Hand-splitting kindling safely

[dwasifar]

I've never liked the idea of swinging a hatchet near my fingers like I see some guys do, so today I tried an experiment. I chucked my Fiskars hatchet sharp-side-up into my bench vise (with a folded newspaper in the jaws so as not to mar the hatchet). Stood the pieces on the hatchet edge, tapped them with a hammer on the top, and let the split pieces fall into a box on the floor. Easy-peasy and safe on the fingers. I got the idea from seeing someone on here who made a kindling splitter by welding a wedge onto a steel plate; that's surely more durable, but using the bench vise didn't require any fabricating.

 

[zogger]

That's an interesting way to do it for sure.

If you split inside a tire up on a stump, and pack the tire, you can split without holding onto the wood pretty easily as they will all stay standing up for follow up strikes. You can split down as fine as you can aim that way, and it is fast. You don't, or shouldn't have to, use full big swings just fast repetitive short straight swings, if it is straight wood and really dry it will just be popping open easy.

 

[Sagetown]

I've never liked the idea of swinging a hatchet near my fingers like I see some guys do, so today I tried an experiment. I chucked my Fiskars hatchet sharp-side-up into my bench vise (with a folded newspaper in the jaws so as not to mar the hatchet). Stood the pieces on the hatchet edge, tapped them with a hammer on the top, and let the split pieces fall into a box on the floor. Easy-peasy and safe on the fingers. I got the idea from seeing someone on here who made a kindling splitter by welding a wedge onto a steel plate; that's surely more durable, but using the bench vise didn't require any fabricating.

The way I do it is place the hatchet blade on the end of a small piece of split wood, and tap the piece on a solid round standing on one end. I usually set up near the wood pile, and place two rounds standing on their ends. I sit on one, and use the other for my work . If I need to make large splits into workable kindling splits, I do the same with my axe to get a workable kindling split.
A good hatchet will make very thin long strands of kindling.

 

[svk]

Second on the tire here. I split almost a pickup full of cedar kindling last fall in that manner, should last me a few years now.

 

[Sagetown]

This is a cedar kindling.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Second on the tire here. I split almost a pickup full of cedar kindling last fall in that manner, should last me a few years now.

cedar kindling is killer kindling! IMO, the best! I keep old cedar fence slats just for that purpose. i inspect each one for nails, screws etc... and stack up a load 12-15 boards high... then with tape i mark of = lengths 6-8" or so... and mark. then cut section by section with chain saw. these i then turn into kindling with camp hatchet. i always wear leather gloves!!! safety glasses!! and i take my time. sit down, put piece of the cedar on splitting block... whack... whack... whack! each piece splinters off nicely... and has its own thrust and so with big bucket... off they fly into it. well, most. lol... pieces maybe 1/2" x 1/2" some more, some less. i have tons of pine twigs coming out of my tall pines... i collect and hand break into small kindling, but always start my fires and campfire (almost daily for me) with paper, and the cedar kindling, maybe some pine needles... and a handful of the pine twig kindling + some other lil trix.... the cedar is real dry, nice stuff! near clear and very straight! lites up hot. gets after the pine kindling... and the pine needles there if a 'boost' in flash heat is needed, desired. then i add larger stix as fire takes off. here is a pix of a typical morning campfire with coffee for me... . maybe a thread on the ways we like to start our fires would be interesting to do... i could post up half dozen pix or so... i bet many PyroPals... have unique ways they use. maybe we could call the thread:

PyroPals - How do you start your fires?... camp, fireplace and stoves... heaters, too. shall we start it?.... what do you think?...

morning campfire coffee with Brutus. [near daily event]

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

The way I do it is place the hatchet blade on the end of a small piece of split wood, and tap the piece on a solid round standing on one end. I usually set up near the wood pile, and place two rounds standing on their ends. I sit on one, and use the other for my work . If I need to make large splits into workable kindling splits, I do the same with my axe to get a workable kindling split.
A good hatchet will make very thin long strands of kindling.View attachment 479475

nice photo!!!, good technique!!!

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

I've never liked the idea of swinging a hatchet near my fingers like I see some guys do, so today I tried an experiment. I chucked my Fiskars hatchet sharp-side-up into my bench vise (with a folded newspaper in the jaws so as not to mar the hatchet). Stood the pieces on the hatchet edge, tapped them with a hammer on the top, and let the split pieces fall into a box on the floor. Easy-peasy and safe on the fingers. I got the idea from seeing someone on here who made a kindling splitter by welding a wedge onto a steel plate; that's surely more durable, but using the bench vise didn't require any fabricating.

good creative technique, imo... i like it!!

