Your opinion on batoning?

Using a knife as a splitting wedge is just not something I can get down with. If I'm going to where I think I might need to split kindling, I take a hatchet or axe. But hammering a blade through a log, potentially getting it stuck or breaking it? No thx........ Does anyone know of a single knofe manufacturer that encourages batoning and will cover mishaps in their warranty? If not, then that should tell you all you need to know about it
 
timberweasel said:
Personally, after years of outdoor experience, I never even heard of it until I became a knife-nut...

-Brett
Click to expand...

I saw it...we just called it "splitting wood with a knife."
Didn't do it with wimpy blades, and no one really bothered talking about it.
But if you had need to split wood with a knife, you just went and split wood with a knife.

No one was bashing knives through logs, though...we had to wait for YouTube to see that become a thing. :D
 
stabman said:
I saw it...we just called it "splitting wood with a knife."
Didn't do it with wimpy blades, and no one really bothered talking about it.
But if you had need to split wood with a knife, you just went and split wood with a knife.

No one was bashing knives through logs, though...we had to wait for YouTube to see that become a thing. :D
Click to expand...

Yup. More than one way to skin a cat, it is said. Nothing wrong with knowing about options... ;)

-Brett
 
Sailors of old used batoning to cut cleanly through fat ropes. It's a good technique to know.
 
Urban redneck said:
Which one? Not that I doubt u, but I'd be surprised to know that a manufacturer condones they're product being used for something that's so risky for breakage
Click to expand...

You have not been around the knife world much. Busse, ESEE, Scapyard, Swamp Rat, HI, to name a few condone it and much more. What is the point of buying a large heavy blade and not using it for that for fear of breaking.
 
Batoning is a skill that requires tool literacy to be performed properly. The limits of the tool need to be taken into account when determining appropriate targets for the method. Most knives can be safely batoned, but how large/twisted a piece of wood they can handle appropriately varies according to the strength of the knife in question. I mostly use batoning for splitting finger-thick and matchstick kindling, which is a traditional method. In Europe hidden-tang billhooks are usually used for the task, with some even being made specifically for work on a chopping/splitting block. Those who experience failure in their knives when batoning usually have not been sensible with their knife by choosing an overly difficult split and/or using sloppy technique. If stuck with a relatively delicate knife and splitting tasks are called for, use the knife to carve some gluts (wooden wedges) and gently baton the knife into the top of the target piece just to spread the wood fibers, then insert the edge of the glut and drive it home to complete the split.
 
I find it a useful technique to know how to do. Like you, I've found that anything larger than about forearm/calf (depending on your body type :p) sized wood is just not worth the effort to baton (even with a large knife), many times I'm only going after stuff wrist sized (I'm lazy). I have also found that you don't need to baton tons of pieces. Its just for lighting a fire, you baton one, maybe two forearm sized pieces and you've got your core kindling done, and don't "need" to split any more wood. And finally, the grain of the wood makes a big difference. I only try the straight grained ones anymore because again... I'm lazy.

And I only baton certain types of knives (ones built with that in mind). Additionally... when you have done it a bit, you can tell when the wood is just not cooperating. When that happens, I just try a different piece. In the past, I've tried to test the limits of my skills/knives, but in the end its just not worth the effort.

I personally have had more success battoning hatchets than I have with swinging them. I guess I've just got bad aim? Once the pieces are smaller I do the lay it on its side trick shown in a few of the videos above. But personally I'm not a fan of most hatchets. I find that most larger knives can do similar tasks, and are more useful in other ways (to me, in my area, etc). I feel like "axe like objects" get much more useful as they get larger, and they earn their keep as a specialized wood processing tool once they are past ~20-22in or so in length.

Anyway, its a hot topic, and one you'll get lots of differing opinions. So these are just my two cents.

Cheers :).

EDIT: +1 On what 42blades said :thumbup:.
 
Cobalt said:
You have not been around the knife world much. Busse, ESEE, Scapyard, Swamp Rat, HI, to name a few condone it and much more. What is the point of buying a large heavy blade and not using it for that for fear of breaking.
Click to expand...

