How to POWER CHOP!
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- Happy splitting 🪓
Learn More:
Axes: • Beginner's Guide to Axes
Split wood basics: • How to Split Wood!
Knots and Big rounds: • How to Chop Big Rounds...
Firewood: • Firewood: Stacking, St...
Differences and difficulties: • Woodchopping: Differen...
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• Beginner's Guide to Axes
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This video saved my bacon today. I was visiting my sister in Alaska this week, and the power went down at 10am. It was 6 degrees Fahrenheit out, and the forced-air furnace needs electricity to work. We went from “there’s an optional wood burning stove (fun!)” to “the pipes are gonna freeze if we can’t keep the house heated with wood” really quickly. It’s been 30+ years since I’d last used a wood splitting maul, so I *kinda remembered the mechanics, but I had a maul and splitting setup I didn’t know, knotty and wet (now frozen) wood to work with, and a “must do” situation. I had forgotten ALL the details of technique that this video covers in detail. After taking 20 frustrating minutes with my first log, I came in to warm up and watched this video. “Oh, guide with your dominant hand! Drop the hips and heels. Measure your distance with your *back hand as the anchor. Got it.” I went back out, and had much better success. This video absolutely made the difference for me- thanks!
Those arms look like they belong on an 80's action figure. Simply amazing.
Bijov that’s one of the best descriptions I’ve ever read 😂 bravo sir! You’ve given me the title of my goal!
I can watch 3 things indefinitely: flow of the river, fire burning and Nicole chopping that wood 😊
Used to be the first two, now only the last one.
I feel so honored to be associated with these things 😊
nothing new here from long time @@NicoleCoenen
P.S. thank you for your work, even if I can't go into the woods it's nice to see people get passionate about @@NicoleCoenen
@@NicoleCoenenFinland trenger Deg tilbake ..
Excellent tutorial! I first started chopping wood over 60 years ago and love your channel. Here is a safety tip I learned from my father when I was about 10. When carrying an axe, hold it by the handle right next to the blade. Make sure your index finger and middle finger are placed along the blade extending toward the sharp edge. This will ensure that if you stumble and fall, your natural instinct to flatten your hand out to catch yourself, will also rotate the sharp edge of the blade away from your body.
Perhaps axe safety could be a topic for a future video. Love, love your content! Cheers!
Hey Nicole. You’re wood splitting mechanics are amazing. I can tell by watching your videos that you’re a beautiful person inside and out. Rock on!!!
This is so cringe. Your technique is all wrong. Sure, it gets through the kindling you're chopping but, if you used that technique on proper firewood you'd be cold and hungry.
@@grahamguess4268. On the contrary @grahamguess4268, this is definitely proper technique. From the gauging of the distance, to the raising of the heels, to the full swing, to the dropping of the weight, to the planting of the heels before the impact, to the flick of the wrists for the cut. Martial arts uses the same techniques for adding power. This is all proper technique.
@@JoeBrecht not for chopping wood. As I said, it's fine for cutting kindling, which is what we use the stuff she's cutting for, but try that with some good long burn hardwood and the Axe would just bounce off.
@@grahamguess4268You mean like alder or fir, which she also splits using the same technique? You're just triggered and wrong.
Thank you SO much for mentioning the wrist flick at the end! I've been doing EVERYTHING else in this video almost the whole time I've been chopping wood, but that flick at the end for the extra mechanical advantage on the blade NEVER occurred to me until you said it. This is why I love having experts share their knowledge. Thanks so much!
i'd never heard of the flick, yet it makes so much sense
You know what? That what probably the most accurate and lucid instruction I've received on CZcams....and I'm 65 years old! This young woman saved my lower back and shoulders.
It's not like starting tomorrow I'm going to cut wood. But it is nice to see the dedication you put into teaching us the best way to cut wood. Thank you for teaching us so much, Nicole ❤
I’ve been splitting wood for 30 years. I really enjoyed this video for the articulation of the finer points.
