Splitting splits

[gyrfalcon]

ok, sounds like you have trouble holding the split upright, while trying to hold the wedge, while trying to pound it with a large hammer/small sledge.

sooo, what i would do is get a nice metal file and file that wedge so its a bit sharper, so when you hammer on it a couple times it seats itself into the wood.

you can also file your axe and hatchet, put 'em in a vise if you can, and run that file over 'em, keeping 'em flat, and sharpen 'em up.

i saw a guy use a froe, do a google on froe, you see, it's a bit sharper and will seat into a split quicker than a wedge maybe, and ain't as heavy either.

You got it exactly.

Super advice. Never occurred to me to sharpen up the wedge since it's new, but yes, it's a big problem getting it into the hard maple enough to stand on its own so I can back away and whang it. I feel such like an incompetent dork when the damn thing keeps bouncing around on the edge of the split instead of digging in. I have a couple of metal files from my dad's tools lying around. Anything special I should use for this, or will any old file do the trick?

Got a froe on order from Lehman's, and I think that will make things easier, too. If nothing else, I won't be trying to support the weight of the wedge and keeping the split upright with one hand while I bang at it ineffectually for too long.

 

[Bill]

Another option, is to hold the split down low, and hit the top with a good hatchet. Then take a sledge or hammer and beat the hatchet into the split, until it cracks in half.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Oh, man, I cannot buh-LIEVE how much easier this is with a hatchet instead of the wedge! Got so exhilarated out there, I went looking around for different things to try it on, and also got my dad's old axe out of the barn and played with that a bit, too.

As far as I can see now, the main point of the wedge is that it's thicker on the upper end than an axe or hatchet, so forces the split apart better. But why on earth do they make them so dull so you (or rather I) can't get them to bite anywhere near as easily into the wood to start the process?

Most of my stuff is short enough and splits easily enough I can get it done with just the hatchet or axe and the sledge. Once or twice, the hatchet got stuck good halfway down the wood, but a few bangs on the wedge alongside it got it loose, and then I could finish the split easily with just the wedge.

Now I've got to work on a splitting platform of some kind so I'm not doing all this bent over double. I have no good stumps anywhere near the house and woodshed, and my two creaky wooden stoops/stairs obviously won't do. Should I get a platform made out of concrete or something?

 

[mayhem]

Oh, man, I cannot buh-LIEVE how much easier this is with a hatchet instead of the wedge! Got so exhilarated out there, I went looking around for different things to try it on, and also got my dad's old axe out of the barn and played with that a bit, too.

As far as I can see now, the main point of the wedge is that it's thicker on the upper end than an axe or hatchet, so forces the split apart better. But why on earth do they make them so dull so you (or rather I) can't get them to bite anywhere near as easily into the wood to start the process?

Most of my stuff is short enough and splits easily enough I can get it done with just the hatchet or axe and the sledge. Once or twice, the hatchet got stuck good halfway down the wood, but a few bangs on the wedge alongside it got it loose, and then I could finish the split easily with just the wedge.

Now I've got to work on a splitting platform of some kind so I'm not doing all this bent over double. I have no good stumps anywhere near the house and woodshed, and my two creaky wooden stoops/stairs obviously won't do. Should I get a platform made out of concrete or something?

Glad things have improved for you.

For a platform I would recommend using someting made out of wood...if you use concrete or something similarly hard you'll eventually ruin your axe's or wedge's sharp edge when you get through a split. In the absence of a convenient stump I would use an unsplit round thats been cut flat on both ends.

 

[logmusic]

I use a 3.5 lb kitchen axe in my basement for turning splits and small rounds into kindling on a daily basis. I split as i need it after bringing it in from the woodshed. I find that this helps me conserve wood, as I only split only when I have to and only what my fire needs.

