Splitting advice

[Willyb40]

What is the best way to hand split firewood?

 

[Grouchy old man]

A splitting maul and a couple of wedges always worked for me.

 

[flyboy553]

What is the best way to hand split firewood?

Get some one else to do it. That's the best way.

On this site, if you do not use a Fiskars you are going to go to hell. Apparently one of them things is the cats meow. Luckily for me, I hate cats. Seems this site is like a cult of those things, so either they are actually good, or everyone drank the cool aid. I don't know. Won't know either. I have a hydraulic splitter and have never snubbed it out. But if I ever do, then maybe, just maybe, I will get one of them things and see if they really can walk on water.

Ted

 

[woodguy105]

With the grain.

 

[Fifelaker]

C-4

 

[FLHX Storm]

Get some kind of "Splitting Axe." A splitting maul works if you like swinging something heavier. Personally I prefer the light weight stuff and (yep, I'm a member of the Fiskars Cult) love the Fiskars X27 Splitting Axe. I also have the True Temper 4# Splitting Axe. The Fiskars are lighter weight and for what it does when it comes down to accuracy can't be beat in my opinion.

I can't say there aren't any better axes out there, because I too am relatively new to splitting wood so my experience is limited. But between the two splitting axes I've used to date, the Fiskars X27 wins hands down

 

[CTYank]

Hard call to make re mauls. Most of them, the corner hardware AND big box ones, are crap, simply put. BTDT

Crudely forged of soft steel to a price point. They can be reworked to work well within their metallurgical limitations. That takes tools and a plan.

There are really good mauls, primarily from european forges, but they cost. The savings in self-torture is worth it, many times over, IMO. Check reviews on $180 Gransfors on Amazon, for grins.

Splitting "axes" are for kindling, IMO. Or for folks moving on from physical therapy.

 

[FLHX Storm]

Splitting "axes" are for kindling, IMO. Or for folks moving on from physical therapy.

Damn, then I split 6 cords of kindling this season so far! N actually, physical therapy or not, using a splitting axe is a great cardio exercise that doesn't beat you to death in a half hour or more of use like a maul does. But ......... You mileage may vary!

 

[Shmudda]

What is the best way to hand split firewood?

Well, this question can open a can of worms.......

First, what is your physical size? Can you handle swinging a 8 of 10 lb splitting maul for 3-4 hours on end? If not then you need to look at something smaller and lighter such as a splitting ax or a Fiskers type of ax. The single choice of your splitting tool can make or break your will and desire to really get into this.

Believe it or not there is a science to swinging a maul and reading a log on how it's going to split. Most of this is learned by the school of hard knocks, at least for me it was!

Start with small rounds and gradually work up to the bigger stuff, you will be glad you did.

Good luck,

Craig

 

[Tiewire]

In my younger and dumber days the monster maul was my weapon of choice followed by 10# maul and assortment of wedges for tough ones. Hydro all the way now.

 

[Foxfire]

Here's what I got and do,

A chainsaw
Fiskars X27
Fiskars axe sharpener
8lbs. maul
3 wedges
2 stumps
An old tire
A good radio

I'm lucky, I split mostly Red Oak, Sassafras,some pine, some ash, and some maple. Some of my advise may be useless to you depending on what your splitting.

I split on stumps to save my tools, and to get the wood up away from my feet. So I have one stump for odd shaped pieces and one with a tire screwed to the top of it. Splitting in a tire is just so much faster for me at least. A lot less bending over and resetting. If you're using a splitting axe with a sharp edge I'd suggest removing the beads from the tire unless you aim is always on. If you're using a maul I wouldn't worry about it much. I use the X27 for 75-90% of what I split. I've found that the X27 doesn't like softer wood like pine or oak that ants have gotten in to. Even on the bigger stuff up to 18" using my maul over the X27 generally will only save me a swing or 2. 2 if I'm lazy on the first swings. The chainsaw is for the pieces that just won't split.