And of course, the usual pleasure of simply watching you chop wood.
I bet if someone asked you at 16,”what do you think you’ll be doing with your life at 30?”, I bet the answer would not have been “chopping wood on my own CZcams channel “.
51, and a country boy, so I've split more than my fair share of wood. So when this came up in my feed I was ... taken aback a bit. Then I noticed the guns you are sporting there, young lady. So I watched, and listened and was mightily impressed. Good education for those just starting, no nonsense, good technique. Respect.
Excellent and accurate job explaining how to swing an 🪓 all the way to your toes and wrists. This translates pretty much to swinging a sledgehammer and Maddox as well. Well done. Love watching you swing.
Nicole is the sensei of wood splitting. Now to write a book, "Zen and the Art of Wood Splitting ". A sequel to "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance".
A woodchopping book miiiiight become a reality (but you didn't hear that from me 😉)
@@NicoleCoenenWhere do we (hypothetically) sign up?😃
Motor skills and forest ones? Are you my lost cool sister?
🤩@@NicoleCoenen
A long time ago, my grandfather taught me to split wood with an axe, and what he taught me was pretty much this exactly (except I never learned the wrist flick or the heel part, but for an amateur I think I was pretty close!) So I find this video both relatable, and validating ("Is she gonna talk about shifting your grip for better momentum? Yeah! Grandpa was right!")
Now, I'm for sure not as strong as you, nor an expert by any stretch, but even I can do decently well on technique. I even went to a state fair once, and did the swing-the-hammer-hit-the-thing-ball-go-up-and-ding-the-bell game (you know the one) and scored better than some guys way buffer than me.
My grandfather passed away years ago, but seeing this reminds me of him and everything he taught me :, ) Thank you for sharing this video-- it might sound silly, but it kinda means a lot to me.
Thank you Nicole. I had some wood to chop recently. I noticed that working at placing the axe where I wanted to cut, then when I was able to do that, adding more power was much better, then starting by adding more power.
This is so helpful as I’m just starting to learn wood chopping - thank you for the tips!
Last weekend I taught Beaver Scouts how to chop wood and used some of the tips from this video. I used rotten logs so they were easy to cut through without much effort, but the look on the faces of 5-7 yo boys and girls when they did this grown-up thing was priceless.
Thanks for your instructional videos and I hope to see more.
Having upper body strength and build like you certainly helps!! 🤩 okie dokie!! 😁
i assure you, after some weeks of intensive woodsplitting every day you had that body, too....
@@andreasmerkel5717do I need strong hand to cut wood easily?
Nicole is what the Jedi were before they invented light sabers. A true master of her craft with a dedication to imparting knowledge.
I've not split much wood, but there's real overlap with doing demolition work with a sledgehammer. I did a fair amount of that when I was younger, so I really relate to the obvious joy you express when you get a great swing to just rip through a log. As you say, 'Very satisfying!'
There's also, it seems to me, some overlap with paddling a canoe -- something I did a lot of at one time. Getting the motion of the paddle through the water to a smooth rhythm that uses all the muscles involved in an efficient, balanced way, and then switching sides with a learned but later unconscious smoothness, all while placing the paddle exactly where it needs to go to make the canoe move in the direction you want it to go. Again, very satisfying.
For no reason I know, you came up in my feed last night. I'm very glad. You are a delight, and I've now subscribed.
Fifty years of heating with wood, and I'm still learning how to chop without wasting energy. I find your videos to be a good study. I wish I had one of those swords, but even more, I wish you were here making your videos on my wood pile. I'd set 'em up and haul away the splits to the stack, while you show the world of wood that it can't withstand the force of a good axe swung with strong arms and a good eye.
Great lesson! I see so many people doing a back straining up and down motion when the circular swing is so much more fluid and powerful
Of course, when using the sword, it helps if you cry, "By the Power of Grayskull!" first. Love you Nicole!❤
"I have THE POWERRRRRRRRR!"
