Coldshooter
Member
Why do we want such knives? Because mine's bigger than your's.
Please school me on batoning firewood
- Thread starter mtheo
- Start date
Edmo
US Veteran
In addition to several methods of fire starting, I always carry two firewood prep tools in my woods pack...
A folding Fiskars saw and an Ontario SP5 fixed blade knife.
I may need to start a fire when everything is wet. If so, I can saw a dead tree or branch into manageable sections and split (read: baton) the sections open to reveal the dry inner wood. Now I can get a fire going with less effort.
Could an ax or hatchet do this work? Yes, but the fixed blade knife has a smaller weight penalty and can be used for other required camp tasks.
As a retired USAF pilot I was taught how to baton for the dry inner wood in basic survival as well as arctic survival school. It is one of the many skills I took away from that invaluable training.
Edmo
A folding Fiskars saw and an Ontario SP5 fixed blade knife.
I may need to start a fire when everything is wet. If so, I can saw a dead tree or branch into manageable sections and split (read: baton) the sections open to reveal the dry inner wood. Now I can get a fire going with less effort.
Could an ax or hatchet do this work? Yes, but the fixed blade knife has a smaller weight penalty and can be used for other required camp tasks.
As a retired USAF pilot I was taught how to baton for the dry inner wood in basic survival as well as arctic survival school. It is one of the many skills I took away from that invaluable training.
Edmo
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Wyatt p. Tato
Member
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To the bushcrafting, large knife loving people. Batoning is like this forum discussing the perfect bear gun.
Most of us, as young men purchased big manly hunting knives, now years later we realized for 99% of what we need a knife for is accomplished with a small pocket folder.
At 66 yrs old if I am trying to survive in the woods in deep snow... With a knife. I did not learn much in those 66 years.
I won't need to baton tree branches, I'll burn the furniture.
Most of us, as young men purchased big manly hunting knives, now years later we realized for 99% of what we need a knife for is accomplished with a small pocket folder.
At 66 yrs old if I am trying to survive in the woods in deep snow... With a knife. I did not learn much in those 66 years.
I won't need to baton tree branches, I'll burn the furniture.
Texas Star
US Veteran
You have a point. The Royal Swedish Air Force issues the Fallkniven F- 1 as a pilot's survival knife. It was selected in part because it's tough enough to baton open wood, to get a fire going if a pilot has to bail out in really cold weather. He won't have an axe. It's not a large knife, but will suffice for most needs.
I have one, but usually prefer the slightly larger S-1 Forest Knife. The even bigger A-1 is also excellent, where its six-inch blade is legal and not too much for one's needs.
Work the buttons here carefully and find these and other superb knives. They have NOTHING much in common with Mora knives, which are much cheaper, except that both are Swedish firms.
www.fallkniven.com
Read carefully and select the right buttons. Be aware that prices are in Swedish kroner. An S-1 can be bought in the US for $150, maybe less if you get lucky. Model A-1 is more; Model F-1 less. Optional black blades are offered for military buyers or divers worried about reflections.
If you don't want to pay that much I suggest the Buck line. Model 105 Pathfinder is a very good knife; has a five-inch blade. Model 119 if you need more and can legally carry a six-inch blade. I gather that Wal-Mart sells them in Cordura sheaths for really low prices, considering the quality. Mine have leather sheaths, pretty good ones by factory standards.
I think that Randall's sheaths are outstanding and are an incentive to use their knives. I like their Model 5 as a general wilderness knife. Black Micarta handle with a Duralumin pommel/butt cap. Model 14 is designed from the ground up as a heavy duty survival knife. The Model 16 Diver's Knife is also good, and has a slimmer blade, if preferred. Model 1 would be my all-time favorite knife with seven-inch blade, if they'd delete that dip in the blade spine just before the guard. I don't think it really weakens the blade much, but to me, it's an eyesore. Model 5 has a very similar blade, less that dip, so I prefer it. Be aware of local laws before using these knives, although the Model 5 with five-inch blade is legal in some areas where longer ones aren't. I understand that some Navy pilot orders these to sell to fellow pilots, and the knife fits the sheath on their vests. Same for the Fallkniven S-1.
I'd like to see owners of Bark River and Mora knives post pics and tell about their knives. I never see these where I live, but read good things about them.
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I understand but they do have saws even chainsaws and all sorts of tools and equipment. They even have electricity.
Texas Star
US Veteran
At home, yes. Miles away in the Amazon rain forest or the remote N. American or Euro forests?
I know a half-Mexican girl whose relatives back in Mexico have to boil their water and purify it with iodine. No running water in their remote home. But no electricity means better views of the night sky...
carpriver
US Veteran
I camp a lot and when younger I hunted. My grand father made me a knife out of a file. The blade was about 8" long, it was a knife you carried when you hunted, hiked or worked in the woods. it was used to split limbs for shelter, fire and walking sticks. That knife was built to be used as a ax, an splitting. tough to guy a deer, that was a job for your folder.
Some really poor places in Mexico but it's very rare nowadays to find a village anywhere on Earth without a generator or solar power.
Anyway back to batoning. I've had one of these blades for about 12-15 years it'll cut through any branches or small trees in no time and there's hardly any weight to it and I've never had to sharpen it.
Exchange-A-Blade Saw w/ Black Sheath
or a small jar of vasoline......... and dryer lint!!!!!!
Funny thing is ......every video I've seen of batoning..... the wood being split has a flat end...... so they must have a saw!!!!
Edmo
US Veteran
I carry a film can with cotton balls coated in vasoline. Great fire starter, easy to prepare, and usually found under the bathroom sink on the wife's side.
The cotton balls are next to a few of the fire starter tablets in my "make fire" pouch. There is also a candle, matches, a Bic lighter, a ferro rod, and a Zippo fueled lighter.
I always have a folding saw in my pack to trim branches around my stand and to prep logs for splitting.
Edmo
