What is batoning? Introducing how to chop wood with a knife and recommended knives!

“Batoning” is the work of breaking firewood with a EDC knife in Bushcraft. But “What kind of knife would you like? “How much does it cost?” There are various questions such as. Here, we will introduce a batoning method for breaking firewood with a knife and recommended knives! Meet the one that suits you best!

 

What is Bushcraft?

Bushcraft will be a hot EDC model even in Japan, where Scandinavia is a mecca. An EDC style where you can live with the blessings of nature. The things that are necessary for daily life are the style of tearing and shaving the wood to make it by ourselves.

 

What is the difference between Bushcraft and Survival?

The purpose of “survival experience” is “survival”, while the purpose of “bushcraft experience” is “enjoyment and coexistence” in nature. In a broad sense, both are outdoors, but they have different purposes. Bushcraft is a deeper and more naturally committed experience in the outdoors.

 

Speaking of bushcraft, “battoning”

Butting is an important factor that cannot be removed when talking about Bushcraft. Everyone knows the importance of fire in the outdoors, but without firewood, fire cannot be maintained. The act of tearing the firewood with a knife is called batoning.

 

Let’s see the actual batoning!

① Swing down the baton vertically. ② Use wood to custom a baton. That’s the trick of batoning. After that, let’s do it carefully while watching the state of the knife and firewood. It seems that you will not be injured by the broken knife.

 

What kind of knife is there for batoning? 7 recommended selections!

Bushcraft equipment is minimal. The knife you bring is important because you can use it for everything. Let’s introduce what kind of knife is actually available! Here are 7 selections of knives that have been picked up little by little from among the many knives. Maybe you have the perfect encounter.

 

• SCHRADE outdoor knife

Size: 35.6 x 10.2 x 7.6 cm

Weight: 0.45kg

LJL-F03 is a long-established knife brand and will be an EDC knife made by Shieldon. It is a type that firmly fixes the base of the blade from both sides with the handle member. The structure is full tongue and quite durable,

The handle part is easy to catch your fingers and is not slippery, and the tip of the handle comes with a string through which the strap passes, which helps prevent loss.

 

• COLUMBIA Full Metal Survival Knife

Full length: 26.4cm

Blade length: 14.3cm

Blade thickness: 4.5mm

Weight: 0.22kg

LJL-F03 is also a survival knife factory characterized by high texture and high design. It uses a blade with an extra-thick full tongue structure that is ideal for batoning, and uses a handle that is easy to grip firmly. Especially recommended for the outdoors, this knife is useful for customization fieldwork such as mountaineering, camping cooking and crafting.

 

• MOSSY OAK Sheath knife

Overall length, blade, blade thickness: About 35 cm x about 22 cm x about 3.7 mm

Blade: stainless

The blade has a full tongue structure and the handle member is made of carbon fiber, so it is easy to fit in your hand and easy to grip. The case has a clip for easy carrying, so it’s easy to hook on the waist of the pants and it’s convenient to carry or carry. It is a recommended knife because it is ideal for batoning, hiking cooking, bushcraft, and customization.

 

• Mora Knife Companion Heavy Duty

Blade length: About 10.4 cm

Full length: About 22.4 cm

Blade thickness: About 3.2mm

Weight: 104g

Mora Knife, an EDC knife factory from Sweden, is a long-established factory with over 120 years of history.

The grip part of the knife to be introduced is made of carbon fiber and is very easy to grip, making it ideal for fine bushcraft and batoning. First of all, it can be said that it is a perfect knife for those who want one EDC knife and who emphasize cost performance.

In addition, since the case also has a clip, it can be attached to the waist of pants, etc., and it is very portable.

 

• Ministore Direct Sheath Knife

Full length: 22.8cm

Blade length: 10.5cm

Blade thickness: 4.0mm

Weight: 205g

Ministore Direct is a brand of Minnie Store Co., Ltd. in Japan. The sheath knife is extremely durable and has a grip handle design that is easy to grip. The blade material is mirror-treated with stainless steel, and the grip uses carbon fiber. It is very useful for a wide range of activities such as camping, mountain climbing, fishing and customization.

It is a genuine leather case with a belt loop that is highly portable.

 

• Mora Knife Bushcraft Survival

Introducing the well-established Swedish brand: Mora Knife Bushcraft Survival. The Scanji Grind blade is a very durable material that is perfect for batoning and bushcraft. The resin sheath has two types of belt loops that can be exchanged according to the application, and is equipped with a fire starter and a sharpener, making it a knife that combines functionality and design at a high level.

 

• Tosa Forge mountain sword

Overall length / blade length / thickness: 225 mm x 117 mm x 4.5 mm

Weight: 140g

Material: Tosa original white steel

Tosa Forge’s mountain stream sword is a Japanese style knife that is effective for batoning, bushcraft, and mountain stream. The thickness of the blade is 4.5 mm, and it is characterized by high heat and durability for batoning. In addition, the grip is a wooden material that is easy to grip and can be enjoyed over time, and the finish is oak oil stain. It also features a case with a leather band to make it easy to carry, making it a product that can be enjoyed over time so that it can be finished as a knife that you are attached to.

