# Survival > Survival Kits & Survival Products >  Best batoning knife

## bfd1106

Working on building my ultralight kit. I carry a estwing hatchet and saw in my main kit. But looking to eliminate the hatchet with a solid knife that can I can baton wood with. Looking for recommendations. Thanks!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

----------


## kyratshooter

I bet you think a .22 is the perfect "survival gun" too! :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## madmax

I took a wilderness survival course with an Opinel.

----------


## crashdive123

A Crashete works well.

----------


## madmax

I'm scared of mine...

----------


## kyratshooter

> I took a wilderness survival course with an Opinel.


I taught a survival course with a Harbor Freight box cutter!

----------


## madmax

I can't beat that...

----------


## JohnLeePettimore

I'm definitely no expert on this, but as a beginner, my question about your question is: "Isn't that like asking, 'What is the best framing hammer to use for driving wood-splitting wedges?'"

----------


## LowKey

Just use some old piece of junk heavy knife that you don't mind beating the crap out of. Even an old lawn mower blade would work.

----------


## kyratshooter

> I'm definitely no expert on this, but as a beginner, my question about your question is: "Isn't that like asking, 'What is the best framing hammer to use for driving wood-splitting wedges?'"


My thought was that it was the same as asking which hammer was best for driving wood screws.

----------


## JohnLeePettimore

> My thought was that it was the same as asking which hammer was best for driving wood screws.


Same thing, only different.

----------


## Rick

Here you go. Skip to the 11 minute mark and you'll get the idea. Save your knife. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghs5mtbKP_g

----------


## Alan R McDaniel Jr

I did a lot of camping with a pocket knife.  Slept on the ground (sleeping bag), stars for a tent, break dead branches against trees for firewood size chunks, ... and if the fire got low in the night, slide a little closer to that squaw and do a little batoning.  There's a lot of things I didn't take on camping trips but I always took a good squaw.

Alan

----------


## Rick

We won't let wife #1 know about this. You own way too many guns to share this with her and your land is way too open for her to even give you a running a start.

----------


## Alan R McDaniel Jr

Oh that's okay, she knows about it. She was the squaw helping me get wood...


See what I did there?

Alan

----------


## Rick

Tricky. Mighty tricky.

Two Indians standing by a TeePee. One looked down and said Uhg Bug. The second one said squash it. The first one said No. Uhg Bug. If you can't figure it out let me know.

----------


## Alan R McDaniel Jr

I get the squash it part but drawing a blank on the Ugh Bug.

Alan

----------


## Rick

It was a bug. The 2nd one said squash it. That's why the first one said no, it's a bug.

----------


## Wildthang

What screen door is better for my submarine!

----------


## 46camper

Any of Schrades knives in there survival line or Frontier line . Preferably one made of 1095 carbon steel. Ontario makes several knives that are suitable for batoning . I like the Rat line of knives best all around survival knives in my opinion . In there spec plus line they have the SP 8 that comes to mind. Ontario also has several survival Bowie knives that would also be good for batoning. Another good thing about Ontario knives they are made in the USA . Also at a very good price point for the money. 
Tops knives also make several models that also would serve well for survival and batoning
Although they are little high price scale. 
There are other brands also. Those 3 brands seem to get a lot more reviews


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Michael aka Mac

Well Bfd, just to give you a heads up why the guys were trolling you,  you are asking a Bushcraft question ona Survivalist site.  Personally I feel that the two go together, but apparently, from everyother post I have read in this website, I may be the only one.

I am not sure what state that you live in BFD ( each state has there own knife size and type rescrictions), and considering the laspe of time, you probably already have that knife, but for future readers here is the answer to BFD's question.

If the state you live in allows knives that are 5-6inches, I strongly recommend getting the Ka-Bar BK2 Companion.  It's 1 lb. weight and 1/4 inch thick blade and grind is perfect for splitting logs, chopping branches or dead trees. The Condor Rodan is also a good choice or the Condor Bushlore.

