Questions for hand splitters

[mdotis]

I have been off work (vacation) for the last two days and had the chance to split some wood. I split everything by hand. As I was splitting away I was thinking (I know kind of scary). When you split by hand would you rather hit a round twice with a 4.5 pound Axe or once with an 8 pound maul? Most of the time I can tell if it will split with the Axe or if I need to step up to the maul. But sometimes they are in the middle where they will split with one hit of the 8 Pound but it may take two or three with the Axe. I guess for me it is just what kind of mood am I in. What do you guys do?

 

[indiansprings]

We don't split with an axe, it seems like a waste and time of effort to us.
We use a big oak round for a splitting block (approx 30" across and 20" tall) and use 8 lbs hickory handled splitting mauls. The tough stuff goes on the hydraulic splitter, we used to use wedges and a sledge on the tough stuff.
Am axe sticks too much.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Best splitting maul I've ever used is an old stil maul my dad has had since the mid 70's. It is a 6 lbs head and rocks. I split everything by hand a well, if I can't crack it with that I use a 16 lbs maul I have and if that doesn't do it the piece goes to the campfire/bonfire pile.

I have an idea in my head that I will get a hydraulic splitter of some sorts one of these days.

 

[mooseracing]

We don't split with an axe, it seems like a waste and time of effort to us.

....we used to use wedges and a sledge on the tough stuff.
An axe sticks too much.

Depending on the wood one hit with a axe can split it, compared to starting a wedge and that process.

I like using the axe on maple or other easy woods as I can find it quicker than waiting on the ram stroke of a splitter.

 

[gilraine]

If I can't split it with the fiskars super splitter, it gets split with a chainsaw. Its not worth the time or effort beat on a round for more than a minute or 2

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

We don't split with an axe, it seems like a waste and time of effort to us.
We use a big oak round for a splitting block (approx 30" across and 20" tall) and use 8 lbs hickory handled splitting mauls. The tough stuff goes on the hydraulic splitter, we used to use wedges and a sledge on the tough stuff.
Am axe sticks too much.

:agree2:

 

[AKKAMAAN]

It is not a matter between two strikes with a 4lbs axe or one strike with a 8lbs maul.....it is a matter of one strike with a 4.25lbs Fiskars Super Splitter axe....

 

[indiansprings]

Has anyone used the Stihl Splitting Axe? My Stihl dealer told me that Fiskars made the Stihl splitting axe and splitting maul. The Stihl splitting axe looks just like a fiskars on steriods with a longer hickory handle. I haven't ever used the fiskars but know it gets rave reviews, I like the idea of the Stihl weighing more and having a longer hickory handle.

 

[swift4me]

This is sort of a side topic, but it might help someone. I like to use the axe as much as possible, but use a wedge on the bad stuff. I'm too cheap to buy the Fiskars I guess, but I only split three cords a season, and I work off a few beers with the exercise.

An old friend in northern California used to put one or two large tires on top of one of his big oak splitting blocks. It would hold the round so you could get your four or six pieces out of it without stopping, and if you were making kindling from cedar or pine, you could put a big round in thee and just keep swinging. It saved alot of bending over to pick up pieces.

Just a thought.

Pete

 

[Pain Cow]

I am a proud hand splitter. Probably about 7.5-8 cords so far this year. All with a 12lb maul and a 6lb triangular shaped wedge that has a steep graduation in size. I've tried lighter mauls and didn't care for it at all. I've tried axes and determined their best use is chopping the "stringy" pieces while I'm wedge splitting&the splits stick together. I generally hand split for an hour to 2 hours per day depending on weather. Any more than that gets into chore territory& I like to have fun with it. One of these days I'd like to try an even larger maul. I'm big enough to handle it and so far bigger has worked better. I feel like I've got a very efficient style developed. Once you can "read" the round and use the grain pattern to your favor you've got it made.

 

[woodbooga]

I keep an axe handy in case there's some stringies. Some white birch and red maple can be a little on the stringy side. I also use an axe to split not-too-knotty white pine, as well as punkier stuff. Punk wood allotta times will "chunk off," especially if there's a know in there.

Otherwise, I pretty much exclusively split with a 6- or an 8-lb maul.

I was in the stihl dealer yesterday to pick up some oil. Took a gander at the handled tools. They look mighty fine, but too spendy for me too. My $5 yard sale maul, a keen eye, and a little elbow grease works good enough for me. For now anyways. Maybe when I'm old like laird, I'll consider a splitter.

 

[TreePointer]

It is not a matter between two strikes with a 4lbs axe or one strike with a 8lbs maul.....it is a matter of one strike with a 4.25lbs Fiskars Super Splitter axe....

Darnit, AKKAMAAN!

I thought I was going to be the first to shill for Fiskars today and get the company bonus. :greenchainsaw:

 

[DG2244]

Stihl Splitting Axe

The Stihl splitting axe is like the Fisker with a longer handle? I think my toes might like that. Lord knows they have had to run for cover a few times.

 

[AKKAMAAN]

Darnit, AKKAMAAN!

I thought I was going to be the first to shill for Fiskars today and get the company bonus. :greenchainsaw:

Well now I got the 2 cents....hahahahha

 

[TonyK]

I know it must look ridiculous but I have been bringing my super splitter with me lately and I been known to be splitting with it while the hydro splitter idles next to me. I guess it kind of defeats the purpose of owning one but sometimes it is just faster to do it by hand.

 

[howellhandmade]

Here's the other part of the equation that lets you split big rounds with a Super Splitter:

http://www.arboristsite.com/showpost.php?p=2232365&postcount=47

For a long time I stupidly followed the same routine of splitting each round, no matter how big, first in half, no matter how many wedges it took. Then I'd split off wedge-shaped pieces, and split those however many times. But I was basically looking at every big round in a spider web pattern, and always split the radii first. The above way is better -- haven't reached for a bigger maul or a wedge in a long time.

Jack

 

[D&B Mack]

Here's the other part of the equation that lets you split big rounds with a Super Splitter:

http://www.arboristsite.com/showpost.php?p=2232365&postcount=47

For a long time I stupidly followed the same routine of splitting each round, no matter how big, first in half, no matter how many wedges it took. Then I'd split off wedge-shaped pieces, and split those however many times. But I was basically looking at every big round in a spider web pattern, and always split the radii first. The above way is better -- haven't reached for a bigger maul or a wedge in a long time.

Jack

I would agree with this to a certain extent. Some wood doesn't want to split well across the grain though, so have to stick with the "spider web pattern".

There was a whole other thread on splitters, I will try to find it and link it here.

 

[D&B Mack]

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=134610

read through this thread, it was pretty good...

 

[Bigrod]

Been splitting by hand for 30 years and have used a 6 or 8 pound maul for the smaller stuff and if its real large and knotty I will use the big 16 pounder to break it up then go back to the smaller maul. Not to much that can't get split that way but have used the saw to chunk up some real nasty stuff.

 

[Circle B MN]

Just reading this thread makes me tired...


I do like using my Fiskars to bust red oak rounds in half. They just split so nice and easy. Once in half, or if they give any resistance they go right to the splitter.