First, I have an old rock maple butt that is irregular across the top a wee bit. I hold the split with my left hand and choke all the way up on the axe with my right. A sharp axe helps. Then, while holding the blade of the axe against the split, I deliberately hit the bottom of the split on the butt enough to force the axe blade into the split enough to bite and hold. The, I just smack the bottom end of the split hard on the butt and things come apart. TO me this is preferable to swinging about a sharp kitchen axe on smaller targets ;-) Larger splits get a full on swing of course.
Good luck friend.

 

[kevinlp]

A WOOD GRENADE - I SWEAR BY IT. I can take 40+ rounds that need to be quartered at least and have them in a pile in an hour.

One tap and it sticks in the wood. Very hard to get stuck. 2 hits and you are pulling the grenade out of the ground.

(broken link removed to http://www.lehmans.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=3334)

 

[colsmith]

Just an FYI on how to get the wedge wedged into the split in the first place, hubby and I have kind of a funny system for that. I try to split something creepy (enormous or branched usually) and take several whacks at it with the 8 lb. maul. I decide it isn't going to split, and put it to the side. He comes out with the wedges and the single jack (a short sledgehammer that you can use with one hand, he keeps hurting one side of himself so just uses his left hand for this sometimes.) He looks around for the hunks of wood that have maul dents in them that I have given up on. He puts the wedge into said maul dent and starts hitting it with the little sledgehammer. I believe most recently I have seen him doing this sitting on a chopping block with the wood he is splitting on the ground between his feet, further wedged in with hunks already or about to be split. It's an odd system, but it works for us. I have finally got my maul swinging back up to top form and am thinking about getting the 12 lb. maul out when I go home again (I'm warming up in Florida right now at my sister's house.) Hubby reports that one of the woodpiles fell over a bit today, not my problem. ;-)

 

[gyrfalcon]

I use a 3.5 lb kitchen axe in my basement for turning splits and small rounds into kindling on a daily basis. I split as i need it after bringing it in from the woodshed. I find that this helps me conserve wood, as I only split only when I have to and only what my fire needs.

First, I have an old rock maple butt that is irregular across the top a wee bit. I hold the split with my left hand and choke all the way up on the axe with my right. A sharp axe helps. Then, while holding the blade of the axe against the split, I deliberately hit the bottom of the split on the butt enough to force the axe blade into the split enough to bite and hold. The, I just smack the bottom end of the split hard on the butt and things come apart. TO me this is preferable to swinging about a sharp kitchen axe on smaller targets ;-) Larger splits get a full on swing of course.
Good luck friend.

I tried that, but I'm not quite strong enough (yet!) to lift an axe and split together and whang 'em down with any force. At this point, I'm just thrilled I can split off a small piece with a dozen whaps or so with the small sledge on the hatchet.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Just an FYI on how to get the wedge wedged into the split in the first place, hubby and I have kind of a funny system for that. I try to split something creepy (enormous or branched usually) and take several whacks at it with the 8 lb. maul. I decide it isn't going to split, and put it to the side. He comes out with the wedges and the single jack (a short sledgehammer that you can use with one hand, he keeps hurting one side of himself so just uses his left hand for this sometimes.) He looks around for the hunks of wood that have maul dents in them that I have given up on. He puts the wedge into said maul dent and starts hitting it with the little sledgehammer. I believe most recently I have seen him doing this sitting on a chopping block with the wood he is splitting on the ground between his feet, further wedged in with hunks already or about to be split. It's an odd system, but it works for us. I have finally got my maul swinging back up to top form and am thinking about getting the 12 lb. maul out when I go home again (I'm warming up in Florida right now at my sister's house.) Hubby reports that one of the woodpiles fell over a bit today, not my problem. ;-)

Heh! Thanks for the laugh, and the great mental image. I think it'll be a couple seasons before I could do anything with a 12-pounder other than lift and groan.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Glad things have improved for you.

For a platform I would recommend using someting made out of wood...if you use concrete or something similarly hard you'll eventually ruin your axe's or wedge's sharp edge when you get through a split. In the absence of a convenient stump I would use an unsplit round thats been cut flat on both ends.

