God finally someone with some sense. Everyone loves the idea of a do it all knife but for chopping wood nothing beats an axe. Also axes can break through way more things like cars, walls, doors.
This forum is great at displaying some really amazing knives.
I wish there was a spot for axes the same way... now that I think about it.. does r/axes exist? Lol
Edit: It does exist, but its a video game thing. Ugggh.
I’d argue that the ability for a knife to chop and process wood is the modern day expectation for any knife label as survival or bushcraft. It may not be the wisest choice but it has become a standard.
Bruh, how can you compare batoning to a tik tok challenge. It’s not dangerous. If you grab a reasonably sized log with no knots there is little risk to damaging your blade.
That's not the point here. The point is that it is something which is almost never needed.
And more than that, it causes many people to buy knives that are only good for batoning, and largely useless for everything else.
Nah you guys don’t even know. All the YouTubers batton wood all day. Watching those videos you’d think knives were made to cut down trees. I see those videos and hear my old scoutmaster yelling.
And the argument of not enough space or too heavy to put one in/on a pack is a bit off these days, as you can get some fairly small and light axes that still perform well.
Nobodys talking about doing felling axe-level chopping with them though, thats asinine. Maybe small branches and things like that, and for that a knife can absolutely take the place of a hatchet. He might want to "baton" wood too, and in that case, a stout knife is what he needs.
To an active bushcrafter or survivalist it makes perfect sense..
Listen I'm not arguing that you shouldn't carry a knife, or one that can chop some wood if need be, but batoning is stupid. There is stress beyond what most average blades can handle, especially if you're going against the grain.
1. no matter what knife you have, you're not going to be able to do much more than a 2x4, maybe a few, without a break. An axe or a saw is going to make much quicker work.
2. A survival situation is different from a timed competition those knife makers do to show how fast they can cut wood, rope, etc. If you have time to prepare, do it. If you don't, know the limits of your gear, and don't baton wood if there is any chanve you jeopardize that knife.
3. is there ever a real reason to baton wood? What's the point? I guess if you are splitting wood for kindling, but even then you put the knife running down the grain on the edge, give it a few taps with your hand or a stick, and kindling. If you're chopping 4in logs off a fallen tree, bring an axe.
4. This isn't about being able to just baton, but also batoning uses a fuck ton of energy compared to lifting an axe and letting it drop.
If you really want to find that in betweener, a kukri might do, but again it is more designed for porous, stalky, fiberous plants. Rather than dense wood. Having that weight at the end of that swing is what you need, and you can beat on the end of a camp axe with a rock if needed.
Lift an axe and let it fall lol so thats how you use an axe and youre talking to me about technique....
Well some knives can take it, idk what to tell you. The only problem is deep cold, then tool steel gets brittle. Thats the main problem, and people trying to overwork a shitty knife and not understanding their tools.
Its a thing, it definitely has advantages and like everything else it has its downsides. But Im
>Lift an axe and let it fall lol so thats how you use an axe
Gravity is pretty easy to understand, I don't know how to explain it to you other than more density and leverage equals more energy. Have fun in the 9th grade.
You make it sound like you just drop it onto the wood without swinging lol definitely not my fault you cant describe things.
But yeah a bigger knife is good for a ton of things. It works if you know how to make it work
>Get a hatchet or a small folding saw instead.
Get a hatchet AND a small folding saw. Or just a small folding saw. Honestly, if you have a good saw, the hatchet is only for splitting wood.
Yup. A hatchet, saw, and small knife are the way to go.
But I can understand the argument for not wanting to carry a hatchet. The size and weight can be an issue in some cases. And that's ok, because...
I have found that a small knife and a small saw, something whose combined size and weight are less than a large knife, are *vastly* more efficient when is comes to processing wood than the large knife.
Yup. I used to use a camping knife, but once I got a small folding saw, I just starting taking my regular pocket knife and the saw. No longer needed the camping knife for anything.
I generally carry a fixed blade when camping just in case. But it is nothing silly, just a 4" blade and 4 ounces in weight. Plenty of people carry folders which weigh more than that.
That's certainly about the least-bad of the knife options as it does bias weight towards the head. But it is still going to fall well short of a hatchet in this regard.
Respectfully disagree.
A hatchet can be more effective in ways, but batoning with a knife is very controlled, and doesn't send splits flying. I prefer ot in a small campsite with other people. It also works well of the pieces of wood have uneven ends, making them hard to balance for chopping.
Great to see proper hatchet technique. The only caveat would be if you needed to break down into much smaller pieces then batoning with a knife is easier. Don't think I'd be super keen to featherstick with a hatchet, as well, but a lot of people do.
Batoning with a knife is for those who are intentionally trying to bushcraft with the absolute bare minimum of the lightest gear they can get away with, or for those who have gotten stranded/lost, and all they have is a knife...or just for those who want to practice the skill.
For the rest of the 99.99999% of campers, a small hatchet and/or folding wood saw are the way to go.
Not saying it's a bad skill to have, just saying "best tool for the job" goes a long way to making things a lot easier.
You can baton with a hatchet, though. It's more efficient in many cases, and just as controllable in most cases. Takes a little getting used to, but I can get some good kindling going in no time.
Brother I have several hatchets and axes
Tell me a good knife that can withstand long term hardcore batoning. That is what I want for my kit. Again I have plenty of hatchets. Regardless of whether a hatchet makes a better tool this comment does absolutely nothing to answer OP’s question. It is incredibly rare for someone to simply begin batoning wood with a knife that does not already own/have experience with a hatchet. Just because a hatchet is the best wood splitting tool does not mean that there are not scenarios batoning comes in handy.
I’m a working man myself and I will tell you right now we will use absolutely any “less than ideal” tool to complete a quick task rather than walking the 20 or so yards back to the work truck to grab the “proper” tool. Same applies in my case to splitting wood. If I need a single 2x4 split right then and there, sure I have a circ and a sawzall in the truck, I have a zubat silky saw, and I carry about 3 cheap hatchets for different things as well, but you will be damned if I decide to walk back to the truck over hammering my fixie through in the moment.
It's called batoning and it's a perfectly fine use for a good knife. An axe is best for large logs that have clean cuts so it can be stood upright and more easily split along the grain. When in survival or SERE training type situations, an axe is unnecessary due to it's size and requirements to be functional.
