When splitting firewood using the batoning method, keeping the blade stationary instead of swinging it about is a lot safer.
Cooking over a wood fire at camp can be both enjoyable and rewarding, adding a rich and smoky aroma to your dishes and a satisfying back-to-basics experience.
However, using large logs or firewood can make it difficult to get a good cookfire going – you need kindling that burns quickly.
Instead of hacking at firewood with a parang, which is both tiring and risky, consider a more controlled technique known as “batoning”.
Batoning is a bushcraft method where you use a sturdy survival knife and a “baton” – a thick branch or piece of firewood – to strike the spine of the knife, driving it into a standing log to split it apart.
Unlike swinging a parang downwards, batoning keeps the cutting edge stationary, making it a safer and more precise way to create kindling.
This method is especially useful for producing kindling of just the right thickness for your cookfire.
It also exposes the drier “heart” of the wood, which is crucial in tropical environments where the outer layers are often damp.
A good quality survival knife is important when batoning.
Here’s how to baton wood:
1. Stand the piece of firewood on a hard surface, such as a flat rock.
2. Place the knife on top of the wood, ensuring the blade is longer than the diameter of the log for effective splitting.
3. Strike the spine (top) of the knife blade with your baton repeatedly.
4. If the wood does not split after several strikes, carefully hit the tip of the blade just ahead of the wood and be mindful as the tip is the weakest part of the knife.
Batoning is one of the reasons survival knives are designed to be long and thick, typically around 5mm thick and up to 20cm long.
These knives are made with premium steel to withstand impact and can cost several hundred ringgit or more.
Camp cooking with wood fire can be rewarding.
Be cautious of cheap imitations that look like survival knives but are made from ordinary kitchen knife steel.
Unless in a survival situation, avoid harvesting deadwood from the wild, as burning it disrupts the jungle’s natural nutrient cycle.
Decaying wood helps return minerals like potassium and phosphorus to the soil and serves as food for insects and worms.
For convenience, some outdoor gear shops – including one in SS2, Petaling Jaya – sell firewood sourced from rambutan, durian or mangrove trees, which burns well and costs between RM25 and RM35 per bundle.
Rubber tree wood is a cheaper option, but it can be frustrating to cook with due to the latex content, which produces thick black smoke and a strong rubbery stench.
If you must use it, let the fire burn for a while until the smoke and smell subside before you start cooking.
By mastering the batoning technique and choosing the right firewood, you can enjoy a safer, easier and more flavourful campfire cooking experience.
