then don't".

Doc :D
 
beef said:
Anything constructive from you, or was this just an effortless response?



Idiotic, what was the other term you used? Small minded? unimaginative?
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Well, tbh, i've seen enough droll flame-inducing threads and thread-starters to simply call it to attention to the group en masse to raise awareness to the potential of absurdity.

You're also part of the "anything constructive from you, or was this just an effortless response?" group btw. Why are you shooting off your mouth when you're doing what you're accusing others (active participants) of doing?

Maybe you need to learn to shut up more or go do your homework, play your xbox, mow the lawn like your dad keeps reminding you to do or really anything positive instead of trying to drag us all down your *hit-hole of negativity.

No one wants to hear it sweetheart.

EDIT: My filter for sad, pathetic responses is now active, so it will remove any trite response you make and place it on the appropriate bin.
 
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Gentlemen.

Let's agree to disagree, if we cannot see things the same way.

Let's rejoice that there is enough diversity that we can have these diverting little discussions, with the just a hint of the piquant.

Let's not take to the line, and see infractions.

Let's not go the distance, and get the thread shut down.

We don't have to take to the mats. We can all still be friends.

Almost all of these disagreements can be chalked up to mis-understanding. And it really is not worth showing your derriere. Though that can be a very diverting Image seach, if you you are not careful.

Some do, some don't... That's OK.

And if we keep the thread open, by keeping our cool, somebody might learn something.....


Best,
Marion
 
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