Splitting firewood: knotty difficult rounds with twisted grain.
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- čas přidán 15. 12. 2016
- These rounds/blocks have lots of knots and dead branches running through them. This is how I deal with them. Most of the footage with the easy work has been removed from the video.
- Jak na to + styl
This guy hits the wood like it made an unwanted advancement toward his daughter!
This video makes me happy. I could listen to the audio of this as a relaxation track, too. The beautiful sounds of axes, mauls, wedges, sledgehammers and a running stream.
I liked the use of wood chips as wedges!!!
AH! The fellow in the video was you! Thanks for shooting me over to it. I especially like your rubber band cage for the log pieces, and the use of wood chips as wedges to hold open the gaps so you can hit them more effectively on the next swing. I think I'll be adopting those tricks myself. Thanks so much for sending me the link to this video!
Instead of using five or six separate bungee cords (rubber bands), I now use a single long bungee cord going back and forth between the supports. It is easier for removing and putting back on. It's a very simple idea and is far superior to using a tyre ('tire' in your part of the world). The wall of a tyre will damage the handle of the exe/maul after repeated strikes.
I've seen videos where people split wood using an old tire or bungee cords to hold the pieces together, but I like the little open-ended boxing ring you made. I might have to try that.
Thank you for a video without any music.
Those that know me would smile knowingly at your comment. Thanks for watching.
Mick. Great video. Very tough and knotty pine. As well as having a lot of physical power you have the right tools for it. Gerry
Thanks Gerry. Yes. some of that stuff was challenging, but is gives you a great appetite!
this gentleman has a solid core. Well done sir. Inspiring.
Nice video. Straightforward, simple and informative. Thank you.
I like the wee wedges you put in the crack before removing the maul
It's a simple idea that works well. Thanks for the comment.
Thanks for sharing this Michael. I just picked up a bunch of free knotty wood and this helps a lot.
Thanks for the comment and I am delighted that you are getting some benefit from the video. A thought: You will get more information from this video: czcams.com/video/0JKS-ZRdPR4/video.html
There are a number of suggestions in it that should help you.
Man youre swinging that Hammer like ol' John Henry!
You are a master. Thank you for the lesson. Love your set up.
Thanks. I always appreciate comments from people that know this business. You're well organised yourself.
Very good experienced splitter man. a pleasure to watch.
Thanks and thanks for watching.
You, sir, wield those tools like a beast! Well done!
Thanks for the comment.
Those are some tough rounds! Good to see that you used the method of least effort for every round, very smart. Subscribed!
Thanks for the comment and for subscribing.
Perfect technique and execution. Well done sir.
Thanks. Your name reminds me of the French MBT.
Great video man. Your accuracy is on point good shit 👌🏽
Thanks,
Nice going mate. The bungees around the block is a cool trick, and I like the one handed wedge insertion. Clearly need to sharpen mine.
I like to keep my wedges sharp. They are easier to drive into the wood as a result.
How wonderful to watch your economy of effort, and what I imagine to be the mental shifting of gears...read the wood, select a tool, invest as little effort as needed to achieve the best result.
I use 2 axes, 1 maul. and a mix of wedges to split rounds from normal tree-length stock but goodness, you've pushed gnarly wood into complete compliance!
Thanks Paul for the insightful comments. You are right; Economy of effort is important in this type of work.
You, sir, are a beast! Great video
Thanks Steven. I hope you got some useful tips.
Hope you're still in as good a shape as you are in this video. I have a 12 lbs. sledge hammer that I have a difficult time swinging anymore. Got lots of knotted stumps to split. Thanks for giving me the encouragement to keep going. I'm 72.
Best of luck Mike. As you get older exercise becomes even more important. I'm still working away myself. Thanks for commenting.
Incredibly knotty. Really liked your chopping block setup mate!
Thanks. With this set-up, the work output is at least doubled.
not a bad view to have while getting in a workout. nice vid.
There are better views close by.
Have a look at: czcams.com/video/hGKOBhfDueM/video.html
one of my favorite videos on youtube.
Thanks Joshua!