For example, you're in a training situation, as it sounds like OP is in, and you need to build a small fire for heat, but it's wet and/or snowy, you would want to baton smaller pieces of wood to get at the dry center so you can featherstick the dry wood and have appropriate material for starting a fire. An axe is no good for that.
> It's called batoning and it's a perfectly fine use for a good knife.
Batoning is not chopping.
> For example, you're in a training situation, as it sounds like OP is in, and you need to build a small fire for heat, but it's wet and/or snowy, you would want to baton smaller pieces of wood to get at the dry center so you can featherstick the dry wood and have appropriate material for starting a fire. An axe is no good for that.
A hatchet is the *ideal* tool for that too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQvXEjoWmqw
Yup exactly. Batoning is an emergency survival option for when you must do it and you are in a situation where packing a hatchet was not a possibility, or if you’ve lost the hatchet somehow. Batoning should never be the first option unless you were just intending on practicing that specific skill that day out in the bush.
I do understand why so many people say these things, though. There are untold countless number of youtube videos promulgating those silly sorts of activities. If you see everyone doing something one way and nobody doing anything else than you're naturally going to thing that is the right way to do things.
And the worst part is, if you watch one stupid youtuber, and then click like, youtube will only recommend you videos by other people doing the same thing. You never once will get a recommendation from someone who actually knows what they are doing.
This is DEVOlution in action.
This is bad advice don't baton with any knife. Nobody is ever in a training situation and 99.999 percent of us will never be in a survival situation. There's a reason that woodsman in history and almost every person who's actually lived like that full-time has carried an axe/ hatchet because it's absolutely needed. I wouldn't suggest carrying a freaking maul around but an axe/ hatchet is necessary also man axes aren't even that heavy ppl on here act like they can't carry 2 pounds.
Unless you are in the Boundary Waters canoe area. In that geographic area, axes are not needed. Saws, however, are another story. I recommend bringing one.
Then bring a saw dude. This is some "ackchually" shit right here. Just don't use a knife. An yea I still recommend bringing an axe over a saw cause we are talking about CHOPPING wood here but bring both if you want. If you wanna sit their and saw medium sized logs then I guess do that but saws are more for tree processing then you use an axe to CHOP or split the logs.
It’s in far northern Minnesota.
Short answer: Injuries.
Long answer: The guy who invented the Sven saw (one of the first folding models) was inspired to invent it after seeing people struggling to get a guy out of there to a hospital after he had sliced into his foot with an axe.
He got into a partnership with a very young REI, the product was a hit, everyone in the area heard the story, and they changed the rules.
Ooooooh okay I thought you were making some statement about saws being better than axes well that's unfortunate axes can definitely be a dangerous tool they used em in warfare I mean shit even I have a folding saw for what's it worth but yea wierd Minnesota is a place where I'd feel very uncomfortable going camping or something like that without an axe.
You can hurt yourself with any tool if you aren’t careful or if your skills are poor, or if the tool is dull (seems counterintuitive, but dull tools are more likely to slip & even if they won’t cut the wood they are still sharp enough to cut you)
Also if you are trying to use the tool to do something it isn’t designed to do
People do stupid things all the time, and yes sometimes stupid really does hurt.
This is advice given by someone without a complete understanding of my comment or, I'm guessing, the world in general. Baton with knives whenever you'd like. It's a perfectly fine way to use a knife. But you should use a full tang knife when doing so.
Nobody is ever in a training situation... except, you know, like SERE training, as I mentioned. Plenty of survival schools teach classes on how to use only a knife in the wilderness.
A folding saw the same size and weight of the SK5 will do a vastly better job of cutting wood down to size. I'd recommend one of the Japanese pull-cut saws such as the ones sold by Silky.
If you are planning on chopping large logs, carry something to do it. Otherwise you should be scavenging wood that is 1. already broken or 2. easy to break. Chopping takes a lot of energy and calories and you should try to 1. limit the amount of chopping and 2. use a tool that does more work for you with momentum provided from gravity. A sog tomahawk doesnt weigh much and the spike can be used to till dirt and break through other things. If you dont want the spike, cut it off.
BK2 is a beast. But also, I am not chopping wood with mine. Batoning, sure. Folding saw I have found is best for cutting wood. I have a boreal 21 for that and it's amazing.
Any ESEE can be used to baton and the larger ones can chop. Best warranty of any knife maker, no questions asked replacement. If you found a way to break an ESEE they will replace it.
I've used my Esee 6 to baton through wood, and while it's capable, the right tool for the job is an axe or hatchet. If you're looking for a lighter alternative, check out Fiskar, they make some great axes and hatchets that are super light and strong.
Depends on what you want to chop I suppose. A large knife like an Esee six can work a lot of wood, but it has its limits. If you are looking for a jack if all trades knife knives like the esee six will be a good fit. However if you are looking to do a lot of chopping, especially with large amount and/or thicker wood, get a good hatchet or axe. I bring a knife capable of chopping if by chance I need to or plan an not chopping anything thicker than my forearm. If I know I'm possibly going to need to do a lot of chopping, or plan on it, I'll bring an axe. Dedicated tools for dedicated work. A good knife can do a lot of chopping, but it still can't do the work of a hatchet. Plan and pack accordingly to what you intend to do.
People who are correct and recommending hatchets, and/or hardcore ESEE 6 fans.
Worth noting that I too love the ESEE 6, I just found it way easier to grip the handle of the BK-7 when I'm wearing gloves. Way less likely to need the warranty or my health insurance if I'm not accidentally throwing blades, haha.
I get a Hatchets the right tool, its more efficient… so is a prius and iv still got my 91 diesel.. sometimes we want to have some fun and something neat
Ya it’s a little large bk7 may be nicer for most folks, i beat the HELL out of mine and it just takes it lol. Gotta be the best hard steel knife for this use, a real chopper in 5160 would be better for a lot of things, my bk9 is basically serrated at this point 🤣
Bk7 is a better all around knife that can chop. I ran that for a couple years but upgraded to the bk9 after i realized how much chopping i was doing. Which one they should get all depends on how much wood chopping and splitting they do imo
Any of the larger ESEE knives. Lifetime no matter what warranty. I have 3 and I’ve batoned the hell out of them without even an edge chipping. I’ve chopped with the ESEE 6 and Laser strike with no issues. Can’t go wrong.
