Mauls Only!

[svk]

Damn, and I thought I was stubborn. Okay lets call it persistent, or maybe tenacious. At any rate, you got it! Good lesson for the kids. Teaches them determination.

Yeah 35 hits into it I decided it wasn't going to beat me. Plus being the largest round I think that was the only thing standing between me and dinner

 

[fixit1960]

Yeah 35 hits into it I decided it wasn't going to beat me. Plus being the largest round I think that was the only thing standing between me and dinner

Unfortunately my kids are grown and out of the house and when they were here they helped little. (wife thing, now divorced). Consequently I very seldom have an audience and you know how that drives or doesn't drive the stubborn "I'll show you thing". Now it's about preservation. When I'm done splitting I still have to move stack and tote it to where ever I need it so I can't waste all the energy on a big stubborn round. Working 2 jobs forces one to be economical with their labor and time .

I'm a Scoutmaster with a Troop and on one camp out a year we set up the wood yard and work on Paul Bunyon skills. I bring my maul and axe and demonstrate technique and safety and then work with them to learn the basics. Surprisingly some take to it right away, others not so much. In those settings I very seldom let one get me. I figure we are at least exposing them to a skill they would never probably be exposed to in real life. Hopefully later on if they do pick up a maul/axe they know how to work it safely.

 

[benp]

I had a big birch round once that really tested me. The kids were watching me during that splitting session and counting how many swings it took to bust up each round. It was one of those that had a little bit of punk in one part of it which literally acted as a shock absorber making it very hard to split.

62 whacks to halve it and another 13 to get it into eighths. But we got er done lol

62 whacks? Holy crap, I thought I was stubborn at 10.

Were you chasing a crack? Did it give you a hint?

Those are my downfalls. If I see something that lets me know I can split you by hand....good, bad, or indifferent.....I'm in.

Especially now since I have starting using that onion (I think?) technique on the bigger stuff.

ETA - LMAO - I can picture the kids counting....."DAD...You're at 37......"

 

[ppkgmsy]

I had a big birch round once that really tested me. The kids were watching me during that splitting session and counting how many swings it took to bust up each round. It was one of those that had a little bit of punk in one part of it which literally acted as a shock absorber making it very hard to split.

62 whacks to halve it and another 13 to get it into eighths. But we got er done lol

75 total whacks? Well done, sir, very well done.

 

[ppkgmsy]

Unfortunately my kids are grown and out of the house and when they were here they helped little. (wife thing, now divorced). Consequently I very seldom have an audience and you know how that drives or doesn't drive the stubborn "I'll show you thing". Now it's about preservation. When I'm done splitting I still have to move stack and tote it to where ever I need it so I can't waste all the energy on a big stubborn round. Working 2 jobs forces one to be economical with their labor and time .

I'm a Scoutmaster with a Troop and on one camp out a year we set up the wood yard and work on Paul Bunyon skills. I bring my maul and axe and demonstrate technique and safety and then work with them to learn the basics. Surprisingly some take to it right away, others not so much. In those settings I very seldom let one get me. I figure we are at least exposing them to a skill they would never probably be exposed to in real life. Hopefully later on if they do pick up a maul/axe they know how to work it safely.

I think it's great that you expose those kids to wood skills. I don't know if there's any scientific evidence, but I'd bet a kid who knows how to swing an axe or maul is developing some sort of important intelligence and life skill he can't get from tweeting, texting, gaming, whatever.

 

[sunfish]

I don't think a good 6# maul can be beaten. The 8# seems to tire one out if splitting any amount of wood. They are also harder on the handle due to the added impact.

Same here... I started with a 8 lb many years ago, but didn't take too long to realize a 6 lb was more efficient... The last 10 years or so I've used a 5 lb thing that's like a cross between a maul and a ax. It's even better yet.

 

[sunfish]

This one is very similar to the one I use.

 

[svk]

62 whacks? Holy crap, I thought I was stubborn at 10.

Were you chasing a crack? Did it give you a hint?

Those are my downfalls. If I see something that lets me know I can split you by hand....good, bad, or indifferent.....I'm in.

Especially now since I have starting using that onion (I think?) technique on the bigger stuff.