To me the thing to do is to get the tools and a setup/system that make sense to you, and then use them and only them. Now if after giving the tool or setup a fair chance and it still isn't working for you then move on to the next one. My most favorite circular saw is an 8-10 year old $60 Makita. Not the cheapest, but by no means the most expensive saw out there. I like the way the saw works and it was the only saw I used for years so I know it's quirks. In my hands it's best saw I can get. I had a heck of a time with the X27 when I first got it. I was constantly going back to the maul. I got the X27 because I bought in to the hype and I believed that it should work, I know it's corny. Now that I know how to use it I hardly bother bringing the maul out anymore. Not to mention my wedges are getting rusty. But I'm no dummy so I don't waste my time on crap tools and bad setups.

Hope there's something in there that you can use...

 

[woodchuck357]

I like to use an ax

When I was about seven my uncle gave me an old broad hatchet with a 22 inch handle, showed me a pile of slab cut offs and let me know it was my job to keep grandma's cookstove woodbox full. A broad axe is beveled on only one side and nearly every hit the head flipped to one side. The good thing about that flip was the blade seldom touched the ground. Bad thing was the split off stick often went off to the side. I spent a lot of time standing wood back up.

A couple of years ago, I saw a youtube of a guy using a couple of tires setting on a stump to keep his sticks from flying all over the place. I am always open to learning a new way to do things so I stacked up a couple of 20 inch truck tires and gave it a try. It worked so good my lady complained that I was splitting every thing into cookstove wood!

I have improved the tires by using 16 inch tires and cutting all but about 3 inches of the side walls out and stacking permanently together. I sure wish I had learned this trick 60 years ago.

I still use the flip action to bust the pieces apart but now I do it with an 8 lb maul with an ax eye handle or my favorite 5 lb double bitted ax. The double bit seems to hit more accurately for me than a single bit. Flips better too. I have no idea where you could get an ax that big nowdays, but I sure like mine.

 

[YarraValleyDude]

What is the best way to hand split firewood?

A case of beer, a comfortable chair and a strong wife helps...............

 

[ReggieT]

Learn how to "read" your wood and start your opening splitting swings in the already present cracks...irregardless how slight they may seem. I split wood like a Neanderthal man for a period of time and was flat wearing myself out until I stumbled upon the "finer points" of wood splitting via YouTube and as someone else suggested...the school of hard knocks!

Those cracks are already small splits where the wood is already separated and thus weakened...so start there. On huge rounds...I start a lot of them on the edges...about 4 inches in and just work my way around...next thing you know you're done!
Also...what you may not hear discussed a lot is keep your axe or maul sharp as possible...I also use a bit spray on lube on mine to keep her going deep and to reduce the labor of penetration...er kinda...no pun intended!:msp_rolleyes:

 

[Whitespider]

What is the best way to hand split firewood?

Welcome to the board Willy.

I’m assuming your question refers to best “hand” tool or tools for manually splitting firewood. First, let me warn you that you’re gonna’ get some fanatical recommendations for the Fiskars Splitting Axe… don’t automatically buy into all the claims of its magical properties. That’s not to say the Fiskars ain’t a good tool; I have one and it is a very good, well crafted tool, but it doesn’t replace the other splitting tools as some would have you believe… rather it compliments them.

Ask twenty carpenters what’s the best hammer for driving nails… and you’re likely to get twenty different answers. Someone who drives more 20p ring-shank nails is not gonna’ recommend the same hammer as a guy driving mostly 6p finish nails… and each will have personal preferences as to weight, head design, handle length and material for any application. Toss in the difference in human physical size/strength and you’d be darn lucky to even get a consensus if all else remained equal. It’s the same with any striking tool… including firewood splitting tools.

The tool(s) that will work “best” for you will depend on what type and size wood you’re splitting, and your physical size, strength and conditioning. If manually splitting wood is new to you, I don’t care how big and strong you are, or what tool you use… you’re gonna’ be sore the next day until conditioning sets in. If most of your firewood is less than 12-inches diameter, straight-grained and relatively easy to split (such as Red Oak, Ash and soft maples), a Fiskars Splitting Axe would likely serve you well to start with… you can add the wedges, maul and/or sledge later. Mauls come in dozens of different shapes, sizes, weights and handle materials. The “technique” for swinging a maul is different than swinging a splitting axe… even the handle material requires a slight adjustment. Really, the chances of getting the maul you like “best” on first purchase are highly unlikely… so if you have the opportunity to “test-drive” someone else’s, do it. It isn’t necessary to go “over-seas” to find a good maul… but a $19.oo maul at WallyWorld won’t make you happy. When shopping mauls, pick them all up… Is the head on straight and in line with the handle? Does it feel balanced? (check them all out, one will just “feel” better to you) Hold them at arms length and move them around… if it wants to twist in your hands it will tend to twist when swinging and striking also.