Well, there's not so much risk of that, since I can't really whack the cutting edge that far down-- yet.

But I'm having trouble imagining a wooden platform other than a good stump that wouldn't bounce a lot while I'm smacking at the split, especially on uneven ground like I have. Not so?

 

[gyrfalcon]

A WOOD GRENADE - I SWEAR BY IT. I can take 40+ rounds that need to be quartered at least and have them in a pile in an hour.

One tap and it sticks in the wood. Very hard to get stuck. 2 hits and you are pulling the grenade out of the ground.

(broken link removed to http://www.lehmans.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=3334)

I've seen that. Really works, huh? Probably take me a lot more than 2 hits, though.

 

[mayhem]

A stump or a large round are the only acceptable platforms I've ever used personally.

Wood grenades are fantastic. A milion times easier for you than a simple wedge and at least (if not more) effective at splitting the wood. Won't take the place of a hatchet though, its for the big stuff.

 

[swestall]

The tire thing, definately: make it once and that's it.
But, that splitter would save a lot of backache....

 

[Girl]

A WOOD GRENADE - I SWEAR BY IT. I can take 40+ rounds that need to be quartered at least and have them in a pile in an hour.

One tap and it sticks in the wood. Very hard to get stuck. 2 hits and you are pulling the grenade out of the ground.

(broken link removed to http://www.lehmans.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=3334)

I've seen that. Really works, huh? Probably take me a lot more than 2 hits, though.

I can relate to what your going through, it takes practice & you find out what works best for you.
I want one of those Grenades too if they really do work.

 

[offroadaudio]

I put the splits on a large round, BUT under the round I have a pad of stone. If a particular split wants to lean back, I rock the large round forward and rake some stone under the back with my size 10.5 - counteracting the lean of the split.

 

[jeffman3]

I have to brag that my little Tribute, using the best of my mediocre wood (I shouldn't say that, it's terrific wood, just not quite ready and much of it a bit too big), kept the main part of my small old house a comfortable (to me) 66, 67 all by itself with no help from the boiler last week during a two-day stretch of sub-zero temperatures after dark.[/quote]

We just had a Tribute installed also, and I am amazed at the heat this little stove throws! Fill this baby with elm (partially seasoned also) and pushing 400- 425 isn't even a challenge! We are having our January thaw right now, (40's during the day, teens to 20's at night) it will flat cook you out of the house if you don't watch what you are doing!) These stoves are underrated by many IMHO. Do you have a pic of your stove that you would like to share? I would live to see it.

 

[woodconvert]

On topic and a first for me...I didn't have any kindling so I hadda split a split last night. Now, it was a small split so it wasn't something that needed much effort but I just leaned it against a planter box that "someone" didn't put away before winter came. Anyhow, leaned it against the planter and hit it lightly with a mall and it popped apart.

 

[Woodrat]

[


I tried that, but I'm not quite strong enough (yet!) to lift an axe and split together and whang 'em down with any force. At this point, I'm just thrilled I can split off a small piece with a dozen whaps or so with the small sledge on the hatchet.

You'd be surprised (pleasantly) how much your coordination and strength will improve over time. I'm 63 and still "coming back " from a 4 way bypass--thought it would take FOREVER to regain strength to deal with wood again,but it actually accelerated the process! BTW- hitting your hatchet/axe with a hammer of any sort isn't a good idea-especially if it has a separate handle--the "eye" where handle attaches to head will spread from the impact and head could loosen and fly off- also edge where struck will mushroom& pieces will fly off
Bost wishes, Woodrat

 

[karl]

If the round is a small enough diameter that it doesn't want to stand up, then I think it's small enough to use a maul on and not a wedge, unless this thing is cut seriously crooked.

Also, splitting with a maul involves speed not power. If you're swinging it right your abs will get tired before your arms and shoulders.

 

[gyrfalcon]

[


I tried that, but I'm not quite strong enough (yet!) to lift an axe and split together and whang 'em down with any force. At this point, I'm just thrilled I can split off a small piece with a dozen whaps or so with the small sledge on the hatchet.

