Thanks for all of the responses. I've batoned a few CS blades, but the majority of the real (ie not testing) work has been with my Mil Reg. Outside of being a little short for the job, its taken a literal beating and is absolutely no worse for the wear.

I have some pics of me batoning for days during a camping trip, and it remaining "paper curl" sharp.

The question was brought up, because I'm headed back out this weekend and wanted to try a new technique if one was offered here.

Sounds like I was right to begin with:

1) If its a Bussekin - beat on it all you want.
2) If its anything else - sell it and buy a Bussekin.

Oh yeah...

I've sold everyone of my non-Bussekin fixed blades so I'll be batoning away for the foreseeable future. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm looking forward to testing my "fuzzy stick" making skills with a RMD this weekend. I might try some chopping with it too. We're also taking a S5CG (wife's camp knife), Swamp Warden (just a great little chore blade), and the Mil Reg for fire wood making.

+1

Heck, even Old Hickory knives will take it.

Thanks everyone.

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something stupid.

I saw another method in a video where the guy began by pounding the blade in TIP first into the trunk of a small standing tree. The blade was oriented as perpendicular to the tree and the edge was horizontal. Then, when the blade was pounded in to the hilt, he hit the handle around the tree and cut it down. The action was kind of similar to cutting an orange by STABBING it in the middle and rotating the orange 360 degrees.

This type of batoning was intended, I believe to fall small trees for shelter versus prepping wood for a fire.

I have never tried this, but from the looks of it, the trunk was no more than eight inches in diameter and the wood looked soft and green.

I've been meaning to give this a try but never have.

If it is scrapyard knife just beat it till the wood submits!

Proper Bark River Batoning Procedure:

1. Choose a small piece of wood that can easily be split with little force.



2. If knife breaks, send it in for a tougher replacement.



3. Make sure the replacement is tough by taking it out and immediately beating on it!


OR JUST USE A SCRAPPER AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!

Thank you HD.

Technique comes with practice, keeping the blade perpendicular to the wood always works better for me.

LOL, that's awesome Vic, I was just going to put what a great looking blade that is and then I saw the ' after shot '. !!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

In all fairness to Bark River, that knife had an inclusion right at the blade/handle junction. A defect caused the breakage, not the stick tang. They replaced it with a Smoke Jumper at my request, which also has a hidden tang. It performed just fine in batoning and other hard use. But you just know that the Scrapper 5 is tougher. I really have no complaints with BRKT, as they honored their warranty. BTW, that SJ is made from old CS SRK blanks in Carbon V that BRKT got at the Camillus sell off.