Hello Michael, good to see the beautiful Emerald Isle! It is great to see your expertise with the maul....I have a good few years behind me (and hopefully many more ahead of me) and I am happy that I still enjoy woodcutting and splitting. I do not use a log splitting machine and enjoy the axe and maul, watching your technique shows how careful and graceful the splitting process should be with those heavy tools, experience and wisdom serves you better than aggression and brute strength. I recall in my 20's and 30's splitting many tons of Elm after the Dutch Elm Disease destroyed all the big trees in Yorkshire, as a young man that took a toll on my back and elbows (thankfully I am wiser and in better shape now). On my videos the maul I use is the same one I used back then.
Your mauls and hammer are big beasts, I think my biggest hammer is about 16lbs, but you show how to use rhythm of movement to swing the hammer and protect your joints...this is very good.
Chris: Thanks for the wise words. I have never split Elm, but, apparently, it is hellishly hard work. What is it about the process of working with an axe and a maul that makes it so satisfying for some of us? It nourishes the soul and the body. Of course, the experience is not for everybody - different strokes for different folks!
I have only just discovered your channel and I find it extremely interesting and educational. You have a new subscriber. I am just dabbling in this video business myself without taking it too seriously.
Take care and keep them coming!
This is a man who is Serious.
Thanks for not talking a lot of nonsense and just splitting the wood. It's almost therapeutic watching someone split wood
There is something therapeutic about doing it also, which is hard to put into words. Thanks for the comments.
Michael Kearney exactly the way I feel about it.most people think I'm crazy for splitting with an axe.
In relation to the direction of splitting, the opposite has also been suggested by some. Best of luck with the 'boxing arena' set-up. It makes the work much quicker. Thanks for the comment.
best video on how to split wood ,very hard to.
Excellent video - you make splitting wood look so easy. I've yet to achieve the same precision you have with the maul and hammer, but as with everything else I guess I need more time and practice!
You're right there. That's what it comes down to: practice, practice, practice. Thanks for the comment.
No sleeping tablets required after that day's work Mick.
That is true for sure, Paul!
Amazing sound, good tools, good swing. I like your boxing arena, will build one for me as well instead of using old tires. One comment: If you split the wood in the direction it had grown (from soil to sky) it makes life a bit easier, especially with the knotty logs.
200 years from now grandpa will still be in the best shape possible chopping wood for his grandchildrens grandchildren.
That gnarly piece and a 20# sledge at 3:30 will keep you young! Good tips on keep the split open with slivers of wood. I see your chopping block works well with both the ax and maul.
Todd, Usually I swing with a 16 pounder, but there are times when the heavier sledge is needed. I have done a separate video on my splitting block set-up. Again the basic idea is simple and I tinkered around with different set-ups before I settled on this one. Here it is, if you are interested: https: //czcams.com/video/hGKOBhfDueM/video.html
Good job sir!
Pulled the pin a few years ago. Will be keeping an eye out for video
Very inspiring video for me because I have some very knotty blocks of pine to split. I often end up with the maul "caught" in the wood. I will try now some wedges for the nasty, knotty blocks and start at the clearest side...
Thanks Steven for that and the best of luck with your work!
Your amazing at this
Thanks Angela.
Ahhh the logs are in a cute mini Boxing Ring
Nice job windmilling that sledge. I have a tendency to miss doing the windmill. I can tell you enjoy this, good on you.
Thanks. I think windmilling is when you hold both hands at the end of the handle and make a roundhouse swing.
This is somewhat different.
@@michaelkearney5562 it's a clever swing because you don't put as much strain on your self only for the couple of seconds to impact when sledge. I was still hitting a thick nottted beech ring (12 inch thick) for 15 mins! Im using wood grenade and sledge and axe for splitting never used a maul are they better than axe
@@jdig1984 A wood grenade is not particularly good at opening up a difficult block, contrary to what a lot of advertisements would tell you. And it certainly does not split a block of wood into four pieces which is another advertising fallacy. Its round shape means that as it is driven in, force is exerted more or less equally in all directions. This is not good. Get an ordinary wedge with a blade, which concentrates force along the line of the blade and as a result is much better at getting a crack going in the wood. An axe is fine for splitting easy straight-grained wood. With difficult stuff, because of the thin profile of the axe head, it is more inclined to get stuck. A splitting maul, around 3kg in weight or slightly heavier, does a good job of splitting in most situations. The wedge shape of the profile also means that it is less lightly to get stuck, and if it does, it is relatively easy to extract. If a block (round) is likely to be difficult to work on, use the sledge hammer and wedges to split it in half. Then it is much easier to work on with the splitting maul. It is better to have two to three wedges on hand, in the event of one of them getting stuck, which is likely if you are not experienced at this type of work. Never spend time trying to open up a difficult block with an axe or maul. If something is not happening after three of four swings, then it is time for sledge and wedge. Thanks for subscribing and I hope that these pointers help.
