To Baton or Not to Baton that's the question!

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OBX351

OBX351

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A lot of people don't like using a knife to baton wood, they feel it's abuse because the knife wasn't specifically made to do this. Use and axe they say. However many knife manufactures "cover" batoning in their warranty. So do you baton??? Why or why not!!!

I'll start off by saying that not only do I baton but I consider it safer than using a hand axe. FYI, I also use a hand axe for larger pieces of wood and baton med to smaller pieces of wood. What's the good of having a sturdy camp/survive knife if it can't baton?? Am I going to use my very small hand made puukko to baton, no. But I'd use any of my S!Ks or other knives that I have to baton small pieces of wood into smaller pieces.




Here's the blade afterward, with NO damage and only a few micro folds:



Here's my wood cutting combo:


Please let me know if you think I am full of $h!7 (well, some of you might think I am full it regardless) or if you agree!!!
 
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Someday somebody should resurrect the splitting froe.
If made with a pick style slide in handle it packs easily.
Until then baton to your heart's content! :)
 
Batoning is a personal choice and I've never understood why people get so fired up about this topic. I don't condone batoning a 10" log with and 11" blade but batoning has its place. Most of my knives (Infi, 3v) that I would consider using are probably tougher than any hatchet I own. I find hatchets dangerous, they are just too close to the body and once swung can be difficult to control, at least for me. The shortest axe that I will use and feel safe with is my GB small forest axe.
 
In one's backyard or workshop, use an axe for 5" or more in diameter to split into 4 pieces and thereafter use knife to baton and process down to kindling. You are doing it textbook perfect OBX.

In the wilderness without an axe, just use your meat paws and jaws ;)
 
OBX: why am I not surprised that you just whipped out what you whipped out!
 
Yes baton !!!
4RFiYv9.jpg

That's why I buy quality blades !!
 
Passing judgement on what one does with one's own knife (legally speaking, of course) is for the birds. Much better to put a knife to work than leave it in the sheath, as far as I'm concerned.
 
We baton as a way of life. With woos stoves, kindling is often needed. The children are much safer making small kindling and feather sticks with a proper knife and techniques... We started years ago with small hatchets, because I never heard of batoning... There was many close calls hacking on wobbly unstable wood pcs. And many chips in brick hearth to this day... Now it's easier, and safer...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G800A using Tapatalk
 
Absolutely, yes... Because it's fun and it makes me feel like a real outdoorsman. Especially when one does not require an axe. Many of the larger knives today make easy work of most smaller logs 6" or less.
 
It looks like I must have accidentally closed the thread.

So do you baton or do you not to baton, that's the question!!
 
Brian77 said:
We baton as a way of life. With woos stoves, kindling is often needed. The children are much safer making small kindling and feather sticks with a proper knife and techniques... We started years ago with small hatchets, because I never heard of batoning... There was many close calls hacking on wobbly unstable wood pcs. And many chips in brick hearth to this day... Now it's easier, and safer...
Click to expand...

100% agree with Brian. I did a batoning session with my daughter on our last outing. She was thrilled that a large blade was so much easier to control than a hatchet. It really upped her confidence level knowing that she could easily produce kindling and smaller fuel. I didn't get any pics of the batoning, but did snap a shot of the results:


 
Now that's being too harsh. To come back to the topic, I'd say to baton away to your heart's desire!
 
I was confused as to why this thread was closed when so many others that deserve it more have lived on. :)
 
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