” Batoning method” & “Recommended knife BEST3” by expert

Why don’t you try “battoning” to break firewood with a knife? We invited Mr. Samukawa, an EDC expert, as a lecturer to teach us from recommended knives for batoning to how to do it. Even beginners can feel free to challenge because it is introduced in an easy-to-understand video!

 

It’s easy even for beginners! Let’s challenge “Batoning”, a step to start a wildfire

It’s hard to use the firewood sold at the campsite with the same thickness and start a fire! Thick firewood is hard to settle, and it is guaranteed that it will be difficult to start a fire. ” Batoning ” is a useful technique to learn in such cases.

 

What is batoning?

Buttoning

 

Buttoning means breaking firewood with a knife, a technique that you want to practice when you want to custom thin firewood for burning.

 

You can easily break firewood by pressing the knife against the firewood and hitting the edge of the knife with wood, so it is convenient for campers to learn.

 

Therefore, this time, we will invite Mr. Samukawa, who has more than 40 years of outdoor experience, as a lecturer to teach us from “how to batoning” to “recommended knives” that even beginners can easily do.

Taking advantage of more than 40 years of outdoor experience, he is active as an EDC life advisor. He is also involved in the advisor of “UPI EDC PRODUCTS”, a shop that handles EDC products in Scandinavia, the operation of “Bonfire Cafe” that requires reservations, and the development of bonfire tools. I’m bathing.

First, prepare the necessary tools! Speaking of an indispensable tool for batoning, it is a knife. However, if you are a beginner, choosing this EDC knife is also a point to worry about.

 

We asked Mr. Samukawa, who has handled many EDC knives, to tell us the BEST3 “knife for batoning” recommended for knife beginners.

 

I won’t regret buying it! Recommended for beginners “Knife for batoning” BEST3

Mr. Samukawa chose three knives from the Swedish knife brand “Mora Knife”, which has been in business for 125 years.

 

① If you want to start batoning easily! Mora knife “Companion” with attractive price

• Pattern material: Rubber
• Blade material: Stainless steel
• Blade length: Approximately 104mm
• Overall length: Approximately 219 mm
• Blade thickness: Approximately 2.5 mm
• Weight: Approximately 84g

 

The “Companion” with a total length of 219 cm and a blade thickness of 2.5 mm is attractive at a price of $21, which is easy to reach as the first one. Hard stainless steel is used for the blade, and it is tough for batoning.

 

② A well-balanced one that can even ignite! Mora Knife “Companion Spark”

• Pattern material: Rubber
• Blade material: Stainless steel
• Blade length: Approximately 104mm
• Overall length: Approximately 238 mm
• Blade thickness: Approximately 2.5 mm
• Weight: Approximately 82g

 

The “Companion Spark” with exactly the same blade as the “Companion” introduced earlier. The difference is that the handle contains a “fire starter,” a tool for creating sparks.

 

“Companion” can cover only batoning, and “Companion Spark” can cover a series of work from batoning to ignition, so it is best to choose according to your own use.

 

③ For those who want to take on the challenge of Bushcraft from now on, Mora Knife “Bushcraft Survival”

• Pattern material: Rubber Blade material: Carbon steel (black coating)
• Blade length: Approximately 109mm
• Overall length: Approximately 232 mm
• Blade thickness: Approximately 3.2mm
• Weight: Approximately 123g

 

“Bushcraft Survival” is recommended for intermediate users and those who want to enjoy Bushcraft in earnest, rather than for beginners.

 

Sturdy with a thick stainless steel blade with a blade thickness of 3.2 mm. In addition to the “Fire Starter”, a “Diamond Sharpener” is also included with the sheath, making it possible to adjust the sharpness!

 

[Choose firewood for batoning] Prepare as much “conifer” as possible

Once you have the knives, prepare the firewood for batoning! In fact, in batoning, the selection of firewood is also the key to success.

 

There are two main types of firewood commonly available at campsites: hardwoods and conifers. Looking at the cross section of the firewood, the difference in the density of the wood grain is obvious.

 

Features of hardwood

It is harder and heavier than coniferous trees. The wood grain is clogged and it is difficult for air to enter, so it is difficult to catch fire, but it has excellent combustion endurance.

 

Features of conifers

Conifers are light and easy to ignite. However, since it does not have endurance for burning, it is suitable for burning.

 

Based on the characteristics of each firewood, choose a conifer that is light and easy to crack, with good fire in batoning! It is also important to select firewood that does not contain knots.

 

Please refrain from using items with knots for batoning.

Even though it is a coniferous tree, if it has a knot like the one in the photo, it is difficult for the blade to pass through, so be careful! In the worst case, the EDC knife may break and cause injury. Use the one with knots as the fuel to be added after the burning is stable.

 

How to batoning

 Put firewood for batoning on the firewood splitting table.

Prepare a firewood splitting table and set up firewood. Check if the firewood can be placed vertically against the table.

 

In order to directly transmit the striking force to the firewood, install the stand in a place that is level with the ground. Ideally, the cut edge of the firewood to be leaned against should be flat and should be able to be installed vertically and stably as much as possible.

 

When batoning, try to hold the knife outside your body to prevent injury.

 

Press the blade of the knife against the firewood that you leaned against.

Buttoning Press the blade of a knife against the firewood that is leaning against it.

 

Press the firewood near the base of the knife against the firewood and press it from above.

 

Tap lightly with a baton (wood) to firmly fix the knife to the firewood.

Using a baton, tap the back of the knife lightly 2-3 times so that the knife sticks firmly into the firewood.

The buttoning knife was stabbed horizontally against the ground and fixed.

 

As you can see, it’s OK if the knife sticks horizontally to the ground and is fixed.

 

The wood used for the baton should be heavy and hard. If you hit the conifer with a conifer, it will be too light and it will be difficult to transmit the force.

 

 Continue to beat

At first, take a long pitch to swing the baton and make it strong, and when the knife advances by half against the firewood, shorten the pitch and hit gently.

 

The best thing about batoning is to prevent the tip of the knife from dropping in the middle of hitting. To do this, be aware that you should consciously wholesale your knife-holding hand level with the ground.

Also, when you fall the baton, do not shake it with all your strength, but try to use the weight of the baton.

 

When the firewood breaks, the batoning is complete!

Slowly loosen the striking force and watch the situation. When the firewood breaks, it is complete.

 

You don’t have to hit the bottom of the wood with a knife. After hitting up to about 70%, move the knife and check if the firewood breaks naturally.

 

Solve your batoning questions!

Do you need a wood-splitting stand?

 

The platform is not a mast, but it is better to have it. The reason is to prevent the blade of the knife from hitting a hard object such as a stone on the ground and spilling when batoning.

 

You can prepare a commercially available wood-splitting table, or if you don’t have one, you can arrange several pieces on the ground with the flat side of the wood facing up and use it as a substitute for the table.

 

Cottage wood chopping table

• Height: 10 cm (cutting machine / horizontal top and bottom)
• Tree species: Conifer (Sugi from Kyushu)

 

Next, try making a “feather stick” using the buttoned firewood!

If you are a beginner, you will feel a sense of tension because of the work of handling knives. However, as the number of times increases, I think you can get the hang of how easy it is to break firewood.

 

Also, try making a “feather stick” using the small amount of firewood! If you learn the “feather stick” that plays the role of an ignition agent by scraping the surface thinly, you can start a fire by making full use of firewood.

 

Next, Mr. Samukawa gave a lecture, so please check it out.

 

 

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