@@michaelkearney5562 thanks where to you get your wedges
you can read the wood...excellent job
It makes life easier. Thanks for the comment.
Good job Mike! I absolutely hate splitting Pinus Radiata because of all the knots; yes I do use steel wedges and a huge sledge hammer but the hammer is too heavy for my 68 year old arms and back and the Fiskars Isocore doesn't want to know about pine. A bloke from Oregon in the USA says to cut the logs into 'cookies' ie 6" to 8" disks and this seems to work better. I like your enclosure of bungee cords. The concept of using a piece of wood to hold open the split is a great idea. I must try it.
Thanks for the comments Allan. I was splitting Sitka Spruce, which can be tough going at times. Your Monterey Pine obviously has similar properties. Yes, the clock is catching up with all of us. By the way, a Scotsman called Allan Wells was Olympic champion at the 100M sprint in Moscow in 1980
@@michaelkearney5562 Yes. I read about Allan Wells many years ago; an incredible athlete apparently. I couldn't run with a belly full of laxatives. Here in the Blue Mountains of NSW, Australia we mainly burn local hardwoods but a local arborist makes conifers available for free. Hardly anyone likes them due to the quick build-up of creosote in the flue. A young bloke called Cody who has a website called "Wranglestar" has given a lot of good information on how to get around this problem which is great. Luthiers used to use Sitka Spruce for quality classical guitar tops many years ago. I presume it's still popular.
Great concept! Love how you made that ring! I'm splitting Ash wood, and tried a similar technique. Unfortunately the Ash wood is kinda unpredictable from piece to piece (some split easier than others). I find my self grazing the bungee from time to time, and then over time they break. Now I'm using a adjustable splitting ring I came up with, using only what mother nature provides. After trying this method it makes the tire technique look silly to use because I can fit so many logs in the ring and it's adjustable to whatever length. Best thing is I can't find one video of someone duplicating what I did. Happy holidays, great video!
I have just had a look at your set-up. It's very original and very good. Just make sure that you don't overfill the ring with logs. Wood needs room in which to split properly. If everything is squeezed tight, it makes it harder for the axe/maul to go all the way to the bottom of the log and complete the job. There is no wooden base in your set-up, which means that the implement is coming in contact with the ground, most of the time. This can't be good for the edge. Otherwise, the best of luck with it
@@michaelkearney5562 Thank you for checking it out, I can't find any videos like it on CZcams. I will definitely keep the overfilling in mind as I tend to do that! I haven't really experienced my axe going into the ground too much. It seems like if I over swing the handle hits the upper log of the splitting square, but I might take a old sheet of plywood to throw in the bottom now that you mention it! I'm using a fiskars splitting maul with a razor edge which I hate (no one likes a splitting maul stuck in a log), if it does get dull going into the ground I'm all the happier. Actually I've been thinking about taking a grinder to it to remove the edge a little, as splitting wood doesn't require a sharp edge but chopping wood does. Definitely appreciate the tips, and love the design you got going there!
Great job
Thanks Marcos.
Thank you. I really enjoy your videos. Could you make one on how you go about sharpening your tools?
Corin, I am competent at sharpening but not an expert and for that reason I have no plans at present for such a venture. However, there is a lot of good stuff on CZcams about sharpening implements. People like Wranglerstar, Essential Craftsman, Skillcult and many others are worth a look. Type in: 'how to sharpen an axe or maul' and you will get plenty to choose from. Thanks for looking and I appreciate the comment.
Proper chopping block here for big halfs and quarters. Saves the back!
That’s a nice view you have there.
There are far nicer views close by.
Just saw video Mick. Well done. You were always a hardy lad. Clint would like to do an apprenticeship with you.
Rory Great to hear from you. Your name was mentioned a few days ago - I can't remember by who. You are probably retired yourself, or close to it. I put these videos up occasionally. There should be another one due shortly. Regards.
It a clever idea with those wooden wedges to keep the split open!.How often do you have resharpen your mauls and how heavy is your large sledge hammer?.