 

[NSMaple1]

If you're swinging a hatchet or axe into a piece of wood, you're doing it wrong.

Sagetown has one idea to avoid that.

I just rest the business end of my Fiskars X25 against the end of a small split that is sitting upright on the ground or floor, lift the wood up slightly then drop it. That will set the edge into the wood. Repeat until you have two pieces of wood. Repeat until you have as many pieces as you need. An axe is actually better for making kindling than a hatchet - the lightness of the hatchet makes you want to swing it. The heavier axe head will split the stuff with just its own weight.

Also, fine-ness of the resulting little pieces of wood has more to do with the grain of the wood & lack of knots, than the tool used.

 

[reddogrunner]

I use 2x4 scraps that are non-treated and the resulting junk from splitting, bark, etc. If I happen to find a perfectly dried branch on a walk through the woods with the pups I just grab it. I really don't go out of my way for kindling. Oh, and I get so much that I include 2 horse feed backs with each cord of wood I sell.

 

[Sagetown]

If you're swinging a hatchet or axe into a piece of wood, you're doing it wrong.

Sagetown has one idea to avoid that.

I just rest the business end of my Fiskars X25 against the end of a small split that is sitting upright on the ground or floor, lift the wood up slightly then drop it. That will set the edge into the wood. Repeat until you have two pieces of wood. Repeat until you have as many pieces as you need. An axe is actually better for making kindling than a hatchet - the lightness of the hatchet makes you want to swing it. The heavier axe head will split the stuff with just its own weight.

Also, fine-ness of the resulting little pieces of wood has more to do with the grain of the wood & lack of knots, than the tool used.

Yup; I'm always running across some wood that is so stubborn I have to use my axe , or sometimes just toss it to the side , and get another piece. Using an axe very much gets tiring. Generally speaking though, a hatchet will do a good job.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

I use 2x4 scraps that are non-treated and the resulting junk from splitting, bark, etc. If I happen to find a perfectly dried branch on a walk through the woods with the pups I just grab it. I really don't go out of my way for kindling. Oh, and I get so much that I include 2 horse feed backs with each cord of wood I sell.

>and the resulting junk from splitting, bark, etc.

OMG! I get so much of that from splitting, sometimes I wonder how am I ever going to get it all cleaned up... I usually do, though! then use it for kindling, or the fire going that day, or the real small stuff off into compost circles to further break down... nary a shovel or dust pan goes to waste. I always end up with couple 25 gal pots full... or close. untreated 2/4 scraps make good kindling. if anyone hasn't ever tried cedar fence boards 8" section, 1/2" square split into kindling... if you get a chance give it a try. the extra heat from cedar is noteworthy and very effective. imo:

 

[dwasifar]

if anyone hasn't ever tried cedar fence boards 8" section, 1/2" square split into kindling... if you get a chance give it a try. the extra heat from cedar is noteworthy and very effective. imo:

Actually that's what I was splitting in my experiment. I sacrificed a leftover 6' cedar picket that's been hanging around in my garage for a couple of years. Dry as a bone and starting excellent fires.

 

[user 122190]

Your short rounds, 5 inches or so, set aside. Easier to make kindling from and less chance of injury.

 

[svk]

Your short rounds, 5 inches or so, set aside. Easier to make kindling from and less chance of injury.

Excellent point. You don't need full length kindling to get a fire going.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Your short rounds, 5 inches or so, set aside. Easier to make kindling from and less chance of injury.

those would surely split nicely on down into some good kindling... but I have tried many woods for kindling... and imo nothing is quite as sweet as clear heart fence cedar, dried and split half by half when it comes to kindling. just does its job so well! with several options easily available to me to produce, gather kindling... I always make it out of cedar fence slats. the extra heat is pronounced... so easy to split. "ok, how easy to split is it?" well... so easy that just about impossible to get hurt making it. splits like the fat lady in wal-mart who bent over to get some 99-cent bottle of bath oil on the bottom shelf. oh, my! you mean you din't see her on Funny Pix at Wal-Mart?...

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Excellent point. You don't need full length kindling to get a fire going.

true! I don't like full length kindling! seems to be over bearing to the wapsed up newspaper, which I use to beging the starter fire. but... I must admit... as a dedicated firemaker, I do like to prepare the newspaper, or whatever... and then have to break in half long kindling... and place each piece in its correct, perfect spot... eyeing, and spying... vying for where the next perfect spot is to lay some kindling down on. rare do I break cedar kindling, unless I have a cold fire and need to spice up the heat in the cooler than desired coals, but using pine twigs n small limbs I am always breaking the kindling... just something about the 'snap' and the effort... then snap... and then several pieces... and placing it. art! I am sure I could call it art.