Well, what is the point of buying a large heavy blade for splitting wood, when there's better tools available? I understand what your saying, just for my personal purposes, I don't understand using a knife to split wood. It's kind of like using an axe blade to shave..... CAN you to it in a pinch, I'm sure you can, but is it the best choice for the job, uhhhh NO! Just my respectful opinion......
 
ocnLogan said:
I find it a useful technique to know how to do. Like you, I've found that anything larger than about forearm/calf (depending on your body type :p) sized wood is just not worth the effort to baton (even with a large knife), many times I'm only going after stuff wrist sized (I'm lazy). I have also found that you don't need to baton tons of pieces. Its just for lighting a fire, you baton one, maybe two forearm sized pieces and you've got your core kindling done, and don't "need" to split any more wood. And finally, the grain of the wood makes a big difference. I only try the straight grained ones anymore because again... I'm lazy.

And I only baton certain types of knives (ones built with that in mind). Additionally... when you have done it a bit, you can tell when the wood is just not cooperating. When that happens, I just try a different piece. In the past, I've tried to test the limits of my skills/knives, but in the end its just not worth the effort.

I personally have had more success battoning hatchets than I have with swinging them. I guess I've just got bad aim? Once the pieces are smaller I do the lay it on its side trick shown in a few of the videos above. But personally I'm not a fan of most hatchets. I find that most larger knives can do similar tasks, and are more useful in other ways (to me, in my area, etc). I feel like "axe like objects" get much more useful as they get larger, and they earn their keep as a specialized wood processing tool once they are past ~20-22in or so in length.

Anyway, its a hot topic, and one you'll get lots of differing opinions. So these are just my two cents.

Cheers :).

EDIT: +1 On what 42blades said :thumbup:.
Click to expand...

You're not lazy--you're efficient! :D
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
You're not lazy--you're efficient! :D
Click to expand...

I agree. You should only need to baton through a small amount of wood, say, an armful to get that fire nice and roaring hot to the point where anything will burn. That's what I do atleast. Once I get to the point where the flames are a good 3 feet in height then I just chuck whatever in and let the kindling take care of burning it.
 
I have not had to baton anything for a while. Sure I have done it and with the right blade it works... but it is too slow.

I rent one of these once a season or every second season from the local co-op; frequency depends on my firewood usage and how cold the winter has been. Firewood is then hauled by trailer to where it is needed. I get through a lot of firewood.

[video=youtube;fCbctWywxWQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCbctWywxWQ[/video]

**Not that specific model but the same functional specs. i.e. Feed whole trees on rollers, cut them using a hardened circular saw blade, and stack them automatically with a conveyor belt. Ours runs off a tractor PTO.

Cooking on the trail is better done with alcohol or canister stoves. Or better yet at home and hauled in in a thermos ready to consume.

Your trail heating comes from selecting a good sleeping system (bag, pad, tent) and keeping it dry.
 
Urban redneck said:
Well, what is the point of buying a large heavy blade for splitting wood, when there's better tools available? I understand what your saying, just for my personal purposes, I don't understand using a knife to split wood. It's kind of like using an axe blade to shave..... CAN you to it in a pinch, I'm sure you can, but is it the best choice for the job, uhhhh NO! Just my respectful opinion......
Click to expand...

I see what you mean. But I'm not talking about splitting wood at home. I'm talking about splitting wood using what you have on your back. And unless you feel like carrying a 5lb+ splitting maul with you, then a large fixed blade knife is the next best thing. I am only talking about splitting forearm sized pieces of wood, even smaller really. Just to get the core of the fire to hold, and then you can put really anything on and it will burn.
 
Urban redneck said:
Well, what is the point of buying a large heavy blade for splitting wood, when there's better tools available? I understand what your saying, just for my personal purposes, I don't understand using a knife to split wood. It's kind of like using an axe blade to shave..... CAN you to it in a pinch, I'm sure you can, but is it the best choice for the job, uhhhh NO! Just my respectful opinion......
Click to expand...

I don't disagree with you on the axe being better suited there for splitting. But that knife can do a ton of things the axe cannot do. The right tool for the right job is just fantastic when you are at home or in your shop. It is a whole different story when you have to pack it all. But that is just my opinion. A large knife can do a lot more tasks than an axe. But an axe will out chop or split any knife(axe, not hatchet). So yes, ideally the axe is better. Nothing wrong with carrying a small forest axe and a mora. You can cover all your needs there. You can also get a large fixed blade and a mora or small fixed blade as well. My point was that a large heavy duty blade that fails at batoning is worthless as it should be able to handle that job with no problem.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top