I sharpen the maul about three or four times a year, but it does not have to be razor sharp. The sledge hammer in question is 20 lbs in weight, and I only use it rarely. Most of the time I work with a 16 pounder, which has given great service over the years. In fact both faces have become distorted from all the work that they have been asked to do. Thanks for the comment.
You're on the ball. The head is 5kg which is 11 lbs. Well spotted.
Thats a dude I wouldn't wanna find myself in a fight with! Moving that maul like it aint nutting! Great video
When I run into a difficult piece I just suplex it off the top rope!
???
@@michaelkearney5562 the corral you've crafted looks like a miniature wrestling ring :-p
@@TheSickNeeds I follow you now.
That was quite a challenge, wasn't it. I retain the trick of inserting a wedge (or at least, any fitting piece of wood) into the crack prior to extracting the axe out of the wood piece when it is stuck in it.
Are u going to do any more videos on timber splitting. The previous ones were very interesting, informative and inspiring.
I hope to have one out in the next few weeks. Thanks for interest and nice comment.
When do you use the Splitting Axe, i looked at your videos but never saw it being used. The reason is i have the same Splitting axe from Müller.
Ours are very similar in Design from what i can tell. Yours is the "Möselhacke" (in 4 Kg, is this correct?) while i have the "Tiroler Spaltaxt" ("Splittingaxe" but in 2750 g).
After much looking on the Müller Website, Müller Catalogue and your videos it looks like the only difference is at the Topside, yours has no step at the house and has a gentle curve upwards, while mine has a step and a steeper curve and also the blade lenght, the Catalogue says 120 mm for yours and 140 mm for mine.
Would you use it for hammering Steel or Aluminium Wedges since the "Hammerside" is hardened.
I hardly ever use this axe. Nearly all the weight is on the blade side, which is something I do not like. When I originally got it, I bought the head separately and got the the extra long handle for it which was 100cm (over 39 inches) long. I don't recall the catalogue numbers and for some reason I can't find the catalogue online at the moment.
As for hammering wedges, I always use a sledgehammer, which is an implement specifically made for striking. I like to look after my stuff, and I don't believe in using splitting mauls and splitting axes as striking tools, when a large sledgehammer is going to do a better job anyway.
Nice job! How do you deal with the pine ? The creosote sticks on the inside of my stainless steel
pipe chimney and burns when it gets hot. I was told not to use pine.
Jeff. That is sitka spruce that I am splitting. I am not familiar with pine, but I will say that it is very important that your timber is as dry as possible before burning, so that there are the minimum amount of unburnt particles going up the chimney.
Don't burn pine ever. Too much goo. We have so much pine in the north east us. Every northeastern storm we have they fall in the street. Nobody wants them for this reason.
You should try Aspen, it burns way cleaner than most wood
👍👍👍 молодец!!!
Спасибо
Hi Michael - I've just recently found you on youtube and the videos are great. Thanks for taking the time. Any chance you could give me some information on your axes, please? They look great. Sorry if you've already posted this info. Thanks, James.
James, Thanks for taking the time to look. Last year I put up a video on the subject of your question. Here it is: czcams.com/video/IG-bq2gdGAM/video.html
If you want more detailed information, contact me at mfkearney54@gmail.com and I'll send on some extra stuff to you.
Great job, how much does your maul weigh? I am trying to get through some really knotty cedar and my 4.5lb maul doesn't work. Cheers.
If you have really big, tough, knotty, twisted stuff, you need some weight. The one that I use here is 11lbs (5kg). But as you can see there are plenty of times where I have to go for the sledge and wedge, especially when starting off on a block/round. I use a 3½ lb axe on the easy light stuff. Get an 8lb maul maul and have a sledge hammer and wedges as back-up.
Nice job....Couldn't get it to stand up at 6:20 so just whack the crap out of it.....Done! Nice work!
by the sound of it, I could use a log splitter about now. LOL
Master splitter.
Javier Duran: Any relation to Roberto?
Muito bom🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
obrigado
In Saskatchewan when wood is hard to split we just wait till its minus 30. Makes it split way easier when it's frozen hard. LOL
At that temperature, the wood probably explodes apart. I have split stuff at around freezing point and it does make a difference. We hardly ever get extreme cold here, but we do get a lot of wet damp conditions.