ETA - LMAO - I can picture the kids counting....."DAD...You're at 37......"

LOL that was pretty much it. ONE!! TWO!!!! THREE!!!!...Forty eight!

I just took it head on down the middle and she finally had to yield LOL. No cracks present until into the 40's. I hate "onion" splits so for better or worse either it goes in half or I noodle it.

Birch is usually an easy to split tree. Nobody told that to this one. But I did have an aspen that would give an elm a run for its money once too.

 

[svk]

I think it's great that you expose those kids to wood skills. I don't know if there's any scientific evidence, but I'd bet a kid who knows how to swing an axe or maul is developing some sort of important intelligence and life skill he can't get from tweeting, texting, gaming, whatever.

I learned at an early age too. I negotiated at the hunting cabin that I'd do all of the splitting if I didn't have to stack (and restack every time the pile fell over).

 

[lindnova]

I have an old 6 lb, yardworks 8 lb, and a steel handled big one like MNWoodcuter.

I prefer the 8 lb. Splits bur oak best and has enough mass to do the job. I swing it in a smooth motion and let the tool drive thru the wood, unlike an axe where you swing as fast as you can.

 

[president]

I had a big birch round once that really tested me. The kids were watching me during that splitting session and counting how many swings it took to bust up each round. It was one of those that had a little bit of punk in one part of it which literally acted as a shock absorber making it very hard to split.

62 whacks to halve it and another 13 to get it into eighths. But we got er
the tough bark gives it the stubborn hold power,just scribe down on side
of it verticaly and it will chunk out with ease

 

[PULLINmyPOULAN]

The 8lb works the best for me also have a 6lb just isn't enough.Most of the oak I cut is standing dead.
I will only only use a maul but sometimes have to use the 10lb sledge with slitting wedge.

 

[Odog]

I have a 6# maul head with a 14# handle. It's a drill steel I shanked a few months ago that I welded to the head. Heavy, but puts a lot of energy into the split when you get it going!

 

[mn woodcutter]

That's Pretty cool and unique!

 

[svk]

I have a 6# maul head with a 14# handle. It's a drill steel I shanked a few months ago that I welded to the head. Heavy, but puts a lot of energy into the split when you get it going!

You are the new Thor!! Looks cool!

 

[1project2many]

LOL that was pretty much it. ONE!! TWO!!!! THREE!!!!...Forty eight!

I just took it head on down the middle and she finally had to yield LOL. No cracks present until into the 40's. I hate "onion" splits so for better or worse either it goes in half or I noodle it.

Birch is usually an easy to split tree. Nobody told that to this one. But I did have an aspen that would give an elm a run for its money once too.

I used to watch my young nephew splitting with his older brother and father. The boy might have been 8? He'd swing the maul and it would bounce off the round. So he'd swing again and again. I'd never see the maul penetrate the log, but eventually it would fall apart. I guess it just gave up out of frustration. Then he'd pick up one of the halves and start again. Bounce, bounce, bounce... Sometimes after school he'd manage to quarter no more than one round. Not much productivity, but his determination was phenomenal.

 

[svk]

I used to watch my young nephew splitting with his older brother and father. The boy might have been 8? He'd swing the maul and it would bounce off the round. So he'd swing again and again. I'd never see the maul penetrate the log, but eventually it would fall apart. Eventually it would just gave up out of frustration. Then he'd pick up one of the halves and start again. Bounce, bounce, bounce... Sometimes after school he'd manage to quarter no more than one round. Not much productivity, but his determination was phenomenal.

Thats great!

This spring I have half of a pickup load of cedar. The boys are going to make a decade's worth of kindling for me. Need to find an ATV tire or something else around 10" rim to split within.

 

[El Quachito]

Invest in kindling, it's almost as good as gold.

 

[El Quachito]

When I have used a mega maul it worked real good and sent the pieces flying. But its more than I care to swing on a regular basis. I have used it to drive t-posts more than firewood.

 

[Gypo Logger]

It's all in the swing. When I was in better shape I'd could ring the bell 3 times in a row at fairs.
I could overhear much bigger guys say in the background that the bald headed runt can never do it, but when they stepped up to the plate most of them couldn't even ring it once. Lol