Hickory is brutal!!!

[all night moe]

I've seen some slightly stringy White Ash on occasion, but almost never. It's one of the few species that I split by hand anymore, being the old goat that I am. 😆

Black ash can be quite stringy in the trunk wood. Especial[y around unions.
If your still splitting anything by hand, your not as old as you think....

 

[bcar]

i've been working on some shagbark hickory this year... it split hard freshly cut, now after a couple months it's like hitting concrete.

 

[all night moe]

i've been working on some shagbark hickory this year... it split hard freshly cut, now after a couple months it's like hitting concrete.

I have noticed the same. Pignut splits a lot easier.