Yes the flick, I'm SO glad you mentioned it! I thought I was the only one. I call it a snap but it's the same thing. Every time I tell people about it, they squint at me like I'm talking about Bigfoot, but it pulls the handle around at the last instant like a whip-crack & accelerates the head into the target. I feel so validated. ;) Thank you.
The "flick" most ax folks refer to is a sideways flick which causes the ax to rotate at the last second to cuase it to strike the wood at an angle even though its path of travel is vertical. This causes the ax to imbed in the wood only a little bit and rotate generating very high torque to pry the wood apart. This technique allows you to split big logs with just a very thin felling ax and it keeps an ax from penetrating too deep and getting stuck. Have you seen Tom Clark's old videos? I did a video on the flick technique showcasing how a tiny 26" 2lb felling axe can be used to easily split big logs. With the "flick", a felling ax becomes a maul, but without the hefty weight of a maul. Buckin Billin Ray has the best ax skills bar none of anyone on youtube. He also utilized the flick to easily pry would apart. He and anyone who uses it, do not swing through the wood like folks who don't. This is good for the blade and for the handle.
This "flick" you guys speak of, is a natural motion of swinging the axe, be it straight overhead or around and over. It's the bending of the wrist at the end of the swing to align the arm and the ax handle so they form a staight line. It's the same thing you do to your wrist when you are measuring the distance to the log. You have to bend the wrist or else you cannot form a straight line with the ax handle and your arm
Nicole seems to have unlimited power and energy - her strong arms are fantastic!!!
Your axe has a short handle. I was metal detecting an old farm that has since been torn down and came across an old axe head. I dropped it in vinegar and left it a few days. It came out a dull grey except the actual edge. At the top of the axe you can see where a piece of hardened steel was forged welded into the eye area. When you look from the top, the darker metal resembles a diamond. The edge is one long point, and the other faces the eye. The softer metal goes down both sides about halfway. I hung a handle on it last year intending to use it. This december I smoothed it out with an angle grinder on the cheeks and tried it. It is the best splitting axe I have used in my life. It was made by the Filcher Company in St. Louis early 1900s as the Blackjack series. Good chopping to you.
My Dad used to give the wood cutting duties to me. I fell in love with the stress release and "me" time. Between me and my brothers, I'd split, rick, and just go cut. Locust would snap through the hollers, echoing across. Made me a 20lb splitting maul with a steel handle, and with a missed chop, it would rattle me from head to toe. That taught me to chop with more accuracy lmao. Stumbled across your CZcams shorts and loved it!
thank you forest lesbian
A WOOD SPLITTING SWORD.
I love you 😭
Nicole, I realize I am not your target audience, but … damn. You rock.
Excellent “how to” video!!
We learned the power chop, can you now tell us of the ancient, forbidden okie dokie chop?
She could, but then she'd have to kill us 😊
Once you are ready. I will teach you.
You will find me in the forest at dawn.
Bring maple syrup.
@@NicoleCoenen Yes sensei!
okie dokie still in her heart @@matheusarruda6462
I don't chop wood apart from Christmas's when I go and visit my mum and she has a fireplace. Still, that red/black checkered onsie is an absolute hit!!! 🔥
Your enthusiasm and joy in what you’re doing is so heartwarming and charming. I’m a city boy, born and raised but I love your videos and I have subscribed!
Finally, a woman that is for real and walks the walk, I do this stuff everyday in our harsh winters in the Snowy Mountains of Australia, but watching you brings a smile to my old face and a warmth to my heart, no nonsense, no semi clad BS and No make up,,,well done young woman from an old soldier and outdoors expert
You have the greatest charisma oozing through your video. Whatever you do in life you will be successful.
Nice one. I must admit that I chopped the wood simply by using strength of my hands only, and sometimes it was really hard to get it chopped (I had the same problems during paddling on a dragon ship in which I used only my hands, not the whole body, and after the first training I wasn´t able to lift my hands above waist level). Now I have a nice tutorial to improve my technique.