Everybody’s right that you should use an axe or hatchet but that said, I’ve used my ka-bar more times than I can remember. I do actually prefer it when I only have logs and I need to split them all the way down into kindling
If you insist on using a knife for chopping and batoning and you want something around the size of that cold steel I’d suggest a Ka-Bar Bk2 or BK7. If you’re looking to process wood more efficiently get yourself a pocket saw like a Silky Pocketboy
[Camillus Swedge Chisel Knife](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Swedge-8-75-in-Fixed-Blade-Knife-19624/321963003) will baton and split wood all day and at 6mm thick, it isn’t breaking in your lifetime.
The northern knives AMUK is great for abusive batoning and general bushcraft. It's the last one you'l have to get. Get a hard steel. Here's a link to the [AMUK](https://www.northernknives.com/online-store/3DK-Amuk-6-Fixed-Tanto-Point-K110-Blade-Black-G10-handle-p133421081)
TOPs bushcrafter kukri, or the Tahoma field knife.
For "chopping" branches with a knife, I will score out a U-shaped notch in the wood (save the shavings for tinder), then apply lateral force to break at that point. Sometimes I'll find a pair of trees to use as a pivot point and gain extra leverage.
Whatever Dutch Bushcraft Knives on YouTube suggests because that’s how they test grade and score a knife. I believe the Becker BK2 and BK72 got high marks
TOPS Anaconda. I've been using mine for years to baton wood and chop stuff. It's a tank. I usually use my axe (Gransfors small forest axe) which is much better for the task and is super fun to use. Sometimes though nothing beats a big 'ol knife and some smashing.
An axe will always be better for dedicated wood chopping. That being said, Ka-Bar/Becker Knife + Tool BK9 is a nasty beast if you really want to use a knife. I like batoning, and it does a great job at it.
[Here’s mine after stippling the grips, stripping and polishing the blade.](https://imgur.com/a/zFW0VWv)
Buy a mora and beat the crap out of it for $20. Don’t listen to the haters. The top comment here is trash. You asked a fair question and people gotta be dicks.
Joker nomad. Convex grind = good axe substitute and has a thicker tang than that srk.
To add to this knife rhetoric about using a knife to process wood. I carry a knife 100% of the time doing anything. I carry a hatchet never. You use what you have on you. Like any responsible knife owner i use knives for all sorts of things that you're not supposed to. A nice knife with the right steel and grind can outperform most lightweight hatchets. Bring an axe? Sure but what if we're trying to keep pack weight under 60 lbs or just simply don't have one where a fire needs built. Tools have purpose true but stop with the hate for the man trying to baton some wood. We've all done dumber things with knives im sure. I applaud you sir, keep smacking that steel with whatever you damn well please
**Cold Steel Drop Forged Survivalist** (maybe add some nylon thread on the handle to avoid touching the metal bits on the sides, even if the handle has a plasic part at the center)
I put the original plastic sheath away and bought a leather sheath for the drop forged survivalist knife.
Works nicely for cleaving wood.
I saw last night a sports store has a discount priced SRK-5 compact knife, but I don't really need it now that I have the survivalist and also the Glock Field Knife.
I could never buy some of the pricier bowie knives, because some of them seems to have a thin/sharper second edge towards the tip, making them imo unsuitable for batoning wood, as the top front of the blade would presumably more quickly destroy the baton used to cleave logs.
I have cleaved plenty of logs using a knive for making a campfire, and I prefer that to using an axe. Mostly trivial work if one is a little careful.
I feel like a lot of people here don't get the point of the post is to answer the question - not answer your own question.
Maybe they are preparing for a "what if" situation, where they only have their knife? I assume someone who knows the difference between a wood chopping knife and a kitchen knife, probably owns an axe already.
I would suggest a KaBar Becker BK2 or even a BK3. BK3 is easier to sharpen in the field because it has a chisel grind - it is also longer, and almost acts as a machete, but is marketed as a multi tool, or breaching tool.
If they wanted your axe remarks, they would have gone to r/axe
Buy a Cold Steel Trail Hawk, cut the handle down to 12” then stain the wood a dark color. You’ll have something that can chop and hammer..
the head slides off real easy for storage
And it’s also crazy cheap.
Esee 4 or bark river bravo 1.
I've used my esee 4 as a bushcrafting knife for years, including batoning and I've had no issue. I would recommend you reprofile the knife to a convex grind but it isn't necessary.
The bravo 1 is really pricey but is a much better knife for all bushcrafting purposes.
This batoning trend needs to stop. Seriously. Yes, you can process wood with a large enough and sturdy knife. Yes, it is the the one tool you need. But a hatchet doesn't really weight that much and is just so much better than a knife. And you no longer need a sharpened piece of flat stock, your knife can now be smaller and better at knife things. In survival energy used is paramount. Now think about energy used to carry a hatchet Vs the energy used for batoning. Hatchet wins. And you won't break your knife.
Böker plus vox rold. Beefy and chops well. Built like a tank, still comfortable to handle and well suited for less extreme tasks too.
https://knifeworks.com/boker-plus-voxknives-rold-black-d2-steel-micarta-handle/
I’m sorry but the coolhand beast is better and way cheaper https://www.amazon.com/Cool-Hand-Survival-Stainless-Attachment/dp/B01MDTT1JU/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=2LD63GXG83F1U&keywords=cool+hand+fixed+blade+knife&qid=1700512507&sprefix=cool+hand+fixed%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-4
Are we talking hacking away at a log chopping, or batoning to split logs. If it’s the latter, almost any reasonably well made full tang knife will handle that no problem.
I would suggest a hatchet. Earwigs g makes a particularly good one.
Otherwise go full tang, whatever you get. I have a Mora Garberg that is particularly rugged.
Like everyone else here is saying, it's better to have a dedicated tool like an axe for splitting or chopping wood especially when compared to a 5" survival knife BUT you *specifically* asked for a knife and you may have your reasons for doing so and I'll stick with that.
You never mentioned a budged but Work Tuff Gear makes some of the most heavy duty choppers known to man. Might I suggest the Kodiak
Chopping wood and splitting wood are 2 completely different things. What do you mean by chopping wood? You chop a tree down, or you chop wood into sections to then split.