Safety glasses when you hit that steel wedge please
Sir something about seeing u split wood reminds me of that oldschool way of doing things, which is the best way to do things. Things will never be like they used to be & thats a shame. My father raised me how he was raised in the early 50s & im very nostalgic when i see real men doing things the good ol way or should i use the saying, "it used to be iron men & wooden barges , now its wooden men & iron barges" well u are one of the iron men & i bet a good one too.
Harris Thanks for the interesting comments. I particularly enjoyed the 'iron men wooden barge' quote. I never heard that one before. It's a good conversation topic.
Michael, what is the weight/handle length/model/brand of your maul? Thanks very much. PW
It's 5kg (11lbs) in weight. I put an extension onto the handle which now makes it 38 inches long. The manufacturer is Mueller from Austria.
@@michaelkearney5562 GREAT! thank you very very much. It looks like exactly what I am looking for!
@@patrickwelch620 This their site: www.mueller-hammerwerk.at/en/categorie-wedges-and-turning-hooks.html
In their catalogue 025750 is the code for the maul with the ash handle; 025950 is the one with the hickory handle.
@@michaelkearney5562 i am having a heck of a time finding one here in the states. They are sold as stihl here and are only 3kg. I found a distributor here but they say it will take 6 months. The 5kg 90cm maul is perfect. Maybe i could contact the store where you bought it.
That's some nasty wood. Where is this?
The wood is Sitka Spruce that grew in an open grove so that there are lots of knots and dead side branches which makes for hard work when splitting. The location is near the southern tip of Ireland in the County of Cork. Thanks for watching!
Start at the far end of the wood. One maul, no sledge, no wedge.
I would be a long time swinging with the maul trying to open up the more difficult rounds/blocks and there would be little to show for a very big effort. You have to work smart at this game, since there is a lot of work in firewood. I know by the sound of the impact that the maul makes with the first strike, if it is worthwhile continuing. Otherwise, I go for the sledge and wedges. Then when the round is opened up, it is much easier to go back to the maul. Remember, this is not straight-grained stuff. It is Sitka Spruce with lots of knots and more importantly many dead branches running through the timber, which binds it all together. Using the maul, all 5kg (11lbs) of it, going back and forth across the diameter of the block, would waste too much energy, with several hours of work ahead, and it still would not have opened up the rounds.
Anyway, you should never strike the far end of the wood. It is bad practise. If it opens up at the point of the strike, the closed wood behind it will come in contact with the descending handle. In no time at all, it will be damaged and then broken.
Thanks for watching and making the comment! It gets the brain cells going!
This bloke is probably as strong as an ox.
for that wood i would use a splitter
You need to invest in some safety googles to use when you're splitting with metal wedges.
lmao
So where's the advice on splitting twisted grain?
If this was some bloody ankle biter's video we'd have annoying music in the background and a jump cut every 2 seconds. Nicely done!
Thanks for the insightful comment.
1. Why don't you wear gloves? I get blisters and splinters if I don't.
2. why don't you wear goggles? One wood chip in the eye and game over.
3. What is that on your wrists?
4. What are those black things on your pants?
5. Maul weight?
6. What is the wood type being split?
Matt, I'll answer by the numbers and thanks for the interest.
1. There are plenty of callouses on my hands, but they are no harm. I have never used gloves when splitting and I don't intend to start now. Use the axe/maul for short periods of time without gloves and gradually lengthen out the periods. The hands will get used to it.
2. I never got anything in my eye from splitting firewood. Chips will always fly sideways in this type of work and never up towards the face in my experience. Stray pieces have often hit my shins, which can be sore, but I got a remedy for that with my splitting block set-up. In my opinion the biggest health and safety issue with this type of work is HOW the splitting maul/axe is used. I might do a video on that specific issue in the near future.
3. Good observation! My left wrist gets sore when doing this type of work. I wrap crepe bandages around both wrists and as a result I have no problems. Its a genetic thing. My Father had the same issue!
4. It is black cloth and it does look striking. Small knee pads can be inserted under the ones at the knees.
5. 5kg (11lbs). It is made by Mueller from Austria. This their website: www.mueller-hammerwerk.at/
6. It is Sitka Spruce. It is grown in a fairly open grove. As a result there are plenty of knots and dead branches running through the lengths of most of the trees, which can make for difficult splitting.
