Yes another batoning thread...

[Oregon Knife Guy]

I was thinking of this recently and thought I would see what you guys thought... I have been batoning with my Doziers for years now, and yes they hold an edge like nobody’s business. When you place the edge of the knife upon the wood you intend to split the cutting edge is in contact with the wood at the first point, but after you wedge the blade into the wood, the cutting edge of the blade is no longer really cutting, the wood has separated enough to clear the cutting edge. Of course the grind (flat, convex, hollow) will determine what point the wood will separate enough. So my point is, you really are not dulling a knife when batoning? Right? I haven't done this to test it since I had this thought.
What do you guys think?

 

[sicily02]

I think you are right on with what you said.
Bryan

 

[DOC-CANADA]

I definitely agree.

Doc

 

[mcjhrobinson]

i agree whole heartedly.

 

[kgd]

Yes, this point has been raised many times in the past but for whatever reason people don't get it.

What seems to be hard on the blade is banging on the blade tip while the knife is oriented at an angle such that the tip is higher then the handle. Normally when banging away you drive the tip lower and the knife gets angled tip down. Then you have to do some correction taps on the handle size to straighten the blade. Often times, instead of doing the correction taping, you will just pull the blade back and re-orientate the knife. If you do this and the knife re-orientates tip up and rests on a knot then this seems to produce a high degree of stress at the handle/blade junction during patoning. At least this is what Reid of Sharpshooter Sheaths hypothesized in his batoning article on Bark River Collector Forums.

So bang that knife in straight and as you say after the bevel sinks below the wood, the edge is no longer contacting the wood. It probably does at knots where the wood refuses to split and you have to just whack that knife through the knot. Again, when doing this common sense helps. You should be prepared to stop at some point at risk of damaging your blade.

 

[Shoki]

So I assume that a convex grind would be the ideal grind to maintain a sharp edge for batoning?

 

[mcjhrobinson]

So I assume that a convex grind would be the ideal grind to maintain a sharp edge for batoning?

its not so much the edge as it is the blades grind profile which acts as a wedge. kinda like splitting mauls vs axes i guess

 

[The Government]

I agree but there are some other considerations.

1) making sure not to let the knife hit the ground -not a problem if you use a soft backstop, or if you make the wood split before the edge ever gets that far

2) knots in the wood. -If you have to go through thick knots this would probably dull the blade.

EDIT: Didn't see that you mentioned that kgd

 

[Shoki]

its not so much the edge as it is the blades grind profile which acts as a wedge. kinda like splitting mauls vs axes i guess

Gotcha. I was thinking a full convex profile but I think the thickness of the blade would have a lot to do with it too, rather than the edge. Hypothetically, the blade wouldn't have to be very sharp to baton well. Just sharp enough to start the split. Found this image that might illustrate the idea better than I can describe it:

 

[Md 25v]

Here is a pic from a review I did. I'm splitting a 3in branch down to kindling with a 4in full convex ground Fox River.

 

[Oregon Knife Guy]

kgd, I agree it is important to keep the knife level. I typically apply the proper amount of presure on the handle while I slice into the wood, that way I never have to adjust the angle.

I always try and avoid knots when batoning, I have always been able to find better wood to use to split, not to say I haven't done it, but its less effort to find a nice grain to split.

Blais, IMO you are right a convex will probably do a better job splitting because it is going to become thicker, and spread the wood quicker than my hollow ground Doziers, though I have never had any issues with my thinner grind doing a full days work..

 

[Oregon Knife Guy]

MD, my point exactly. You will never dull that edge.