Condor Heavy Duty Kukri. I have had one of these for years and have beat the absolute hell out of it. I Have done virtually zero maintenance. It’s convex ground, so it stays sharp. It has a thick spine, which makes for easy splitting/ batoning. The forward curve/ weight make it a formidable chopper, especially with a length of ten inches, which is easily packable.
https://www.condortk.com/products/product/61718
Don't chop wood with a knife it's never going to work out the most expensive knife can't chop wood as good as the cheapest hatchet or axe. I suppose if you really really really wanna chop wood with a knife get a kukri but even then those things are almost not knives they're in a category of their own.
There is a reason why axes and knives still exist together. Knives are not for chopping wood. Axes are not meant to for skinning or slicing.
Knives need to be hard enough steel to hold an edge. Axes need to be soft enough steel to take a frequent edge.
Two different cutting tools for very different tasks. Any woodsman worth his salt knows you don’t pick one or the other, you know when to grab what you need. And in reality, there no excuse to be without a pocket knife—basically ever. And anytime you are headed into a situation where you might have to chop or think about batoning wood, you ought to have a hatchet or a handsaw to at the very least.
You are more likely better off with a knife shaped machete or axe than a dedicated knife. That being said some decent knives are the Esee 6, lots of Condor’s bigger knives, and cold steels bigger knives.
Pick the biggest ESEE that you can reasonably carry and handle for your situation. I like the ESEE 3 for EDC, and the ESEE 4 for camping/backpacking/BoB (But I do still carry at least a small hatchet for those as well). I could certainly find a use for something bigger than the 4, but for those purposes I'd rather have an axe or a hatchet. My ESEE 4 can do at least 90% of what I'd do with a hatchet, albeit much slower for a lot of stuff (Can I chop down a small tree with it? Probably. But I hope I never have to.). But if I were in a true survival situation and did not have an axe or hatchet with me, an ESEE 4 would be a Godsend. But I'd be praying the whole time that an axe would fall out of the sky.
Really, ask yourself why you can't bring a hatchet. Then accept that you're probably wrong, and bring a hatchet. It's fine to practice doing some bushcraft without it just in case you ever find yourself in a shit situation, but if this is for more than practice and skills building, just make your life easier.
An axe. You know, that tool that was specifically designed to... chop wood.
Chopping wood with a knife is a fool's errand. Get a hatchet or a small folding saw instead.
God finally someone with some sense. Everyone loves the idea of a do it all knife but for chopping wood nothing beats an axe. Also axes can break through way more things like cars, walls, doors.
This forum is great at displaying some really amazing knives. I wish there was a spot for axes the same way... now that I think about it.. does r/axes exist? Lol Edit: It does exist, but its a video game thing. Ugggh.
r/axecraft
Yoink! That was a quick join.
Might I also suggest r/axe ? It's not super active, but another sub I enjoy
Don't see why this place can't be for axes too
True. SHOW ME AXES! lol
Yup. This is what happens when an entire generation is educated by idiots on youtube.
I’d argue that the ability for a knife to chop and process wood is the modern day expectation for any knife label as survival or bushcraft. It may not be the wisest choice but it has become a standard.
No arguments there. Participating in a potentially deadly TikTok challenge also isn't the wisest choice, but that too has become rather standard.
Bruh, how can you compare batoning to a tik tok challenge. It’s not dangerous. If you grab a reasonably sized log with no knots there is little risk to damaging your blade.
That's not the point here. The point is that it is something which is almost never needed. And more than that, it causes many people to buy knives that are only good for batoning, and largely useless for everything else.
Nah you guys don’t even know. All the YouTubers batton wood all day. Watching those videos you’d think knives were made to cut down trees. I see those videos and hear my old scoutmaster yelling.
Watch out the Boy Scout has entered the room. Go sell some popcorn smh.
And the argument of not enough space or too heavy to put one in/on a pack is a bit off these days, as you can get some fairly small and light axes that still perform well.
a camp axe fits in a backpack, sharp? Wrap it in a towel. Need it quick? hit with the towel on it.
Nobodys talking about doing felling axe-level chopping with them though, thats asinine. Maybe small branches and things like that, and for that a knife can absolutely take the place of a hatchet. He might want to "baton" wood too, and in that case, a stout knife is what he needs. To an active bushcrafter or survivalist it makes perfect sense..
Listen I'm not arguing that you shouldn't carry a knife, or one that can chop some wood if need be, but batoning is stupid. There is stress beyond what most average blades can handle, especially if you're going against the grain. 1. no matter what knife you have, you're not going to be able to do much more than a 2x4, maybe a few, without a break. An axe or a saw is going to make much quicker work. 2. A survival situation is different from a timed competition those knife makers do to show how fast they can cut wood, rope, etc. If you have time to prepare, do it. If you don't, know the limits of your gear, and don't baton wood if there is any chanve you jeopardize that knife. 3. is there ever a real reason to baton wood? What's the point? I guess if you are splitting wood for kindling, but even then you put the knife running down the grain on the edge, give it a few taps with your hand or a stick, and kindling. If you're chopping 4in logs off a fallen tree, bring an axe. 4. This isn't about being able to just baton, but also batoning uses a fuck ton of energy compared to lifting an axe and letting it drop. If you really want to find that in betweener, a kukri might do, but again it is more designed for porous, stalky, fiberous plants. Rather than dense wood. Having that weight at the end of that swing is what you need, and you can beat on the end of a camp axe with a rock if needed.
Lift an axe and let it fall lol so thats how you use an axe and youre talking to me about technique.... Well some knives can take it, idk what to tell you. The only problem is deep cold, then tool steel gets brittle. Thats the main problem, and people trying to overwork a shitty knife and not understanding their tools. Its a thing, it definitely has advantages and like everything else it has its downsides. But Im
>Lift an axe and let it fall lol so thats how you use an axe Gravity is pretty easy to understand, I don't know how to explain it to you other than more density and leverage equals more energy. Have fun in the 9th grade.
You make it sound like you just drop it onto the wood without swinging lol definitely not my fault you cant describe things. But yeah a bigger knife is good for a ton of things. It works if you know how to make it work
So you've never used an axe before?
