The idea is to use a knife as a wedge. As you correctly say. Many of the tecniques presume that you don't have a proper logging axe and a splitting wedge on you. It's really intended to split larger chunks of wood longways so as to reduce them to something that can be burned. It does little or no damage to a decent quality full tang knife. Simply because the wood is a lot softer than steel. A poor quality knife will probably break. Batoning with a multi tool is probably a no-no. Why anyone who has a perfectly usable saw to cut standing wood with would want or need to baton is beyond <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />me. <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />