Splittin' wood tips.. the old fashoned way

[stig]

I have the x25 fiskars. The x27 is 8" longer. Perhaps I need the x27?

Someone tell me I need it so I can justify the purchase..

You could also just treat yourself to a forged Gränsfors maul

I've handsplit about 30 cubic meters of hardwood annually since I started working in the woods at age 19 and it is hands down the best splitting tool I've come across.
It even beats my two generations of loggers old DSI maul. Not for hammering wedges into trees, though

 

[NickfromWI]

This one is a mere $171 on amazon!

http://goo.gl/qqlKV

 

[Adam_P]

You can drive them clear to the handle and then stick them .Stuck like a woodpecker with his pecker hung up in a beech tree ,kinda screwed .

I ordered a longer fiskars last night. Only $38 from amazon and it'll get good use one way or another.

Stig, maybe I'll reward myself with one of those years from now after I've earned my splitting stripes.

It's bad enough with all the random stuff that shows up here.. if I buy a $175 maul I may as well get a hewing axe too so I can start building the doghouse my wife would ask me to sleep in.

 

[Jack]

I have the x25 fiskars. The x27 is 8" longer. Perhaps I need the x27?

Someone tell me I need it so I can justify the purchase..

got 'em both 27 is way better ... no Gränsfors but good'nuf.

 

[NickfromWI]

This thread has motivated me! Heading out to get a sandwich and the Fiskars x27!!!

 

[Al Smith]

Well I did swing the 100 year old splitter today on a busted 16 foot hickory log .Seems I can drive that iron just as hard as I ever could it's just I can't swing it nearly as long .That freakin log had nearly a face cord of wood in it .

Since Tom has my splitter at the moment I might swing the old tool a little bit tomorrow too on some ash .It's actually some pretty good exercise if you get right down to it .

 

[flushcut]

I ordered a longer fiskars last night. Only $38 from amazon and it'll get good use one way or another.

Stig, maybe I'll reward myself with one of those years from now after I've earned my splitting stripes.

It's bad enough with all the random stuff that shows up here.. if I buy a $175 maul I may as well get a hewing axe too so I can start building the doghouse my wife would ask me to sleep in.

Nobody said you have to tell her.

 

[NickfromWI]

Got the X27!

I had some short 10" tall rounds (approx 14" across) from a black acacia. I had intentions on chainsaw carving them into cubes for some reason, but instead opted to firewood them.

Being acacia, and only 10" long they split super easily.

I haven't split wood since being a teenager. I remember it being drudgery. This time it was refreshing!

The X27 is a pleasure to swing. I only mis-swung once and sparks flew as the blade hit the concrete

I need a wider and slightly taller chopping block.


love
nick

 

[Dave Shepard]

The best splitting tool I have is an 8 pound maul I got from a logger that screwed me big time years ago. Every time I think about that deal I get pissed and can split just about anything.

 

[sotc]

Or learn to flip it Nick, then it won't hit the concrete

 

[Al Smith]

If you have to split over concrete if nothing else stack up two pieces of scrap 3/4" plywood .That should save the axe if you miss and probabley the concrete as well .

 

[NickfromWI]

Yeah- I should've thought about that. There isn't a place in my yard to split in dirt. Concrete is the only option.

I'll get me a cutting board!


love
nick

 

[Jack]

Finally found some old pix: a tire could save your bit ... the holes let water out and mitigate mosquito larvae problems

 

[NickfromWI]

I used a bungee cord. Worked okay...except the few times the logs popped out anyways...and the one time I sliced right through the bungee!

Tire would be better, but would take up more space in my garage

 

[sotc]

Use the bungee to tighten a chain, do your swinging on the chain side

 

[NickfromWI]

ahhh...that's using yer noggin.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NfCAk4Mj6E

Lady flicker-splitter. With the lighter ax, she uses the blade to stand the pieces back up sometimes, avoiding some of the bending. She looks like she's done it before.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Next time someone tells me I split like a girl........

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7fWo0P0MdJM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Al Smith]

If you look at those double bit axes those ladies are swinging they are built differently than the traditional "cruiser " style . The blade is wider and the distance to the handle from face is shorter with a faster taper .

I'm only guessing but presume with all the pine type trees in the photo they are splitting aspen or poplar which in itself splits very easily .That aside it looks like the ladies are pretty handy with an axe .

Now I like the balance of a double bit as opposed to a single just never found one in our hardwoods that was ever a real good splitter ,

 

[Jack]

I'm willing to think that axe is a worn out cruiser reground for splitting. And, think its the same girl in both vids. The 'flip' does work though not quite as well in oak & rock maple.

That barefoot vid is lumberjack porn

 

[Al Smith]

Yeah could have been reworked .The shape and style of a cruiser most likely had different head shapes .More than likely the west coasters used a longer head slimmer design that could really sink in to those fir trees .Probabley with real long handles too .What few that haven't rusted away in these parts were more narrow near the handle and flaired out on the head with roundish cutting surfaces .

I was out at the home place yesterday and should have retrieved the old cruiser but it slipped my mind at the time .

 

[MasterBlaster]

I can't believe how many videos there are of people splitting wood.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

That barefoot vid is lumberjack porn

I kept thinkking I smelled HM bread, cookies and coffee the whole time I watched it as well/ She must have come right out of the kitchen

 

[Cobleskill]

I was going to suggest the worn down ax theory. My Dad had several axes, single and double, that had been sharpened down about 1/2 way. They don't get stuck so easily.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Man, that's a lotta filing!