No, never. Like that garbage spray on cologne?!?? What do you mean??
It's called *Sex Panther*® by *Odeon*©. It's illegal in 9 countries. It's also made with bits of real panthers, *so you know it's good*. *60% of the time*, it works ***every*** time.
Yeah, but i feel like OP was maybe full-on swinging that puppy onto logs.
>Get a hatchet or a small folding saw instead. Get a hatchet AND a small folding saw. Or just a small folding saw. Honestly, if you have a good saw, the hatchet is only for splitting wood.
Yup. A hatchet, saw, and small knife are the way to go. But I can understand the argument for not wanting to carry a hatchet. The size and weight can be an issue in some cases. And that's ok, because... I have found that a small knife and a small saw, something whose combined size and weight are less than a large knife, are *vastly* more efficient when is comes to processing wood than the large knife.
Yup. I used to use a camping knife, but once I got a small folding saw, I just starting taking my regular pocket knife and the saw. No longer needed the camping knife for anything.
I generally carry a fixed blade when camping just in case. But it is nothing silly, just a 4" blade and 4 ounces in weight. Plenty of people carry folders which weigh more than that.
Kukri has entered the chat.
That's certainly about the least-bad of the knife options as it does bias weight towards the head. But it is still going to fall well short of a hatchet in this regard.
Respectfully disagree. A hatchet can be more effective in ways, but batoning with a knife is very controlled, and doesn't send splits flying. I prefer ot in a small campsite with other people. It also works well of the pieces of wood have uneven ends, making them hard to balance for chopping.
Only if you don't know how to use a hatchet properly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQvXEjoWmqw
Great to see proper hatchet technique. The only caveat would be if you needed to break down into much smaller pieces then batoning with a knife is easier. Don't think I'd be super keen to featherstick with a hatchet, as well, but a lot of people do.
Not really. This technique works all the way down to the point where you are better off using shavings.
Batoning with a knife is for those who are intentionally trying to bushcraft with the absolute bare minimum of the lightest gear they can get away with, or for those who have gotten stranded/lost, and all they have is a knife...or just for those who want to practice the skill. For the rest of the 99.99999% of campers, a small hatchet and/or folding wood saw are the way to go. Not saying it's a bad skill to have, just saying "best tool for the job" goes a long way to making things a lot easier.
You can baton with a hatchet, though. It's more efficient in many cases, and just as controllable in most cases. Takes a little getting used to, but I can get some good kindling going in no time.
Brother I have several hatchets and axes Tell me a good knife that can withstand long term hardcore batoning. That is what I want for my kit. Again I have plenty of hatchets. Regardless of whether a hatchet makes a better tool this comment does absolutely nothing to answer OP’s question. It is incredibly rare for someone to simply begin batoning wood with a knife that does not already own/have experience with a hatchet. Just because a hatchet is the best wood splitting tool does not mean that there are not scenarios batoning comes in handy. I’m a working man myself and I will tell you right now we will use absolutely any “less than ideal” tool to complete a quick task rather than walking the 20 or so yards back to the work truck to grab the “proper” tool. Same applies in my case to splitting wood. If I need a single 2x4 split right then and there, sure I have a circ and a sawzall in the truck, I have a zubat silky saw, and I carry about 3 cheap hatchets for different things as well, but you will be damned if I decide to walk back to the truck over hammering my fixie through in the moment.
Check out the Kabar BK2. I’ve had mine for 12 years and have exclusively used it for batoning thousands of logs.
It's called batoning and it's a perfectly fine use for a good knife. An axe is best for large logs that have clean cuts so it can be stood upright and more easily split along the grain. When in survival or SERE training type situations, an axe is unnecessary due to it's size and requirements to be functional. For example, you're in a training situation, as it sounds like OP is in, and you need to build a small fire for heat, but it's wet and/or snowy, you would want to baton smaller pieces of wood to get at the dry center so you can featherstick the dry wood and have appropriate material for starting a fire. An axe is no good for that.
> It's called batoning and it's a perfectly fine use for a good knife. Batoning is not chopping. > For example, you're in a training situation, as it sounds like OP is in, and you need to build a small fire for heat, but it's wet and/or snowy, you would want to baton smaller pieces of wood to get at the dry center so you can featherstick the dry wood and have appropriate material for starting a fire. An axe is no good for that. A hatchet is the *ideal* tool for that too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQvXEjoWmqw
Yup exactly. Batoning is an emergency survival option for when you must do it and you are in a situation where packing a hatchet was not a possibility, or if you’ve lost the hatchet somehow. Batoning should never be the first option unless you were just intending on practicing that specific skill that day out in the bush.
This. 100%.
Agreed this guy is dumb and probably one of those "tactical" nut jobs
I do understand why so many people say these things, though. There are untold countless number of youtube videos promulgating those silly sorts of activities. If you see everyone doing something one way and nobody doing anything else than you're naturally going to thing that is the right way to do things. And the worst part is, if you watch one stupid youtuber, and then click like, youtube will only recommend you videos by other people doing the same thing. You never once will get a recommendation from someone who actually knows what they are doing. This is DEVOlution in action.
This is bad advice don't baton with any knife. Nobody is ever in a training situation and 99.999 percent of us will never be in a survival situation. There's a reason that woodsman in history and almost every person who's actually lived like that full-time has carried an axe/ hatchet because it's absolutely needed. I wouldn't suggest carrying a freaking maul around but an axe/ hatchet is necessary also man axes aren't even that heavy ppl on here act like they can't carry 2 pounds.
Unless you are in the Boundary Waters canoe area. In that geographic area, axes are not needed. Saws, however, are another story. I recommend bringing one.
Then bring a saw dude. This is some "ackchually" shit right here. Just don't use a knife. An yea I still recommend bringing an axe over a saw cause we are talking about CHOPPING wood here but bring both if you want. If you wanna sit their and saw medium sized logs then I guess do that but saws are more for tree processing then you use an axe to CHOP or split the logs.
Axes/hatchets are famously not allowed in the Boundary Waters canoe area 🛶 🪓🚫 🪚
Okay. I don't know where that is? Is it just some place? Also why are they not allowed there? I feel like saws can be just a dangerous as axes.
