- Joined
- Dec 7, 2015
- Messages
- 71
I'm still a bit new to this forum so I wasn't really sure where to post this or if there's a million other threads out there. I apologize if I'm being redundant.
What's your opinion on batoning? +
I'm a bit new to bushcraft as well, recently taking more of an interest in it, but I think batoning does serve a purpose. To make kindling. Small pencil sized and thumb sized tinder that will take a flame from your primary tinder. I'm not talking about batoning through leg sized logs, but small forearm sized logs to get to the very dry wood that will take and hold a flame when you're first starting a fire. After the fire is going I know you can just chuck any old log onto the fire and you don't have to worry much about splitting it.
I baton at home, but only to make kindling. For anything larger I set up the log on my chopping block and split it with my maul.
I find wielding anything larger than my kabar on a forearm sized piece of wood to be a bit awkward, and dangerous. I like how I can safely set the knife on the wood, precisely where I want it to split, and with 2 or 3 good whacks, the wood will split. Sometimes I do split larger logs with a knife but not for a purpose, I just like to see if my knife can stand up to it, and it can. (Not recommending doing that, but once in a while it's fun to test my knives)
At home, batoning is needed less, because you have the right tools for the job only a few feet away in the garage, but I see the real value of batoning out in the wilderness, where you're likely carrying a pack, and you're looking to keep that pack light. Sure, you could haul in an axe, a saw and a maul, but why do that when you could carry a sturdy knife (think becker bk7 and the like).
Sure a hatchet may split the difference, but I find it hard to split wood with a hatchet. I may be doing something wrong but I can only get the hatchet to bite an inch into the wood, and it won't split. I'm not really sure how one would split wood with a hatchet. If someone could enlighten me that would be appreciated.
Looking forward to hearing your opinions
What's your opinion on batoning? +
I'm a bit new to bushcraft as well, recently taking more of an interest in it, but I think batoning does serve a purpose. To make kindling. Small pencil sized and thumb sized tinder that will take a flame from your primary tinder. I'm not talking about batoning through leg sized logs, but small forearm sized logs to get to the very dry wood that will take and hold a flame when you're first starting a fire. After the fire is going I know you can just chuck any old log onto the fire and you don't have to worry much about splitting it.
I baton at home, but only to make kindling. For anything larger I set up the log on my chopping block and split it with my maul.
I find wielding anything larger than my kabar on a forearm sized piece of wood to be a bit awkward, and dangerous. I like how I can safely set the knife on the wood, precisely where I want it to split, and with 2 or 3 good whacks, the wood will split. Sometimes I do split larger logs with a knife but not for a purpose, I just like to see if my knife can stand up to it, and it can. (Not recommending doing that, but once in a while it's fun to test my knives)
At home, batoning is needed less, because you have the right tools for the job only a few feet away in the garage, but I see the real value of batoning out in the wilderness, where you're likely carrying a pack, and you're looking to keep that pack light. Sure, you could haul in an axe, a saw and a maul, but why do that when you could carry a sturdy knife (think becker bk7 and the like).
Sure a hatchet may split the difference, but I find it hard to split wood with a hatchet. I may be doing something wrong but I can only get the hatchet to bite an inch into the wood, and it won't split. I'm not really sure how one would split wood with a hatchet. If someone could enlighten me that would be appreciated.
Looking forward to hearing your opinions
with my luck i'd probably filet myself