Now-a-days I do most of my splitting with power equipment… but I swung a maul for years. When splitting by hand, I like a maul for busting rounds larger than 12-inches diameter in half; I use the Fiskars Axe to finish them up (unless it’s stringy, tough splitting wood, then I stick with the maul). My maul weighs 8-pounds, but until you get the technique down, an 8 or 10-pound maul will wear you out in a big hurry… a 6-pound is easier to learn and condition with, an 8 or 10-pound does a better job of driving splitting wedges when needed (rather than need a separate sledge). I like a traditional Hickory handles on a maul (any striking tool really) because they tend to transfer less shock and vibration to the arms than fiberglass or steel, and more energy to the object being struck (someone will argue with me about that… again). With that said, the hollow design of the Fiskars synthetic handle is hands-down the best fiberglass composite I’ve ever used… getting darn close to the same comfort as hickory (and weighs less).

You will be well outfitted with a good maul (that you swing well and “feels” right), a couple of splitting wedges (don’t go cheap), and a lighter splitting axe (Fiskars is darn good, but there are others).

 

[savageactor7]

Well with hand splitting there definably is a knack to it. Your best bet is to hook up with a seasoned pro in the neighborhood and get the real skinny...or I suppose you could research youtube.

 

[Dalmatian90]

Splitting "axes" are for kindling, IMO. Or for folks moving on from physical therapy.

I couldn't disagree more.

Since learning how to use a splitting ax (Fiskars), I haven't use a maul, wedges, or sledges. I don't get many pieces that can't be handled by the ax, and when I do I put them aside to be noodled with a chainsaw.

If I had a better maul, I might consider keeping it handy to try on the tougher rounds before tossing the rounds aside to be noodled.

Axes should be the workhorse of someone's splitting tools because they can handle most wood, with the least wear and tear on your body, and the least fatigue so you can split safely longer.

Only if the round resists the ax is it time to consider something else.

After all, you want to avoid needing physical therapy in the first place. And you don't do that by working harder instead of smarter.

 

[Dalmatian90]

Akkamaan's video shows a good basic technique -- I prefer splitting on a short (4"-6") splitting block...usually the last piece of a stump as I'm taking down to ground level out in the woods works well.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WoAOYLMU1Wc?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Some folks will screw a tire into that splitting block so they don't use the bungee.

When setting your block, it's usually best for it to be in the same direction it grew (top up). And look for a natural crack in the middle and split along that.

For larger pieces you may need to "slab" off the sides first, taking bites around the perimeter before you're able to split the centerin half. I usually only encounter this in the couple of blocks nearest the stump.

All wood is different. Some species split very easily, most are manageable, and there are a few (like American Elm) that you'd have to be desperate or bored senseless to spend the effort needed to split by hand.

 

[allstihl]

there is a learning curve to it . after 25yrs of hand splitting about 30 face cord a year, a quick look will usually tell me where it wants to split, or if it needs to go on the noodling pile. just keep practicing.

 

[slowp]

It isn't rocket science.

I call it, going to the gym. Oh the horrors! The size of chunks I cut can be easily thrown into the pickup unsplit. Then I unload it at home and split a bit at a time. I use a plastic handled cheapo maul and it has held up very well. Because the handle is plastic, I can leave it out in the elements. The yellow handle makes it easier to find when I've left it on the ground and it has snowed on it. The gym workout usually goes until my back starts protesting--no hurry so I quit at that point.

You don't need to invest a lot of money. A maul of some kind and a couple of metal wedges will do. I haven't used the metal wedges for some time. I think I can find them. Or not.

For kindling splitting, I have an old True Value axe.

Place round on ground or on big round of wood cut sides up and down. Raise maul, pointy side down, hit round with maul--repeat if needed. Throw ball for Used Dog...Repeat.