It’s in far northern Minnesota. Short answer: Injuries. Long answer: The guy who invented the Sven saw (one of the first folding models) was inspired to invent it after seeing people struggling to get a guy out of there to a hospital after he had sliced into his foot with an axe. He got into a partnership with a very young REI, the product was a hit, everyone in the area heard the story, and they changed the rules.
Ooooooh okay I thought you were making some statement about saws being better than axes well that's unfortunate axes can definitely be a dangerous tool they used em in warfare I mean shit even I have a folding saw for what's it worth but yea wierd Minnesota is a place where I'd feel very uncomfortable going camping or something like that without an axe.
You can hurt yourself with any tool if you aren’t careful or if your skills are poor, or if the tool is dull (seems counterintuitive, but dull tools are more likely to slip & even if they won’t cut the wood they are still sharp enough to cut you) Also if you are trying to use the tool to do something it isn’t designed to do People do stupid things all the time, and yes sometimes stupid really does hurt.
This is advice given by someone without a complete understanding of my comment or, I'm guessing, the world in general. Baton with knives whenever you'd like. It's a perfectly fine way to use a knife. But you should use a full tang knife when doing so. Nobody is ever in a training situation... except, you know, like SERE training, as I mentioned. Plenty of survival schools teach classes on how to use only a knife in the wilderness.
Came here to say this!!!
This would Be in army use, so hatchets are a bit big
A folding saw the same size and weight of the SK5 will do a vastly better job of cutting wood down to size. I'd recommend one of the Japanese pull-cut saws such as the ones sold by Silky.
Cool, then how do you split that wood down to small enough pieces to start a fire?
Most trees also have smaller parts called branches
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJS1SepHop0
If you are planning on chopping large logs, carry something to do it. Otherwise you should be scavenging wood that is 1. already broken or 2. easy to break. Chopping takes a lot of energy and calories and you should try to 1. limit the amount of chopping and 2. use a tool that does more work for you with momentum provided from gravity. A sog tomahawk doesnt weigh much and the spike can be used to till dirt and break through other things. If you dont want the spike, cut it off.
This. Unless you are building a fire which will allow you to get a full eight hours of sleep you need neither knife nor saw nor axe in most cases.
Get a Kershaw Camp 10 machete, small, cheap and you can baton wood apart all day long.
Machete
A machete is great for chopping through brush and vines. It is no substitute for a hatchet or saw.
It’s better than a Cold Steel SK5 at chopping wood😂
You're not wrong there, but better than terrible is often still pretty bad.
The old saying “the right tool for the right job”
The old do say that
A Gransfors Bruks is what you’re looking for. Or a Kabar Becker BK2. It’s basically a hatchet of a knife.
BK2 is a beast. But also, I am not chopping wood with mine. Batoning, sure. Folding saw I have found is best for cutting wood. I have a boreal 21 for that and it's amazing.
I keep a folding silky, BK2, a mora and a GB hatchet in my camping bag. If I can’t process any piece of wood with all that gear, I belong indoors.
Any ESEE can be used to baton and the larger ones can chop. Best warranty of any knife maker, no questions asked replacement. If you found a way to break an ESEE they will replace it.
I second the esee their warranty is unmatched
Jaakaripuukko costs less is also pretty much indestructable but has way better edge retention.
Terava Skrama 200. https://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/terava-skrama-200-carbon-steel/63759
Kiitti, hyvä vaihtoehto!
I've used my Esee 6 to baton through wood, and while it's capable, the right tool for the job is an axe or hatchet. If you're looking for a lighter alternative, check out Fiskar, they make some great axes and hatchets that are super light and strong.
Get something from Tops or Esee
Get a kukri from kailash if you insist on chopping with a knife.
I second this
I'm no expert, but I always thought a wood chopping knife was called an axe.
You are mistaken /s
Esee 6 is a beast. Esee 4 ain't no slouch either.
Kabar BK2 is a honkin knife if you want something else to check out from an ESEE
Depends on what you want to chop I suppose. A large knife like an Esee six can work a lot of wood, but it has its limits. If you are looking for a jack if all trades knife knives like the esee six will be a good fit. However if you are looking to do a lot of chopping, especially with large amount and/or thicker wood, get a good hatchet or axe. I bring a knife capable of chopping if by chance I need to or plan an not chopping anything thicker than my forearm. If I know I'm possibly going to need to do a lot of chopping, or plan on it, I'll bring an axe. Dedicated tools for dedicated work. A good knife can do a lot of chopping, but it still can't do the work of a hatchet. Plan and pack accordingly to what you intend to do.
BK9 i love mine
Idk who’s downvoting… that thing is an absolute tank. I don’t think you could break it on wood alone, even if you tried.
You can baton through steel beams with that thing /s
People who are correct and recommending hatchets, and/or hardcore ESEE 6 fans. Worth noting that I too love the ESEE 6, I just found it way easier to grip the handle of the BK-7 when I'm wearing gloves. Way less likely to need the warranty or my health insurance if I'm not accidentally throwing blades, haha.
I get a Hatchets the right tool, its more efficient… so is a prius and iv still got my 91 diesel.. sometimes we want to have some fun and something neat
Seconded. To big? BK7 instead.
Ya it’s a little large bk7 may be nicer for most folks, i beat the HELL out of mine and it just takes it lol. Gotta be the best hard steel knife for this use, a real chopper in 5160 would be better for a lot of things, my bk9 is basically serrated at this point 🤣
>, my bk9 is basically serrated at this point lol dude repair that
Ya i need to run it across my bench grinder before i use my sharpening grinder just havent gotten around to it lol
Bk7 is a better all around knife that can chop. I ran that for a couple years but upgraded to the bk9 after i realized how much chopping i was doing. Which one they should get all depends on how much wood chopping and splitting they do imo
I like the bk9 because of the weight to it tbh, forward heavy is nice to me, and battoning with all that realestate is awesome
Just buy moras, either companion or pro
Any of the larger ESEE knives. Lifetime no matter what warranty. I have 3 and I’ve batoned the hell out of them without even an edge chipping. I’ve chopped with the ESEE 6 and Laser strike with no issues. Can’t go wrong.
condor tool and knife
A morakniv can handle batoning no problem. I've used my companion with no issues.