Hi Michael,
1. Understand callouses but what about splinters from handling all the pieces?
2. No eye protection...I think you're playing with fire...so to speak. :-) Yeah, I've had some pieces fall and hit my shins, I have scars to prove it.
3. Interesting. I hurt my arm the first year I split wood because I split for a couple of hours non-stop. Never again. Now I ease into it a little longer each day. Not worth risking injury and not being able to split at all.
4. ok
5. ok
6. Low btus...you must be loading your stove all the time!
7. How many cords do you burn?
1. That has never been a problem. Just be aware of how the pieces are being handled.
2. If we should wear any protection, shin guards would be a priority in my opinion.
6. Yes - fairly often. Its not the only source of heat. There is also an oil fired burner.
7. I don't know. Cord measurement is something that we don't do, but I am aware of it - 4' X 4' X 8'.
Looks good be deceiving but that maul looks like it is all of 10 pounds.
Dude, your subtitles are blocking the view.
if that don't work you might try hitting it with a shillelagh...😎
No, this pissed me off. Those little curls in the wood are NOTHING compared to the branch sections I have to cope with.. I am a grand ma and can cope with those logs. Yes it might take a little longer, but wood will split with one huge punch or a lump hammer on an axe head. I have sections of an old 60 foot tree with 12 inch branches growing off them. I'm talking about places I darn't even place my axe because the section it twisted as hell???
Please, what do you do with a MASSIVE branch section?
Up the medication mam ...
I have yet to see a video where people use a maul properly. This is such a sad video. Way to much extra work.
There are no short cuts in this game. It all has to be split and dried properly before it goes into the fire, and that takes work.
Get back to your video games in your mothers basement ...
lord cu mopton dumb ass. Not only do I own two houses, work in the oil industry, own farms here in the United States and Thailand. Take care of my elderly in-laws. I dont own any video games or have time to play them. I think I know a thing or two about splitting wood.
Besides don't you have a big strong son to do that sugar ????? Although I do enjoy watching you sweetie really good stamina 💋💜!!!!!
Kim, I do have a big strong son, but he has his own life, and, anyway I never had a problem doing this kind of work. I've just finished doing three hours of splitting beech today, which should be great firewood in two years or less. Thanks for watching.
I don't see any "twisted grain", only some knots. You want to see REAL twisted grained wood? Get some ELM......but then don't try splitting it. You'll be mad as hell that you ever tried.
This is Sitka Spruce that I was splitting and the big blocks made me work. Because of Dutch Elm disease, there is very little Elm left and I believe that it very difficult to split.
I can "guarantee" you would never want to hand-split Elm. My comment was "I see very LITTLE twisted grain" in the video ( nothing is perfect ). I'm in Southern New England and of course we don't have any "Sitka Spruce" in this neck of the woods. I would never burn any since it produces a lot of creosote and naturally ends up being a chimney fire. It is good, however, to use as kindling and maybe as a building material. Yes the Durch Elm disease has done quite a job of killing off the trees. Next door neighbor will be taking one down shortly, but i won't bother with it. Ok, 'nuff said by me. Don't want to hold you up with your chores. Have a great day.
If you get your chimney and stove inspected by a chimneysweep once per year or so (like everyone should, and like you have to in for example Sweden) you don't have to worry about creosote. Nobody here even knows what it is, and really the only time chimney fires happen is when you've done something really wrong for quite some time. Burning spruce and pine is absolutely fine.
I had my chimney tiles removed about 12 years ago after i evidently had a chimney fire but didn't know it until i had the chimney inspected. I now have a new stove in place, with a DOUBLE stainless flex-pipe connected directly to the stove. I brush the pipe out right before heating season. EPA certified Avalaon stove 2.0 emissions per hour. When i clean out the pipe i end up with about "HALF" of a coal bucket with very fine creosote.......it's all POWDER. Not bad for burning once heating season begins and until it ends, approx 2 1/2 cords wood per season, mostly the harder woods like red and white oak. I've been heating with wood for 42 years and i would never use wood such as pine....UNLESS i was really "desperate", but i have about 5 cords sitting and waiting right now. Good video!!
First wood I ever split was apple and it was the worst I've ever done. Twisted grain. Oak and maple and ash are my favorites, nice straight grain and high BTUs. I save the knots for the log splitter.