That’s actually pretty good advice. The mechanics of the chop make a big difference. 👍
Had a couple of goes at putting this into practice a week or so apart and we're getting the hang of it and I can feel that I'm stronger the second time around too. Thank you! This is going to be *fun*
I wanna say thanks, brought huge pieces of land, and made my own firewood. The way i was splitting was not feeling natural. Your video helped a lot. Thank you🇨🇦
Poetry in motion and delicious humour too! 😊
I'm glad that you included the "right through the target" line. While the swing of the axe (or maul) is roughly an arc, it's good to use body mechanics to direct the axe-head motion from "arc" to "straight down the length of the wood being split." It takes some work to get there, but it's worth the effort!
It's also worth noting that some species of wood splits more readily than others. Here in Kentucky, most of the wood I've split was some variety of Cherry or Ash, with some Elm and Maple and Mulberry for variety. I had a Chinese Chestnut cut down several years ago, and all I had to do was show the splitting maul to the wood and it would fall apart. The Cherry was different...
On great big rounds, I've found it more satisfying to cleave by aiming for chords closer to the edges rather than try to split a large round in half. I don't need "pie wedge" firewood, I need firewood that will burn. Slabs from the edge of the round work well, and if I need to do a second set of slabs from a then-smaller round, so be it.
I find the "around and down" gives me a tiny bit more power on impact, too.
Sadly, my current house lacks a wood-burning fireplace. I miss having reason to split wood. The exercise did me good, and it was also satisfying mentally.
Hahaha🤣 Naughty Knotty! Hahaha🤣
Adventure ever on dear friend, Phat🏹
Such a wholesome uplift to the day! Thanks.
Love that jumpsuit!
I have become fascinated with wood chopping since finding your channel, these tutorials are especially fun. I should probably refrain from trying it myself though because I'd definetly just do it for hours on end without stopping.
Would love to see a video about how to cultivate accuracy in placement. You are so good at hitting in the same place, or along the same line, over and over. I'm sure that's key to throughput...
I came across her yt channel yesterday, and I'm trying to figure it out now, but I think it's her smile that is mesmerizing.
LOVE your sense of humour Nicole. Thanks for the great tips.
Wow Nicole I wish I could chop wood like that! Thats amazing! You have a gift!❤
I swing a 16 lb maul with a bomb awl. Ive been splitting some of the nastiest greenest crooked grained knotted wood my money can afford me for 25 years now. These videos are great keep up the hard work, Nicole.
Love your movies! I chop wood since I was 6/7 yo and I still love it!
This is proper lumberjacks' bushido (no pity for the logs) !
You got me into wood splitting, thank you!
You have great style when splitting. It is all about timing and using the legs. You do a great job. Very few people know how to get the proper power when splitting. Most try to do it all with their arms and shoulders. They lose over half their power.
ich bin nach vielen Jahren Spalthammer bei einer Axt angekommen, die der von Nicole sehr ähnlich ist. Und anstelle des Spalthammerstiels, der mir nach 2- 3 Tagen Holzspalten immer schmerzende Schultern einbrachte ist die Axt jetzt in einen Esche-Stiel eingestielt, den mein Onkel vor ca. 70 Jahren gemacht hat: 90 cm lang, federt und ist unverwüstlich.
Nicole, you are doing a good job!
I just love Nicole's smiling face and positive attitude.
I've never had the need to chop wood, but I am restoring an old wood burner soon so hopefully I'll get the chance!
My first restoration was an old axe which I'm also looking forward to using 😊
This vide will definitely help, thanks Nicole 👍
As I actually did the things I had planned for today (rather than getting distracted by weaving or other side quests) I decided that I deserved a treat. So as we were in the hardware store and parked too far away for the table saw to be an option (it's surprisingly difficult to find places you can park a camper van and the guttering we needed wouldn't have fit in the car) I now have the Big Axe I've wanted for many years. The ex boyfriend always said no because we had no use for one, and he was right, but I live in a different country now and we just had several trees cut down and they need to be turned into firewood, so this video will be Very Useful. Thank you. I will probably still break myself attempting this because I'm rapidly approaching 50 but I'll have fun doing it!