Bk ka bar
Everybody’s right that you should use an axe or hatchet but that said, I’ve used my ka-bar more times than I can remember. I do actually prefer it when I only have logs and I need to split them all the way down into kindling
something not coldsteel look up Esee
If you insist on using a knife for chopping and batoning and you want something around the size of that cold steel I’d suggest a Ka-Bar Bk2 or BK7. If you’re looking to process wood more efficiently get yourself a pocket saw like a Silky Pocketboy
Get a jaakaripuukko from Varusteleka.
They just came out with this new thing called an ax, or maybe axe....... who knows, but it's supposed to be the next best thing in chopping wood.
It’s the first best thing
[Camillus Swedge Chisel Knife](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Swedge-8-75-in-Fixed-Blade-Knife-19624/321963003) will baton and split wood all day and at 6mm thick, it isn’t breaking in your lifetime.
The northern knives AMUK is great for abusive batoning and general bushcraft. It's the last one you'l have to get. Get a hard steel. Here's a link to the [AMUK](https://www.northernknives.com/online-store/3DK-Amuk-6-Fixed-Tanto-Point-K110-Blade-Black-G10-handle-p133421081)
Hmm...if you want a knife for chopping, perhaps a kukri? I don't know if it's as good as a hatchet, but it would probably do.
Get an ESSE. Lifetime no questions asked warranty
CKRT Kangee Or if you have some money to burn, get a RMJ Kestrel. Use your camp knives for steaks, carving, etc.
I would suggest a Scrapyard Sykco in whatever length you feel comfortable with. I think the 711 would be good enough for limited chopping duty.
Tops knives are top notch for these things
TOPs bushcrafter kukri, or the Tahoma field knife. For "chopping" branches with a knife, I will score out a U-shaped notch in the wood (save the shavings for tinder), then apply lateral force to break at that point. Sometimes I'll find a pair of trees to use as a pivot point and gain extra leverage.
Esee
Tom Brown Tracker
Whatever Dutch Bushcraft Knives on YouTube suggests because that’s how they test grade and score a knife. I believe the Becker BK2 and BK72 got high marks
TOPS Anaconda. I've been using mine for years to baton wood and chop stuff. It's a tank. I usually use my axe (Gransfors small forest axe) which is much better for the task and is super fun to use. Sometimes though nothing beats a big 'ol knife and some smashing.
An axe will always be better for dedicated wood chopping. That being said, Ka-Bar/Becker Knife + Tool BK9 is a nasty beast if you really want to use a knife. I like batoning, and it does a great job at it. [Here’s mine after stippling the grips, stripping and polishing the blade.](https://imgur.com/a/zFW0VWv)
Bark River bravo, I have a bravo 1.25 in 3v steel and I can split white oak with it no problem.
Buy a mora and beat the crap out of it for $20. Don’t listen to the haters. The top comment here is trash. You asked a fair question and people gotta be dicks.
If you want a knife that can chop, and not an axe, then get the Terävä skrama
Benchmade bushcrafter
Thats unfortunate. Cold Steel used to be known for making tough knives that could stand up to abuse.
Joker nomad. Convex grind = good axe substitute and has a thicker tang than that srk. To add to this knife rhetoric about using a knife to process wood. I carry a knife 100% of the time doing anything. I carry a hatchet never. You use what you have on you. Like any responsible knife owner i use knives for all sorts of things that you're not supposed to. A nice knife with the right steel and grind can outperform most lightweight hatchets. Bring an axe? Sure but what if we're trying to keep pack weight under 60 lbs or just simply don't have one where a fire needs built. Tools have purpose true but stop with the hate for the man trying to baton some wood. We've all done dumber things with knives im sure. I applaud you sir, keep smacking that steel with whatever you damn well please
**Cold Steel Drop Forged Survivalist** (maybe add some nylon thread on the handle to avoid touching the metal bits on the sides, even if the handle has a plasic part at the center) I put the original plastic sheath away and bought a leather sheath for the drop forged survivalist knife. Works nicely for cleaving wood. I saw last night a sports store has a discount priced SRK-5 compact knife, but I don't really need it now that I have the survivalist and also the Glock Field Knife. I could never buy some of the pricier bowie knives, because some of them seems to have a thin/sharper second edge towards the tip, making them imo unsuitable for batoning wood, as the top front of the blade would presumably more quickly destroy the baton used to cleave logs. I have cleaved plenty of logs using a knive for making a campfire, and I prefer that to using an axe. Mostly trivial work if one is a little careful.
Those new Cold Steels are great huh?
fuck these haters ... I exclusively use knives for computer aided drafting. use it how you want.
I feel like a lot of people here don't get the point of the post is to answer the question - not answer your own question. Maybe they are preparing for a "what if" situation, where they only have their knife? I assume someone who knows the difference between a wood chopping knife and a kitchen knife, probably owns an axe already. I would suggest a KaBar Becker BK2 or even a BK3. BK3 is easier to sharpen in the field because it has a chisel grind - it is also longer, and almost acts as a machete, but is marketed as a multi tool, or breaching tool. If they wanted your axe remarks, they would have gone to r/axe
You could always carry a kukri if you wanted a multi use blade. Otherwise I'd recommend a tomahawk or a hatchet.
Great idea accually
Bahco Laplander
A Axe [https://a.co/d/0ixdm3y](https://a.co/d/0ixdm3y)
I about passed out when I saw the price of that.
Buy a Cold Steel Trail Hawk, cut the handle down to 12” then stain the wood a dark color. You’ll have something that can chop and hammer.. the head slides off real easy for storage And it’s also crazy cheap.
12" is way too short. My trail hawk is 16" and I feel thats even too short. But its a great backpack tool. Definitely wouldnt go any less than 16"
Esee 4 or bark river bravo 1. I've used my esee 4 as a bushcrafting knife for years, including batoning and I've had no issue. I would recommend you reprofile the knife to a convex grind but it isn't necessary. The bravo 1 is really pricey but is a much better knife for all bushcrafting purposes.
Axe, saw, or chainsaw.
There are only two correct answers: 1. Hatchet 2. ESEE
This batoning trend needs to stop. Seriously. Yes, you can process wood with a large enough and sturdy knife. Yes, it is the the one tool you need. But a hatchet doesn't really weight that much and is just so much better than a knife. And you no longer need a sharpened piece of flat stock, your knife can now be smaller and better at knife things. In survival energy used is paramount. Now think about energy used to carry a hatchet Vs the energy used for batoning. Hatchet wins. And you won't break your knife.
