Splitting some of the hardest wood i've ever encountered, 1 year seasoned beech. This stuff is as tough as it gets. I am using a ochsenkopf splitting axe and itlis double bit
I just got my Müller Tyrolean splittingaxe (2750 g and 850 mm handle) and split a few dry spruce rounds (30-40 cm). With your tips it wasnt too hard to hit, i even managed to do the flip technique (involutarely, because i hit near the edge so the smaller edge piece flew away...haha). But i found it very hard to split spruce when its dry and it doesnt help that i cant yet accelerate the axe more, too weak lol. Unfortunately when i became tired i overstroke one time so my handle got a tiny dent (not even 0,5 mm fortunately). The collar on yours seems like a goos idea. Are all your heavier axes still very tight around the head? After splitting i noticed a miniscule wiggle when i pull it out of the wood after a strong strike. So i stroke the handle on the floor and it moved 0,5 mm further downwards. Should i be worried? Oh, and on your Ochsenkopf splitting axe, does the "lengtened striking plate" (where you strike wedges) touch the handle or is there a gap between handle and metal? Thank you.
Beech has to be split before it gets dry. Very easy while full of juice. It's getting dry in just a couple of months, losing some 10-15% of it's fresh volume.
Yeah this stuff has been seasoned a year. I definitely prefer to split it while green. trying to cut it when dry with an axe is even worse, feels like concrete
So it gets even harder when it’s dry???? Wtf. I tried splitting some the other day. I cut it down about 2 months ago,and that was one hard son of a beech
@@JonathanMartinez-xs5ze My first foray into axemanship was bucking and (attempting to) split a windfallen beech. The round I tried to split mast have had 90 deg of twist along the round, and bark inclusion. NOTHING would make it split; I felt like such a failure! I ultimately gave up when I buried a wedge into the round without effect. Have since come to learn that most wood is significantly easier. Straight oak and ash splits like a dream, comparatively.
Beech is already somewhat dry when cut green, somewhat similar to Ash, It has a green lower moisture content than Oak or Maple which is why it must be split within a few weeks of being felled. Once that already low moisture content becomes lost the wood fibers harden together making splitting really tough. I use a lot of American Beech & sometimes it's already hard enough to split hours after being cut down & is green. Don't wait a year or you'll have this guy's problem.
That Ochsenkopf rings like a bell. Hard wood!
Always love splitting beech. Makes me feel many when i split it in one shot
Digging that little fling wrist trick.
Yeah its a great technique, especially for preventing the axe from getting stuck to badly
I just got my Müller Tyrolean splittingaxe (2750 g and 850 mm handle) and split a few dry spruce rounds (30-40 cm).
With your tips it wasnt too hard to hit, i even managed to do the flip technique (involutarely, because i hit near the edge so the smaller edge piece flew away...haha).
But i found it very hard to split spruce when its dry and it doesnt help that i cant yet accelerate the axe more, too weak lol.
Unfortunately when i became tired i overstroke one time so my handle got a tiny dent (not even 0,5 mm fortunately). The collar on yours seems like a goos idea.
Are all your heavier axes still very tight around the head? After splitting i noticed a miniscule wiggle when i pull it out of the wood after a strong strike. So i stroke the handle on the floor and it moved 0,5 mm further downwards.
Should i be worried?
Oh, and on your Ochsenkopf splitting axe, does the "lengtened striking plate" (where you strike wedges) touch the handle or is there a gap between handle and metal?
Thank you.
I wouldnt be worried about a very small wiggle. all my axes have stayed tight, mine has a no gap between the head and metal protector
Beech has to be split before it gets dry. Very easy while full of juice. It's getting dry in just a couple of months, losing some 10-15% of it's fresh volume.
Yeah this stuff has been seasoned a year. I definitely prefer to split it while green. trying to cut it when dry with an axe is even worse, feels like concrete
thanks for the tip. I just cut one down today.
So it gets even harder when it’s dry???? Wtf. I tried splitting some the other day. I cut it down about 2 months ago,and that was one hard son of a beech
@@JonathanMartinez-xs5ze
My first foray into axemanship was bucking and (attempting to) split a windfallen beech. The round I tried to split mast have had 90 deg of twist along the round, and bark inclusion. NOTHING would make it split; I felt like such a failure! I ultimately gave up when I buried a wedge into the round without effect.
Have since come to learn that most wood is significantly easier. Straight oak and ash splits like a dream, comparatively.
Beech is already somewhat dry when cut green, somewhat similar to Ash, It has a green lower moisture content than Oak or Maple which is why it must be split within a few weeks of being felled. Once that already low moisture content becomes lost the wood fibers harden together making splitting really tough.
I use a lot of American Beech & sometimes it's already hard enough to split hours after being cut down & is green. Don't wait a year or you'll have this guy's problem.