Wood Splitting Woman ONLY!
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- čas přidán 19. 02. 2015
- Ok gals here's a video JUST for you! I help out with hauling and splitting wood all the time and love it. As a gal we aren't as strong as our fellows so here is some TIPS to get the most from that swing and split that wood JUST as good as your guy!!
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This is awesome. I'm feeling braver already.
I notice how you Hit the wood dead on center, If you hit the edge of the wood, with half the Axe on the wood and the other half hanging off, you get a much easier split, because the edge is the weak part, and the middle is the strongest part, and it is also a work of the Rings involved, something to consider trying, It is much Much easier.
I agree, I go for the edge just as you describe, I have to as a very short quite light weight woman. The woman in the vid looks very tall so she can get more of a swing but for anyone hitting it in the middle just makes it harder on yourself.
Its so much more fun to split the wood, than to haul it. Good demo, well done
Sweet! I rather like that it is just for women and part way in a man jumps in and corrects her! Splain!
I’ve just run of explaining energy... I’m glad you enjoyed yourself outdoors. Keep it up
Another helpful hint on splitting wood is when you are making the downward swing and a split second before the splitting tool makes contact with the piece being split, tip the tool (axe or Maul) slightly to what ever side you are comfortable with, when it does make contact, the tool will slightly embed itself and then want to flip on it's side which increases the splitting force greatly as it is acting like a wedge plus a lever at the same time, also try to strike the piece being split on the portion closest to you, NEVER hit the direct center of piece as this is the portion that has the greatest resistance to splitting.
Nortekj Yea don't like the center...also aim for the crack... I have thought much about tipping to the toll to one side or another..i cant over think anything cause if I do I'll end up hurting myself! haha
Once you get the hang of it, you'll do okay. I have used wood as a heat source for over 50 yrs. and have cut and split wood in any manner you can name, after that long a time period, using various tools becomes second nature. Just keep focused on what you are doing and by all means, work smart and stay safe.
I was watching a video of an old timer and he did not put another round of wood underneath it he just put a piece of bark because what happens is the ground is taking the blow underneath that piece of wood you're trying to hit. I have not tried the bark technique, all I know is that the ashwood I have been splitting has been hard as nails. I've always had pretty strong arms and used to work out but it's nice to see another woman splitting wood. There's not going to be anybody else here to do it for me and I just got a chainsaw 8 lb maul and a twisted wedge. I use that wedge to start on the really hard wood and pound that in first. And you don't look like you're a real big woman so kudos to you! Good for you.
A permanently placed, SHORT chopping block does help, as the ground becomes compacted underneath and does not absorb as much impact, leaving more to split the wood. A solid stump can work as well.
2 tips
1. You can hit the piece on centerline, but hit on the near or far edge. If you hit in the middle, the piece absorbs the blow. Hitting on the edge (about 1/2 - 3/4 of the blade) sends all the energy into splitting, and the entire log doesn't soak up the blow.
2. Use a base. Use a shorter one, or I heard people saying to dig one into the ground.
When you hit on the edge or corner the force of the blow only goes one way when you hit closer to the middle the force goes two ways.
the ground is absorbing all of your swing.
using a block as a base is best even if you are weak.
if it takes more than 1 swing to split wood something needs to change or you are just wasting energy.
always have your legs spread shoulder width and shoulders square to the target. when swinging use your entire body. not just your arms.
bend your knees and pump your butt outward when swinging. your legs should straighten themselves out when finished the chop. let the kinetic energy do the work for you and you will put less strain on yourself and you'll notice you will be able to chop more wood faster and for longer.
make sure your splitting maul is moderately sharp too.
I use a tungsten carbide speedy sharp to peel the steel of my edges.
tips from a first nations off grid survivalist.
I think may people miss the point when splitting with a base. The point is to use a much larger piece with a larger diameter. It will have a greater mass and provide a much firmer base. A piece of wood of a similar size to the one you are splitting does nothing for you.