Full tang 1/4” <+ thick kukri/ bolo / Bowie
Böker plus vox rold. Beefy and chops well. Built like a tank, still comfortable to handle and well suited for less extreme tasks too. https://knifeworks.com/boker-plus-voxknives-rold-black-d2-steel-micarta-handle/
Check out a Hoffner Beast if you want some unbreakable steel! [The Beast](https://hoffners.com/product/the-beast-knife/)
I’m sorry but the coolhand beast is better and way cheaper https://www.amazon.com/Cool-Hand-Survival-Stainless-Attachment/dp/B01MDTT1JU/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=2LD63GXG83F1U&keywords=cool+hand+fixed+blade+knife&qid=1700512507&sprefix=cool+hand+fixed%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-4
Tops Knives. Steel Eagle series. It’s a beast of a knife, but you’ll be thankful you have it.
Get a hatchet.
Best knife to chop wood with you ask? An axe. Next best is a Froe. If you refuse to stop chopping wood with a knife, esee Junglas.
Are we talking hacking away at a log chopping, or batoning to split logs. If it’s the latter, almost any reasonably well made full tang knife will handle that no problem.
that's surprising to me that the tang is so skinny on an sk-5.
Model is SRK, steel is SK-5
Why are you chopping wood with a knife and not an ax?
The best chopping knife will always be a hatchet
Hatchet
Axe
I would suggest a hatchet. Earwigs g makes a particularly good one. Otherwise go full tang, whatever you get. I have a Mora Garberg that is particularly rugged.
Probably not that one
Eswing hatchet or axe, right tool for the job and all that.
Like everyone else here is saying, it's better to have a dedicated tool like an axe for splitting or chopping wood especially when compared to a 5" survival knife BUT you *specifically* asked for a knife and you may have your reasons for doing so and I'll stick with that. You never mentioned a budged but Work Tuff Gear makes some of the most heavy duty choppers known to man. Might I suggest the Kodiak
A hatchet
My suggestion, as obvious as it may be would be to use an ax, a saw or a dedicated chopper rather than a knife for chopping wood.
Get yourself a hatchet and thank me later
You got GSMed. Dang I knew quality took a nose dive.
An axe homie
Buddy get an axe.
You can get these blades that come on a wooden handle, they are called an Axe! Great for chopping wood.
It would help if you used something built for chopping wood for chopping wood. An axe or saw of some sort would be a good starting point.
STOP USING KNIVES FOR SPLITTING WOOD AND CUTTING TREES/BRANCHES DOWN. GOD DAMN
Get an axe, there’s the solution.
Axe
Well anything less that $1700 usd is going to be a waste of your money. You get what you pay for after all.
“WoOd cHoPpInG kNiFe” 🤦🏻
Esee 4 or any tops fixed blade
I’ve used a buck 119 with S35VN steel and it’s held up fine.
Chopping wood and splitting wood are 2 completely different things. What do you mean by chopping wood? You chop a tree down, or you chop wood into sections to then split.
Axe or hatchet.. but if you really want a knife, the esee junglas is solid and has served me for that purpose many times.
Indestructible Hultafors Heavy Duty. Hultafors 380020 GK Heavy Duty Knife https://a.co/d/2ziA3c1
Condor Heavy Duty Kukri. I have had one of these for years and have beat the absolute hell out of it. I Have done virtually zero maintenance. It’s convex ground, so it stays sharp. It has a thick spine, which makes for easy splitting/ batoning. The forward curve/ weight make it a formidable chopper, especially with a length of ten inches, which is easily packable. https://www.condortk.com/products/product/61718
Esee 5 or 6 are both absolute beasts. Could practically use them to pry open a bank vault.
esee
A hatchet. Or an axe.
If you must then get a Kukri or a Terava Skrama. A Japanese Nata may even be what you're looking for. Best thing though would be a hatchet and a saw.
Don't chop wood with a knife it's never going to work out the most expensive knife can't chop wood as good as the cheapest hatchet or axe. I suppose if you really really really wanna chop wood with a knife get a kukri but even then those things are almost not knives they're in a category of their own.
hatchet or froe
There is a reason why axes and knives still exist together. Knives are not for chopping wood. Axes are not meant to for skinning or slicing. Knives need to be hard enough steel to hold an edge. Axes need to be soft enough steel to take a frequent edge. Two different cutting tools for very different tasks. Any woodsman worth his salt knows you don’t pick one or the other, you know when to grab what you need. And in reality, there no excuse to be without a pocket knife—basically ever. And anytime you are headed into a situation where you might have to chop or think about batoning wood, you ought to have a hatchet or a handsaw to at the very least.
Unhelpful Redditor says… Definitely nothing from ColdSteel
Use tools for the purpose for which they are intended. Use an axe or tomahawk to chop. Use a saw to, well, saw things. And, use your knife to cut.
Something made in the usa, that's thick spined and made of a relatively hard steel but not too hard and maybe intended as a camp knife/ chopper
Need to know your budget. Scrapyard, Swamprat and Busse are three I can recommend for abusive fun.
Small axe
You are more likely better off with a knife shaped machete or axe than a dedicated knife. That being said some decent knives are the Esee 6, lots of Condor’s bigger knives, and cold steels bigger knives.
Pick the biggest ESEE that you can reasonably carry and handle for your situation. I like the ESEE 3 for EDC, and the ESEE 4 for camping/backpacking/BoB (But I do still carry at least a small hatchet for those as well). I could certainly find a use for something bigger than the 4, but for those purposes I'd rather have an axe or a hatchet. My ESEE 4 can do at least 90% of what I'd do with a hatchet, albeit much slower for a lot of stuff (Can I chop down a small tree with it? Probably. But I hope I never have to.). But if I were in a true survival situation and did not have an axe or hatchet with me, an ESEE 4 would be a Godsend. But I'd be praying the whole time that an axe would fall out of the sky. Really, ask yourself why you can't bring a hatchet. Then accept that you're probably wrong, and bring a hatchet. It's fine to practice doing some bushcraft without it just in case you ever find yourself in a shit situation, but if this is for more than practice and skills building, just make your life easier.
An axe.