2020 Cordwood Challenge Rick

Once again participating in the Axe Cordwood Challenge. Decided to use a horrible axe from Harbor Freight to demonstrate that an axe will chop if it is sharp, no matter what you pay for it. This year I am limiting my cordwood cutting to a single rick, but I intend to participate in the hewing and axe-cut joinery challenges as well.

[@KevinsDisobedience]

So glad to see you still participating. And using a beater no less. “As blunt as a pre-school pencil.” Lol. I recently started a channel and remember seeing you early on SkillCults channel. Good to see you still chopping.

[@aldredske6197]

Hi my friend!!
Great job on making that pile of junk axe into a decent one. You are right about thinning the bit down more than where you have it right now.
Congratulations on another completed cordwood challenge!!
Take care and stay healthy in these scary times!!😀😀❤❤
Logger Al

[@kristinawrites238]

Great to see you back :-)

[@LolitasGarden]

Dwarvin Schnitzen is my favorite masterpiece axe crafter.

[@benscottwoodchopper]

Super impressive, that axe cut surprisingly good. I really dont see any value in the more expensive swedish axes, I got tennis elbow from using the thick hickory handles they come with. They need a lot of work before they function so I really cannot see how people justify $200 extra. Looking forward to seeing how you get on with the joints

[@cathywest8776]

Very interesting! I had thought that if you bought an ax, you could just go chop and here I learn that is not always so. I liked how you show the handle removal, and then the use of the 'fixed' ax.What are the rules for the challenge? Is there a group of you doing it?

[@oxbowfarm5803]

HI Cathy, There are a small group of folks that have been doing this challenge for the past 4 years or so. Ben Scott, who has commented on this video, is the guy who runs the challenge and I think he has a video describing the rules etc for the 2020 challenge.

[@ryanE95]

Just a little rambling comment to follow:
I find that an overly "flimsy" handle similar to that is not satisfying to use. Especially when the axe head is in excess of 5lb. I find that heavier axes that penetrate well but don't chip well, seem to be hard to pry from the wood with the springy handles. I'm honestly surprised that handle had as much flex as it did. But hey, for the cheap price and the tunability, I could overlook a small issue like that in order to be able to keep an axe in service and keep me swinging. Thanks for the content