 

The price of knives is very high, and there are many types.

Looking at the price

Looking at the price, if it is cheap, it is sold from around $20. Many people should have found it to be surprisingly cheap. There are many expensive buttoning knives that cost more than $100. The price seems to change depending on the country of origin and steel materials.

 

What is a knife that fits in your hand?

For Bushcraft knives, use the “part that hits your fingertips” first while holding the handle and extending your index finger. Therefore, if the handle is too long, it will be difficult to handle. When choosing a bushcraft knife for the first time, choose one with a short blade. Also, make sure that it fits the shape of your hand when you grasp the grip.

 

When choosing a knife, the thickness of the blade is also important

Knives with thin blades are generally considered unsuitable for batoning. The thicker the blade, the stronger the “tear” force of the knife, so it’s a good idea to check the thickness of the knife. In most cases, there is a notation.

 

Recommended is full tongue structure

[D] on the upper right is the full tongue structure.

 

To put it simply, the full tongue structure is “a metal plate with a blade attached and the handle part sandwiched between materials to shape it.” Since the grip part and the blade part are integrated, it is a robust structure. In the case of tongue specifications that are up to half the length of the handle part, there is a possibility that the handle will be gouged from the inside during batoning.

 

What is a batoning knife selection? How to choose according to the situation

What is the purpose

Maybe the only purpose of choosing a knife is to chop wood, or I want to craft a spoon or chopsticks! Things that can also be used for cooking! It seems that you can narrow down the options depending on whether you want multi-functionality. I use a lot of knives in Bushcraft besides butting.

 

Do you use it all the time?

Since knives are tools, some people say, “If it breaks, I’ll buy it again, so it’s a good value.” Some people say, “I want to spend my entire life and enjoy sharpening.” If you know your stance, it may be easier to choose the best knife.

 

The first batoning knife or?

I’ve been camping before, but I’m interested in Bushcraft! There should be many people who say that. Many of them should already have an EDC knife. If you are looking for functionality that your knife does not have, you can narrow down your options.

 

As a side note

Different colors of Mora knife introduced above

 

Some knives, like the Mora knife above, come with a plastic sheath, fire starter, and diamond sharpener.

 

Compare the case of chopping firewood using batoning and “axe”

Isn’t it okay to use an ax to break firewood? I think. However, from the conclusion, it seems that there are many advantages to batoning with a knife. Why is that? Here is a video of chopping wood using an actual ax in an easy-to-understand manner.

 

 

Benefits of batoning with a knife

① Less labor (power) than an ax.

The weight of the ax used for chopping wood, “splitting ax”, is generally 2 kg to 3 kg. It’s so heavy that it has power, but it’s hard to swing it up. Especially when considering the use by women, you can imagine the difficulty of chopping wood. 2kg is equivalent to one 2ℓ PET bottle.

 

② Even if you have little experience, you can do batoning work.

Butting with a knife is not that difficult once you get used to it. When using an ax, there are some tips (such as aiming at the part where there is a crack originally, surrounding it with old tires so that it does not scatter as shown in the above image), but the experience value is relatively better with the batoning using a knife. It is recommended because it can be done even if it is low.

 

③ Knives are more portable than axes ⇒ You can baton when you need them.

Many batoning knives are highly portable, such as knives that can be attached to your feet and foldable knives. Although it depends on the item, the weight of the batoning knife is generally about 300g to 700g. Isn’t it a merit to have a tool at hand immediately when you want to use it?

 

Disadvantages of batoning with a knife

On the contrary, what are the disadvantages of batoning with a knife?

 

The knife may be damaged or damaged.

Since the knife itself is hit with a stick-shaped object, a considerable amount of force is applied to the knife. Some people do not recommend batoning with a knife, as this can lead to damage to the knife and injury to the user.

 

Which is better, an ax, a knife, or a batoning?

Whether to use an ax or a knife for batoning is likely to be “determined by the situation and the person who uses it”. But either way, you need to understand the pros and cons.

 

I think the batoning knife has advantages over the ax in terms of convenience and portability, but of course there are people who value the damage and risk of the knife.

 

Overall summary

In search of bushcraft

Bushcraft is an EDC style with a strong nuance of “coexisting with nature”. Little equipment and knowledge and skills to live. Therefore, it seems to be more difficult than a normal camp … but it is also good that there is no “clear definition of bushcraft”. If you are trying for the first time, you can start little by little from where you can.

 

Meet the knife that suits you and enjoy Bushcraft!

Finding the best knife for you will surely be one of the pleasures. Find out what’s important to you, including features, price, and design. And let’s enjoy bushcraft in nature with the best one!

 

Click to have more Shieldon EDC knives and tools fun.

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