I've batoned with a 4" Mora. Worked just fine except where the wood got too wide for the length of the blade. I batoned a wedge from another piece of wood and was good to go from there.

The DMCG ain't too shabby with a batton....

pit,
how does the mora baton...as compared to the dm?

Thanks pitman.

Never tried it, I'd imagine the Mora would fall apart just at the sight of a batton !!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

That's what I thought too! But it didn't. It worked really well except the blade length was too short for the limb I was batoning. It was a Mora triflex? btw.

My theory (and it's only a theory) is that the thin but relatively strong blade made it easier to push through the wood with the baton. This in turn meant the blade wasn't stressed quite as much.

I was surprised I didn't pull the knife handle right off too!

If you want an inexpensive knife along the lines of a Mora that you CAN baton, buy one of the Hultafors GrovKniv Heavy Dutys. You can't get them here in the US, but there is a place called TheGoodStuffShop that sells them over the internet. Their GV/Heavy Duty version is like a Mora on steroids. Hultafors uses some excellent carbon steel(I like it better than Mora's steel) and they are much beefier. The GV measures about .115" at the spine and is super stout! They cost about $12. Everybody should have a few of them.

Here are the three I had a friend in Sweden pick up for me. I also had him pick me up an un-handled blade that I am now having a custom Olive wood Burl handle put on to make a nice little semi-custom scandi. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

okay, a few thoughts.

on the mora: I've used this knife to baton in a number of cases, and had no problems in terms of strength. Because the angle isnt too high, it doesnt split very quickly.

on proper length: basically, while many knives can baton just fine, only certain logs need to be batonned. If you're batonning to get to the drier interior of the wood, then almost any log should be split into fourths before being put into a young fire. But mostly, the logs that need splitting are the ones that are too large to go onto a fire at first: usually between 4-7 inches. So, you need a knife that can handle that. Generally, a 6-7 inch camp knife will handle all your needs

Or the wedge method is when you don't want to kill your only knife (which means break, dull, etc)

You could also use Pitman's method of stabbing it and prying it apart. I wouldn't try this unless I had a DMCG. You could incorporate Pit's method and the wedge method if the log is too thick for the knife and the knife is just too thin. Overall many bushcraft knives (meaning to insanely thick and beastly), should be able to handle itself after being batonied tip first into the wood.

But the wedge method can seriously save your skin... and your knife.

I'm surpised to see no one try and use a SYK to tear through an old car hood, seeing as how these are very tough knives and much better than the Cold Steel tanto which are supposedly capable of this very test without damaging the blade.

its been done before tyger.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

sharp, You can do your fair share of prying with any SY. (made of sr77)
I wouldln't hesitate to use my YKCG to do that at all.

You provide the car and I'll stab it up as much as you like !!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />