Proper Splitting Swing

[Islander]

I've been splitting wood by hand since I was a kid. I like the fast speed and good exercise of doing by hand. Most of my rounds are under 20" so it works for me...

I've always swung using the "behind the back" stroke...like you see in those old railroad films, pounding spikes in. I guess I never thought there was any other way...

This summer while camping at a state park, I saw a young park employee (Youth Conservation Corps) splitting with what I would call the "rise and fall" swing, keeping the maul in front of him the whole swing.

My first thought was...must be a city kid. Then I saw the size pile he was making, and the relative ease he was swinging with. Seemed like it worked for him. I wondered if the YCC trained him this way?

I tried his way a few times, but I've got a lot of "muscle memory" for the behind the back method, so I've got a habit to break. I did get a few productive swings doing it that way, but seemed like less splitting force. Perhaps I need more practice...

So my question: What's the "correct" way to swing a splitting maul?

 

[wigglesworth]

The "rise and fall" as you call it is much easier on your body. Trust me on that one. I used to think I was superman and give the maul the old "John Henry" swing, and be wore out in no time.

 

[Chris Crouse]

I think if you were using a monster maul then you would have to use the rise and fall unless you are a really big dude. With a 6 or 8 lbs maul I don't see the rise and fall being effective on anything but bone dry pine and other easy splitting stuff.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I Use Both

Round housing will probably give you a harder impact on the billet. However, it will take its toll on your back and shoulders. I usually round house the 8-lb splitting maul, but whenever I use the 10-lb sledge on a wedge, I go straight up and straight down ("rise and fall"). Rise and fall will usually give you more accuracy as well.

Take a look:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/soOJDRlRUQM&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/soOJDRlRUQM&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Remember, these guys on U-Tube are generally not splitting elm, knotty pine, cottonwood, locust, or apple. Second, the further the maul drops, the more impact it will have. The man in the video above is using a log underneath that is too long. I usually find a much shorter and wider resting log. In fact, a flat piece of slabwood is ideal for a rest.

 

[taylor6400]

Im a roundhouser. Just the way i started, and i like swinging the thing as hard as i can, and the roundhouse approach gets inertia on your side...im young and like the workout!

 

[StihlyinEly]

When I was in my 20s, I once watched an old Indian guy working with a standard sized ax and 30-inch rounds of hardwood. He never went for the center split. His first split was to knock off a fairly flat piece along the edge, and then work his way through the round from one side to the other, using the edges he created and taking advantage of the natural fault lines in the wood, with each piece the appropriate size for either the cookstove or woodstove. I commented on this when he was taking a break. He said he'd been splitting wood his whole life with nothing but an ax.

He got this twinkle in his eye and made a comment about white men always taking the hard way. I had to laugh, because he was describing me.

Since then, while I have a maul and wedges, I rarely use them. Mostly I'm using a log splitter these days, but when I do pick up the ax I work those rounds just like he taught me.

As for the swing, I compromise. With the ax, I take it back over my head but not too far back, with left hand on the end of the ax handle and right hand up the shaft. Then as I come down toward the wood the right hand slips down the handle to meet the left hand. Pretty much like the guy in the video. Taking off stove-sized pieces, I'm not able to be accurate enough with a full roundhouse swing, either. If I was center splitting it'd be a different matter.

 

[Islander]

Sounds like it depends...

Thanks for all the feedback. Looks like I'm not alone in being confused about my swinging identity!

I'll work on my rise and fall swing, as it sounds like that's a method lots of people use. Still not convinced it will work with the notty Ash and Elm I've got, but we'll see. Seems like some of those logs need everything I've got to give...and the round-house method gives the brute-ist of brute force.

Also thanks for the "start at the edge" comment...been doing that right along...only way to split my bigger stuff, and seems a smarter way to split.

I've switched to the True Temper 4lb maul (got mine at Lowes) this year, and that does seem easier on the shoulders with similar performance to my 8lb old-fashioned maul.

I'm pretty convinced that the "speed means more than mass" theory is true, at least in my 8 to 4 lb comparison.

Also have a question about Fiskar's mauls...wondering if this theory really extends down to their 2.25 lb maul. I'm inclined to try the 4.25lb maul, but 2.25lb sounds pretty light...anyone compared the two?

http://www.fiskars.com/webapp/wcs/s...ategoryId=10277&productId=10528&page=products

http://www.fiskars.com/webapp/wcs/s...ategoryId=10277&productId=10529&page=products

 

[thombat4]

Thanks for all the feedback. Looks like I'm not alone in being confused about my swinging identity!

I'll work on my rise and fall swing, as it sounds like that's a method lots of people use. Still not convinced it will work with the notty Ash and Elm I've got, but we'll see. Seems like some of those logs need everything I've got to give...and the round-house method gives the brute-ist of brute force.

Also thanks for the "start at the edge" comment...been doing that right along...only way to split my bigger stuff, and seems a smarter way to split.

I've switched to the True Temper 4lb maul (got mine at Lowes) this year, and that does seem easier on the shoulders with similar performance to my 8lb old-fashioned maul.

I'm pretty convinced that the "speed means more than mass" theory is true, at least in my 8 to 4 lb comparison.

Also have a question about Fiskar's mauls...wondering if this theory really extends down to their 2.25 lb maul. I'm inclined to try the 4.25lb maul, but 2.25lb sounds pretty light...anyone compared the two?

http://www.fiskars.com/webapp/wcs/s...ategoryId=10277&productId=10528&page=products

http://www.fiskars.com/webapp/wcs/s...ategoryId=10277&productId=10529&page=products

There's a big thread somewhere on here all about the Fiskars 4.5lb splitter. Hopefully someone will link it here for you. Lot's of good info from those of us that love it and those that don't as well.

 

[laynes69]

I use the roundhouse, but I don't put everything I have into it. If its straight grain, I will let it basically fall and it will split. When I split, I look for any cracks in the wood, and try to hit on those. I basically look for those before splitting. On those hard to split pieces, when I come down, right before it hitting I flick my wrists down and it splits better. On large rounds, I work on the sides, and rotate till I'm in the center. I split almost everything by hand, cord after cord. On those ones with the crotches, I will use a maul and a splitting wedge to drive through them. A 6# maul works better for me than an 8#. Speed and accuracy win everytime. I take my time and breath right so I can split for a few hours at a time. Keeps me in shape.

 

[sesmith]

Roundhouse...even with my monster maul. I'm not young, and I'm not big either. The real trick is being able to hit the same place twice consistently, read the wood, and only use enough force to get the job done. I've split a lot of 24" beech over the last several years like this, although this year is the 1st I broke down and bought a splitter for my tractor. Did 5 or 6 full cords in a weekend this year...much quicker.

 

[coog]

Rise and drop for me.The power is in the wrists, with the snap at impact doing the most damage.For the extra-hard pieces the maul goes higher, but not farther back.This is far less taxing than the old roundhouse, and you maintain greater control.I have split wood with enough young bucks to know that technique trumps youth.

 

[makomakoman]

I use both as well. Only on the tough ones will I wind up.

This is with my 8 lb maul. I don't like my 6lb maul.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I use both as well. Only on the tough ones will I wind up. This is with my 8lb maul. I don't like my 6-lb maul.

Rarely do I roundhouse swing anymore. Mass is sometimes more important then speed. Monster maul users do not roundhouse at all. But, they sure split a lot of wood with that beast. Take a look at this:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mA2cPHsdshQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mA2cPHsdshQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Psssttt... Solid oak is easy to split compared to elm, knotty pine, and several other wood species.

 

[frenchy85]

When I was in my 20s, I once watched an old Indian guy working with a standard sized ax and 30-inch rounds of hardwood. He never went for the center split. His first split was to knock off a fairly flat piece along the edge, and then work his way through the round from one side to the other, using the edges he created and taking advantage of the natural fault lines in the wood, with each piece the appropriate size for either the cookstove or woodstove. I commented on this when he was taking a break. He said he'd been splitting wood his whole life with nothing but an ax.

He got this twinkle in his eye and made a comment about white men always taking the hard way. I had to laugh, because he was describing me.

Since then, while I have a maul and wedges, I rarely use them. Mostly I'm using a log splitter these days, but when I do pick up the ax I work those rounds just like he taught me.

As for the swing, I compromise. With the ax, I take it back over my head but not too far back, with left hand on the end of the ax handle and right hand up the shaft. Then as I come down toward the wood the right hand slips down the handle to meet the left hand. Pretty much like the guy in the video. Taking off stove-sized pieces, I'm not able to be accurate enough with a full roundhouse swing, either. If I was center splitting it'd be a different matter.

A guy I use to work with split wood the same way. He would split 24" plus rounds with ease, it was amazing, I tried to do it that way but couldn't. I guess it's a talent. My dad always taught me to keep the maul in front of me for saftey reasons. Don't know what those saftey reasons were but that was the way I taught.

 

[frenchy85]

But I guess now I use the lever method. Push the lever forward and the log splits.

 

[laynes69]

I learned after overshooting the wood a couple of times and sending a flying split into my shin the importance of accuracy. Its gotta be one of the worse pains.

 

[tballard]

I find that the rise and fall method is far more accurate and efficient. If you need to put more oomph into it, you can generate more speed and power by using your hips. Watch the guy in the first video of this string. See how he sticks his butt out on the down stroke of his swing? That's how you generate speed and power. You're using big muscles and you can maintain great accuracy. My 2 cents....FWIW

 

[371groundie]

most of my splitting is done with a 2.5 -3lb axe. with a skinny little noodle of a handle. i have a very snappy swing that include snapping my wrists and knees. i can swing that axe all day long when some people get very tired of swinging 6 and 8 lb mauls. i do get picked on for my choice of such a small tool, but it gets the job done.

 

[Philbert]

I've split a lot of pieces off of the sides, but to be honest, it was usually when I missed the center.

The version of the 'roundhouse' swing I learned as a Boy Scout has the axe/maul coming over my head, then the wrists slide together at the base of the handle, then I squat down as the head comes toward the wood.

I don't throw it like the guy in the second video - let the weight and momentum carry it through.

That technique also lets me keep up with some of the bigger boys at those bell ringing things at the State Fair.

Philbert

 

[Wood Doctor]

But I guess now I use the lever method. Push the lever forward and the log splits.

:deadhorse:
As long as you have 10 Hp, a 22-gal pump, 600 lb of equipment, and a garage to store it in. :hmm3grin2orange: