>>1991334I've got a Nepalese kukri. It was forged from the leaf spring of a truck.
If you're new to batoning, practice it on some firewood at home, not innawoods. A proper knife is gonna be SHARP AS FUCK and heavy, so if it deflects, the wood splits in an unexpected manner, or you just plain fuck up it can and will slice the shit out of you, and that's not something you want to happen when you're alone and hours away from help.
You DO have a first aid kit, right? No, not that useless shit with some bandaids and ointment in it, a real first aid kit. With Quick-Clot, gauze, bandages, a splint for broken bones, a tourniquet, super glue, etc. Pretend you're planning to treat a broken leg or a gunshot wound and plan your kit from there.
To start off, gently hammer the back of your blade with another piece of wood to split it. Don't chop it, and don't do it the way he does in the video until you have a good idea of how the wood splits down the grain. Practice in your driveway. Keep your hands and legs the fuck out of the way; it's very easy to slice open your hand on accident when you try to split the wood and instead the knife twists and goes down the side of it. I've never hurt myself batoning wood, but I've come close more than once. Especially keep your thighs out of the line of fire; it's unlikely you'll hit your balls, but the femoral artery is right there and what you need to be concerned about. Hit that and it's all over, you'll bleed out before you make it to the car. Again, highly unlikely, but possible.
Just practice. Wear leather gloves, avoid putting body parts in the line of fire, and practie at home. Always take a proper first aid kit with you innawoods. You'll get good at it with some practice before you know it.
