My yard oak had a lot like that. That's why it took me ten times longer than it should have to split it. Twisted, curly, knotty. Not like those nice tall straight deep woods oaks, those split easy. Just kept whacking away at it. Five cords and change from the branches. If the main tree croaks, oh man that's gonna be a lot of gnarly wood, but it's OAK, it makes it worthwhile.
The big pines here are worse to split unless you wait a LONG time and they get checked deep. I have literally tons of rounds waiting on that. I try once every few weeks..nada, not yet. There's a sweet spot there, day before, still rubber wood, next day, splits easy, POP.
The easiest wood to split around here is the ash and the tulip poplar. Got 1/3rd cord of the poplar (lightning blasted tree I posted a pic of) bucked and hauled back up today, everything that was on the ground. I have to study that main trunk, looks dangerous to me, cracked down to the base, but still attached in places, can't figure out how to fell it safely yet, bar pinch city or splits and falls two ways or?? dunno....
I guess...guess...if I had cargo ratcheting straps I would bind it up real tight above the notching area and then fell it.
I will think on it more.
