Splitting wood - wedges vs maul vs splitting axe?

[FINLAND]

tjg911 and all of you.
I know the problem that you wrote about. That is why I have invented an axe that funktions totally different way comparing to the traditional axes.
I have eliminated allmost all the dangerous features what we can find in the axes. All the axes since the stoneage are wedges. With this method most of the power vanishes to the friction. You never know where the axeblade ends after the hit/strike. Too often it stops to the foot of the person who is splitting. There can be seriouce injuries. My invention VIPUKIRVES/LEVERAXE is 100% safe to its user because of its new splitting mechanism. All the handoperational woodsplitting tools are wedges since the stoneage (four million years ago). VIPUKIRVES/LEVERAXE is Lever. This gives us many advantadges comparing to the traditionea axes.
-Totally new splitting mecmanism
-100% security
-Many times more splitting force
-Never sticks to the block
-Many times faster
-Don`t have to pick up the fallen blocks all the time, saves your back
-The splits always fly to the same direction.(Left from the axe blade)
-You can split the big blocks, too big and heavy to lift or move, on the ground or even on the rock, because the axe blade does not penetrate throw the block. It always remains on the block.
-It does not crash/crack/or make any concussion to your hands because of the splitting mechanism. Strike and loosen your grip , hold the handle gently and let the handle rotate in your hands.
This all happends automaticly and it is very easy to learn. The axe blade always remains on the block. There is no fear, that the axe blade would come to your foot.
-Fun to work with because of all the properties/qualities mentioned above.
-Yes I am coming to USA market. It will take some time but I am looking forward to be able to deliver this wonderfool tool to everybody, who ever wants it.
-Look at my homepages, they will be translated in English soon.
www.vipukirves.fi
Best regards from FINLAND

 

[WarmGuy]

I'll second what Warren said. After reading posts here I switched to the technique of starting with the head of the maul/axe near my butt, and swinging straight overhead. I used to swing up from the side; that involved much more twisting and stress on the joints. As for lifting the axe up to vertical in front of you then changing direction -- that seems to require more energy and stress. When I start from behind, the axe is already moving when it hits vertical.

I also agree with getting a hand sledge hammer.

If my Chopper II doesn't split it, then I'll tap in a wedge with the hand hammer and then use the 6 pound sledge.

Finally, I split for an hour and a half every other day -- no more.

 

[WarmGuy]

BTW, here's my monster maul. I much prefer my Chopper II.

The warning on the Monster Maul says "Never lift it above your head."

 

[northwinds]

-Yes I am coming to USA market. It will take some time but I am looking forward to be able to give this wonderfool tool to everybody, who ever wants it.
-Look at my homepages, they will be translated in English soon.
www.vipukirves.fi
Best regards from FINLAND

Give?

Put me on the list. Give means free in Finland, doesn't it?

 

[FINLAND]

northwinds
Thank you very much for your notice. Obvously I must be more careful with the words what I am putting one after an other to form sentences. It is not so easy, you see, my native language is finnish.
English is the language which I studied at school long time ago. I am happy to see that you have sence of humor. Who knows, maybe some day I really will GIVE you a gift.
No hard feelings
Heikki

 

[drhiii]

This will likely be perceived as a completely off the wall response, but having had a great deal of experience with numbing of hands, arms, etc, here goes.

This numbing is likely caused by a compression of vertebrae, in the neck and/or upper back. Pinched nerves. Age is a factor. One of the first things to look at is Vitamin D levels. If one is not producing proper D, which is primarily from exposure to the sun (D is not absorbed at nearly the levels that advertising wants us to think). Without proper D levels, bone loss is pretty much guaranteed.

Having said that, one of the first things that can help this is glucosamine/chrondrotin/msm. It can produce among other things, synovial fluid that can provide lubrication to joints, and is a precursor joint health and potentially regeneration. This is needed if there is degeneration in the vertebrae.

Next, what has provided much relief is an inversion table, where one is inverted upside down, allowing the joints, to widen and relieves pressure. Pinched nerves in the neck and upper back are very traceable to numbness in the hands. Very.

Next, and what has been a boon in our household, is a neck traction unit. It is a small device that allows the neck to be stretched for minutes at a time. This has been a fantastic discovery. More on this in a moment.

Octacosynol is also highly indicated in nerve health and regeneration.

Why do I speak of all this? My wife has 4 total joint replacements. Her neck and back began to exhibit problems as well. We discovered that medications from a liver transplant years ago created a terrible D deficiency. This exacerbated joint issues. She began to experience severe numbness in her hands. After everything else, this was a real drag. Once we got the D levels correct, bringing in glucosamine/chondroitin/msm has aided greatly to her joint health. Add to this the inversion table, and things have improved dramatically. But it was the introduction of this neck traction that completely turned things around. Compressed neck vertebrae were creating this numbness in her hands. When we added all this up together, her numbness is gone. The supplements, the inversion to relieve stress on the back, and the neck device, have been fantastic.

The reason I am so high on this is I too was experiencing numbness in my fingers and hands. I also split 8-10 cords a year with an axe. Something I have done for a long time and love to do. The specter of not being able to do this was a real drag. I too engaged with this regime, and the numbness in both of us is gone. Cool for me, but for my wife who has major challenges, this was remarkable. It was pure mechanics once we understood it all. But now joints move well, and we have acquired a maintenance program that has removed this onslaught of numbness in both of us. Split wood every day or so with no problems.

I know I know, a strange post on hearth.com. But having had this very direct and impossible situation of numbness, managed and working, I am prone to evangelize about this... Oh, I have not needed to go to a chiropractor in years because of this combination of things. And I have many cords of wood split by hand out back... and I have no intention of stopping this. I could not have said this a couple of years ago... I know a great deal about this kind of thing, hence my desire to post this seemingly off topic, but not really, post...





Ok guys I have a problem and some questions I think you may be able to offer some good advice.

I enjoy splitting my firewood so I was buying it (5-6 years ago) cut but unsplit, in the round. By the time I was done splitting 1/3 to 1/2 of these 4 cord I knew I had a problem. Same thing the following year. I hated to do this but I gave up splitting it and started to get it split. I would like to return to splitting tho, God knows why as I have no time without adding that chore. I do love handling the wood and may have a lot more available time this coming year.

So here's my problem - tingling and numbness in both left and right hands and sometimes lower fore arms. I'd even wake up at night both hands (and forearms sometimes) tingling. It feels like carpal tunnel. I had 1 surgery on right hand in '98 or '99 unrelated to splitting wood and I don't wish to recreate or create an other problem!