If you live in a more strict area with regard to knife size, like I do here in NY,  i suggest the Tops Mil Spie 3, Oerla 420HC, the Boker Magnum lil Giant, or Schrade SCHF57. All of these knives are under 4 inches, nearly 1/4 thick, and all are Bushcraft style knives that can be used to split logs. They are listed most expensive to least expensive

Honestly I use to bring an axe, hatchet, and at times even a wedge, but after I had major back surgery so that I could walk again, I know have weight carry restrictions due to fusing of my back. Some times one has to take a few steps back in order to take one step forward, and thus I now rely on more Bushcraft skills, so to lower my packs weight.

----------


## Rick

I confess I have never carried a wedge backpacking. I've never split a log with a knife either. Never chopped a tree with a knife either. Perhaps I've never been in a situation that I've needed too.

----------


## Michael aka Mac

*Rick* I think it all boils down to one's upbringing and who taught them the ropes. I was taught by my dinosaur of a grandfather that believed that all of his children (i know i was his grandchild not son, but living with him meant I had to learn this too) had to learn how to work with their hands all learn all about tools, both new and antique. 

Try cutting down a tree with an antique 2 person saw lol. The saw was older then I was.

Honestly consider yourself lucky.  He wanted to make sure his kin were self sufficient and reliant. It took me a few years before I learned not to ask for anything.  

He made pancakes one morning and the topping was whip cream and jelly. I foolishly asked if he had any maple syrup. Nope, but sure enough that upcoming weekend he took me to the Catskill Mountains to where his log cabin was, tapped all the maple trees we had there, and the next few days was me going up and down the hill with unprocessed barrels of maple sap and boiling down the sap, morning, noon and night. 

You would think I would have kept my mouth shut once we got back home the next day when he made pancakes again..  "Gramp's  do you have any butter?"

sigh  'this is the way we churn our butter, churn our butter, churn our butter, so EARLY in the morning.'

Point being Gramps wanted me to learn everything that he knew, and especially to know how to do any job even if you didn't have the Proper tools on hand. 

Have to admit though, those antique cabinet making tools were rather cool to work with and interesting. Gramps literally had every tool one could think of, the high end ones too like a wood & metal lathe, planer, edger, router table and over $10,000 in router bits.  Tim Allen form Home Improvement would have loved his garage lol

----------


## Rick

How fortunate you asked that question at the right time of year. Were his cows at the cabin as well?

----------


## Michael aka Mac

Not sure how this is the right time of year lol, but no the cows were in Canada at the time with his cousins.  And to be honest I don't want to ever think about milking a cow again, was not my favorite experience lol. 

 Wait this milk tastes funny...OMG it was a Bull.

----------


## Rick

I'm sure your grandfather taught you that sap start starts flowing in the Catskills toward the end of February and into March. That's when the sap is collected.

----------


## Alan R McDaniel Jr

That's about the time the sap started flowing around here also...

Alan

----------


## Michael aka Mac

Oh , lmao  I had no clue what you were referring to when you said I asked that question at the right time, as I thought you were inferring I was asking a question to the forum, and that someone on the forum just happened to be online, didn't realize you meant the question to my Gramps "DO we have any maple syrup: the cow comment didn't help either lol.

Actually if memory serves we have tapped the trees as early as after the 1st week in February, and stopped tapping them as late as mid April. Realize that at that altitude the temperatures can still be freezing at night and in the 40s during the day in April, although April always produced the least sap of the 3 months. Usually there was about 5-6 weeks where the trees produced the most sap.

Regardless,  I still do not like milking cows lol.

----------


## WolfVanZandt

Milking...I worked for the dairy unit at Auburn University for a while. I don't think the stalls had been shoveled out in months and as the new guy, y'know. They used machines to milk. The fun part (yes, that was sarcasm) was artificial insemination.

----------


## Rick

There are just way too many jokes there for me to get started. I'll just let it go. I sure wish you had mentioned they had bulls because....

----------


## Michael aka Mac

*WolfVanZandt*   I am envious,  I never used those milking machines,  I had to milk the cows the old fashion way, using some elbow grease.  Honestly  took me a long time to get the hang of it , proper motion and angle and way to hold.  God I wish they had milking machines, would have made life so much easier.

----------

