Hand Splitting Technique

[sportbikerider78]

Yeah really ri-eeeeeet???? These boyz got some big brains here on this-here site, here.

Nothing discussed here is all that complicated. I love science!

 

[Oldman47]

How would one explain using a boys axe (21" hickory handle) and being able to split some fair sized rounds (12 to 20" across) of black locust, walnut, and I think cherry? I did that for grins a couple of weeks back. The rounds were 20 to 24 inches in length. It was fun and hilarious at the same time.

If you actually are able to use the slightly twisted axe method it can be very effective. I have no such skill so I use a brute force approach and my Fiskars axe, the black handled version of the X-27. Actually I am finding it a bit easier to use after a few months of practice and when I pay close attention I find I am not holding it straight to the wood but at a bit of an angle on impact. Maybe I am getting a bit of that twisting motion myself.

 

[BrotherBart]

Learning the snap of the wrist at contact with the round works wonders. Learned it many years ago. A natural habit anymore.

 

[iluvjazznjava]

If you don't know how - learn to swing both ways. I alternate which hand is at the bottom and top of the shaft with every piece I split. Cuts down a lot on fatigue and I'm just about as good and accurate from either side.

 

[Little Digger]

If you actually are able to use the slightly twisted axe method it can be very effective. I have no such skill so I use a brute force approach and my Fiskars axe, the black handled version of the X-27. Actually I am finding it a bit easier to use after a few months of practice and when I pay close attention I find I am not holding it straight to the wood but at a bit of an angle on impact. Maybe I am getting a bit of that twisting motion myself.

My go to splitting axe is the Fiskars X27. I probably would have used it instead of the boys axe, but I wasn't at home. I was over lending a hand splitting some wood. There were a couple other guys there, one running the hydraulic splitter, one staging and moving the splits to where it was stacked by another. Since I was the one staging and moving, I had noticed the boys axe in the trailer of the one with the splitter and decided to give it a go. I did quit using it when the head was starting to come off as I didn't want to break the handle. It was fun and funny as heck at the same time using such a tiny axe. Next year I'll bring along all of my wood splitting tools, especially the Fiskars!