The Zen of wood splitting

[CTYank]

Got pics?

What I've learned from a really well made maul (Mueller) is that head-shape is crititcal. Sharp edge with no bulges behind the edge make it much more effective than box-store cheapie.

Often with said cheapie, you could see some crushed fibers where the split was initiated. Nothing ever of the sort with the Mueller and a couple of mauls I've modified to similar shape with disc grinder.

Then, besides that, really good metallurgy tops it off. The good ones require master craftsmanship.

 

[ppkgmsy]

These says I use an old hydraulic splitter that I inherited and rebuilt (with AS help, how I found this site) because I'm splitting Cottonwood and my right elbow is not right. Too much of swinging mauls, sledge hammers and pounding T-posts.

But, I always enjoyed bring able to smack an axe, maul or hammer down with pinpoint accuracy. I miss the chore.

10 years ago a young blonde hottie asked me for some pine I had laying around and when I dropped a half cord at her place she asked me to split a few old rounds she had laying around. She watched me split the rounds with her axe and she was impressed.

This led to some more Zen like activities that I have always enjoyed too. I don't believe using my hydraulic splitter would have had the same effect.....

I'm tempted to write a comment response: "Got pics?"

 

[zogger]

What I've learned from a really well made maul (Mueller) is that head-shape is crititcal. Sharp edge with no bulges behind the edge make it much more effective than box-store cheapie.

Often with said cheapie, you could see some crushed fibers where the split was initiated. Nothing ever of the sort with the Mueller and a couple of mauls I've modified to similar shape with disc grinder.

Then, besides that, really good metallurgy tops it off. The good ones require master craftsmanship.

...and someone with good aim to swing them....

 

[Saddle Mander]

I LOVE chopping wood. Unfortunately, due to some stupidity in my youth, the tendons in my elbows are kinda messed up and will burn for days or months if I chop enough to get into "the zone."

 

[cnice_37]

Kind of an opportune time to see this thread again.

This past weekend I was getting nothing accomplished and told the wife I needed a couple hours to split some wood just because.

It's been a long couple weeks... my not quite 3 month old son has turned into a terrible sleeper. Literally waking hourly for a couple nights, and both my wife and I are zombies after this plus keeping up with our 3 year old.

Well, that hour or so (with my 3 year old helper) in my little wood heaven felt great. So great that I snuck away at "nap time" and then again Monday evening just to break a sweat, get something done, and just get that zen like state. A sort of revival.

I ended both sessions (one with the Timberwolf the last with the Fiskars) splitting some perfect 8 inch blocks of pine. Took the x7 and made some nice kindling for a few years in the future. My pile of uglies is huge, as the last 4 cords of wood came from a neighbors yard that he cut up - a good problem to have, but I'm just tossing those tiny ones into a pile for now. Might "donate" to an OWB guy if the pile gets too big.

 

[svk]

I love hand splitting small amounts, say 1/2 cord early in the AM and then go inside and make a big breakfast. Same thing after a good day in the woods, split a batch before dinner and then relax with a sauna and a beverage in the evening.

In a year like this where I ended up with way more wood than I need, its time to rent a splitter and get caught up, which is what I am doing next week.