Also, on the way back to the van, the fella said something and I replied with Okeie dokie, which was not part of my usual vocabulary until recently, and he was like 'She's infectious, isn't she?'
A few years ago I had an interest in rehandling vintage axes. So I've had a nice True Temper 3.5lb and a 2.25lb Plumb boys axe for years that really never got used. This year I bought a house. I has a wood stove. Found a Council Tool maul head on the property too. So naturally I found, split, and stacked 2 chord of wood in just a couple weeks! Ready for next year!
Good to see the young ones chopping wood. Excellent form. I also much prefer the curved handle with the "knobby" thing on the end. Chopping wood is a whole body exercise, helps with getting wood for the stove, cardio, and very good at clearing the mind.
Very good Nicole!! I, for one, appreciate your demonstrations.
I laughed so hard but I also learned some stuff. Love you humour and your style.
So, I've been enjoying seeing your shorts roll through my feed for a while now. Then I got in a load of firewood that needs chopping, so I decided to come see if you had any pointers for me, and I was absolutely THRILLED to see this series. I feel like I just leveled up! Thank you so much.
Nicole would kill it in Ms. Physique contest! 💪 CHOP ON NICOLE!!!⚡❤️⚡
I've always been a bit terrified of chopping my leg off chopping wood but your tutorial gives me more confidence to try again. 😊
Thank you for this, I've been wanting a refresher for chopping and this hit the one thing nobody else was telling me; chopping distance
Haven´t chopped wood in a while but these tips are really useful. I really like the added humor as well. loved the naughty wood 😄Great work
Thank you for the lesson, defiently comprehensive.
Beautiful smile. This is what I need for my morning coffee. Thank you.
For some reason this video reminds me of my childhood lighting the wood hot water system...
Grew up on a farm, getting the wood fired hot water system lit every night was my job along with splitting the wood etc...
At least it was...
Till I got a little too enthusiastic(I was also last to shower in the morning and it was effectively luke warm by then) so I decided to make sure it was super hot one day...
The hot water system started making straining noises and the pipes started banging in the roof... My father turns on the hot water tap in the house... and only steam came out.
"RIGHT EVERYONE OUT OF THE HOUSE NOW"
We all evacuated the house while my father ran around turning on all the hot water taps, which only had steam pissing out of them and then ran out to the hot water system, ripping off the pressure relief valve that had corroded shut and shoveling sand into the wood heater to put it out...
Even then it took at least 5 mins for steam to stop coming out of the taps and valve...
After that incident I still had to split the wood... but my sister was in charge of lighting the water system.
Thank you, I never knew about the wrist flick at the end.
I think some artists and sculptors will be inspired.
The percussion point of the sword is at 1/3 from the tip. Hitting the wood with this spot of the sword maximizes impact and minimizes vibrations at the point where your hands are.
I understand there are a lot of people who need to know this stuff. I've been doing it for a long time. White Oak, Black Oak, Ash, Madrone, Douglas Fir, Pine, of every western variety, Chinquapin, Cedar, western red, rough bark, and a little Alaskan yellow, from Gassy Creek in Oregon and some in southeast alaska. Sitka spruce, Mountain spruce from Oregon. Willow, Redwood, I planted that in 86, both Coast and Giant. I like a light maul but use an axe where i can. I use splitting wedges. I have split firewood, shake bolts, fence posts and fence rails. The Yew I did not split, although I suppose it could be done. I am old and tired I do not do this much anymore, but I like looking at this beautiful young lady doing it.
Heartwood of the same knotty tree: "That wasn't even my final form."