You'd be surprised (pleasantly) how much your coordination and strength will improve over time. I'm 63 and still "coming back " from a 4 way bypass--thought it would take FOREVER to regain strength to deal with wood again,but it actually accelerated the process! BTW- hitting your hatchet/axe with a hammer of any sort isn't a good idea-especially if it has a separate handle--the "eye" where handle attaches to head will spread from the impact and head could loosen and fly off- also edge where struck will mushroom& pieces will fly off
Bost wishes, Woodrat

It is interesting, Woodrat, the way the muscles sort of itch to work some more a couple days after you've strained them pretty good. You can practically feel the muscle fibers growing. I figure I'm working my way up. Thanks for the caution on using the hatchet as a wedge. I will watch out for that. At this point, though, I'm not really able to hit anything hard enough to fly anywhere, more of a "clunk, flop" on its side. From everything I've ever heard, strong upper-body exercise is incredibly good for the heart (ever notice orchestra conductors usually keep going into their 90s? Of course, some people say it's the ego more than the exercise, but...) Still, I imagine it must be a little scary to start again after such big surgery and I admire you for being able to roar back from it so well.

 

[gyrfalcon]

I have to brag that my little Tribute, using the best of my mediocre wood (I shouldn't say that, it's terrific wood, just not quite ready and much of it a bit too big), kept the main part of my small old house a comfortable (to me) 66, 67 all by itself with no help from the boiler last week during a two-day stretch of sub-zero temperatures after dark.

We just had a Tribute installed also, and I am amazed at the heat this little stove throws! Fill this baby with elm (partially seasoned also) and pushing 400- 425 isn't even a challenge! We are having our January thaw right now, (40's during the day, teens to 20's at night) it will flat cook you out of the house if you don't watch what you are doing!) These stoves are underrated by many IMHO. Do you have a pic of your stove that you would like to share? I would live to see it.[/quote]

The darn thing is so small and so pretty, I think people have a hard time believing how good they are. I'll see what I can do about a pic.

 

[gyrfalcon]

If the round is a small enough diameter that it doesn't want to stand up, then I think it's small enough to use a maul on and not a wedge, unless this thing is cut seriously crooked.

Also, splitting with a maul involves speed not power. If you're swinging it right your abs will get tired before your arms and shoulders.

Right you are, but what does require some strength -- which I don't yet have -- is swinging it precisely, and imprecisely swinging something sharp and heavy on the end of a long handle is what can get you into very serious trouble. Plus my hand-eye coordination has always been the pits, which makes using a maul really problematic. I tried a few experimental swings at a split the other day, and it was real clear this isn't either an effective or safe way for me to go, at least not yet.

 

[Gooserider]

One thing to try when using a maul is to not put that much effort into swinging it, let gravity take care of that part of the job. Instead work on just guiding it down (which also takes practice, but less so) When you can accurately guide the gravity driven fall of an axe or maul to hit the spot you are aiming at, THEN start trying to add some extra body english into it, if you need to - gravity itself does most of the work, which is why the "monster maul" heavyweights are so effective. You pick them up and drop them on the split, the momentum of that heavy head is what does the splitting.

Gooserider

 

[karl]

Accuracy will come. Just keep your eye on the log. As far as hurting yourself. It won't happen if you swing right. The swing shouldn't be a big arc. You should be coming straight down on the log and if you miss it the maul will go into the ground several feet in front of your feet.

Hold the maul with two hands and slowly raise it above your head then then swing it straight down in front of you. You arms should be almost straight, just a slight bend in your elbows, when it gets a foot or so above the log, contract your abs and concentrate on pulling it straight down and through the wood.

After an hour or so of practice, you'll have wood flying all over the yard.

 

[mikeyny]

Well, here goes, sorry in advance,

This is one of the most pathetic posts I have ever contributed to. That's it, that's all, can't help ya no more.
Mike