To get more power you can work a step into it. I avoid striking myself by bending, which you do. Combined with twisting the torso, and 'flicking' the wrists you create a multiplier effect to maximize velocity and power when you strike the wood. Hips and torso with twist, bend and step gets the body moving forward and the flick. Thanks for the video.
I could watch this again and again ❤
I just love how she makes chopping wood educational & entertaining at the same time.
E straordianario guardarti spaccare legna. Sei bravissima, forte e con la spada sembri un cavaliere del medioevo. Complimenti ancora.
Hi Nicole, I came across your channel a few weeks ago and I’ve binged watched all of them. I love everything outdoors and love anything to do with wood (factually, it’s only wood if it’s growing, once felled, it’s timber). I’m so lucky to live in The Forest of Dean in England. Now, I’ve been racking my brain as to who you remind me of over the past few weeks and it’s suddenly hit me…. Calamity Jane, a film character played by Doris Day 😍, one of my favourite films and actresses of all time. You may not of heard of it? (I’m 63 so of a different generation) but watch it if you can. Keep on trucking’ girl, take care and continue loving yourself.
Plus it's great exercise!
Вот молодчина, силища прям.
Я сам городской, как то раз другу сарай разбирали по бревнам, а он вместо колуна купил обычный топор с длинным топорищем, я тогда много пота потерял, тяжёлое это занятие, хотя я доужу с физнагруками.
Молодец девушка!
Enjoying the banjo picking for your background music
for some reason I want a Flannel Onesie now
It's not a flattering look for most as you have not only to be lean but have to look athletic.
Good technique guide. As someone who's split a lot of wood over the years if you get 'the flick' @2:30 correct, it'll do most of the work for you almost every time.
You are strong , beautiful , and talented , never let anyone take that away from you !
Your content is so awsome me an my wife watch all your videos and there very helpful keep doing your thing queen
Esta chica me encanta, menuda fuerza de la naturaleza.
Ill be employing that flick from now on! Thank you for the wisdom
I used to chop wood all the time as a kid during camping trips. Recently my sister needed some help chopping wood and it seems I can't do it anymore.
So this definitely helps!
I intended to post this on some other video and I have no idea whether I did or not, but anyway - about 9-12 years ago I lived in a cabin on the river. The cabin, however, was built as a "summer" spot. There so no insulation for the winter cold. Not only that, but it also didn't have a central heating system. So we had to heat by wood. I gotta tell ya, after 3ish years of constantly chopping wood to survive the winters, I actually kind of miss it. (Even though I got that wood stove burning a lil too hot sometimes... Definitely almost burned the house down a couple times while trying to figure out a good balance)
If I had a constant stream of wood to chop coming in, I'd be pretty damn happy. I've even contemplated just posting on my local county FB page asking if I can just chop people's wood for free. Anyway, I definitely miss just splitting logs.
Nicole collects axes, mauls, and wedges for her work here the same way that some people collect cars. All things considered, Nicole's collection is far more wholesome. The "okie-dokies" are an added bonus for the beavers and chipmunks that come to watch.
Great explanation of techniques involved to get your whole body into the chop looks beautiful out there
i split wood more or less once a year when i visit my grandparents, this really helps a noob like me! ;)
That was really helpful, thanks😊
Love it! Gonna try the flick tomorrow, thank you 🎉
Been waiting for a technique video for the power swing: any chance you could take some side angle shots on the next one? ...this would really help me understand the stroke from that perspective and get advice on the role for each hand.
That said, I guess putting the camera to the side is kinda in the danger zone 😂
Thanks for your work, love seeing your vids 💪
Those red and black jammies were something else.
Awesome tutoria, been chopping wood for a looong time. But have been spoiled rotten by a screw log splitter. No more exercise just hold the log in place. 🙂
It's cool what you can do. Been watching your videos for a while. If I had a daughter like you, I would be very proud of her. In every sense.
Nicole I just wanted to say how much I really enjoy your videos. They always make my day.
Your vids really "ooze" positive vibes...sooooo good!