that was my first thought, 30 seconds in and i had to stop..can not stand someone telling another they are doing something wrong..they have had no proper training in....watching another or a video IS NOT PROPER TRAINING>.. Split wood and school by loggers etc since I was 8..39 years.. you use a block BIGGER than the wood you are splitting... you split wood touching the ground...you forfeit all that energy..the ground causes the wood to bounce..2nd.. you are setting your self up for injury this way.. when you split the way she says...you 1)over extend 2) risk the edge going through the soft outer area in your lower leg or foot 3) lower back injury..and for those saying but she is not hurt.. she is splitting one of the softer woods there is... the Proper way: Block / piece to split / lay the cheek etc on it with it in hand.. to the middle of the piece.. this allows you to get your proper distance / and you split along the outside as if you are peeling it..and work the outside off and then the core.. .you also heft from one side or the other, NEVER over your head... if you are doing it right... you actually can go all day and not break a sweet.. finally ...one you do hit.. the blade bit ( beard ) needs to be cocked a lil to either side.. why?? when you impact it forces the wood apart as it splits in...hitting it straight down acts like a wedge to catch... tilt a lil and you get a good split... a company actually sells a splitter now designed to do this,,, w/o twisting the handles.... finally you aim for the bottom with your force.. aim for the top and your energy will stop there.. hit that thing as if you are hitting the bottom first and look what happens..
I agree with all of you gentlemen. I own a small logging outfit with my grandfather and heat using only wood all winter.
i have split for 30 plus years and you can have your splitting block, i have tried it both ways and can split way more efficiently on the ground. if you are to weak to control the maul to keep it from hitting yourself you have no business using one. i played a lot of softball and its no different than splitting wood and hitting the ball halfway through your swing is not where your best power is and it is no different splitting wood.
not all swings work the same for everyone to generate power or efficiency, if you have watched baseball at all its very apparent.
A tip..Try letting your left hand slide down the end of your handle on your down stroke. End up like you are holding a baseball bat, with your hands together. You'll gain a lot more force. At least it did for my wife! If the ground is soft it absorbs the force of your hit if you don't have a piece underneath... a lot of wasted energy. Solution, cut a short piece to stand your wood on, or get a taller wife:).. Using a tire was the best thing I ever learned on CZcams about splitting wood. I give you a lot of credit for working like that
You rock woman ! Thank you for the encouragement!
Been doing this 40yrs.Didnt need a man to show me.I worked it out for myself.It ain't rocket science.Hit it like you mean it.Its not gonna split if you tap it
Beautiful job, Starry. :) Samantha over here felt very accomplished when she was able to split up wood and make a fire. She enjoys knowing that she holds the ability of making the house warm without me.
I beat! All woman need to know that things like splitting wood isnt just a guys job, we can do it too...and make the fire as well. A skill we all need to be sufficient at! Tell Samantha..way to go girl!!
Try to let your left hand slide all the way down the handle, to meet your right hand, at the end of the handle, just as you make contact with the wood. This will greatly reduce the concussive force on your left wrist and hand. You won't feel you gave the hand strength for this right away, but you can develop that quicker than you think. Just a few weeks of sore hands will be worth it long term.
I've taken to getting the axe in the wood pretty well in a good location and then when I lift the axe, the wood is still attached. I then lift the whole lot and bash the wood back onto the block (which is half as high as yours, as are the logs I'm chopping) then the log tends to split with one or two whacks. I'm short and light so looking for techniques that suit my body capabilities
IMPRESSED!!!
Thanks! This is what I’ve been doing, but didn’t know if it was the best way. Plus you gave me a couple extra tips too!
Dog coughing in the background was hilarious
Starry, you are so cool and so funny. You're my off grid hero!
Great advice hun =) Great job! ..... A little tip from the Ozarks if I may .... Take one of those tires in the background and place your wood upright with sides touching inside it =) It keeps the wood snug and prevents falling etc so you can just work your way around it till all is split THEN toss them to the side ;) Have a great day
Thanks for the advice..never tried that but every little bit helps!
Ozark Cottontop I used to struggle with splitting, being an older man. I tried your advice and, gee, so much easier. No bending over all the time to re position. Thanks.
Ozark Cottontop , The tire trick is so cool! I have seen it, awesome. That is the worst to keep standing the wood back up.
Gail Pugsley I tried it too, works great. Granny knows best.
Another thing that's restricting the power of the maul is your left had is 1/2 way up the handle throughout the swing. When you bring the maul down, your left hand should slide toward your right hand. I can't paste links into my remarks (I guess CZcams doesn't allow it). Search CZcams for "how to split wood with a maul" for a better description and video. They're "gender neutral".
Thank you so much! Just what I was looking for :) much appreciated
I normally use a short cut piece as a splitting block, or the trimmed down stump. It makes splitting easier, and keeps the maul out of the dirt. I now have a giant 16" section of 6"x14" OSB beam, a cutoff from a construction site. It's not good to burn the glue in it, but it makes a great block to split on, and doesn't split when hit too much like a 6x12 wood beam cutoff can.
A gas splitter is nice for the knotty stuff and to not wear yourself out too quickly if trying to get it all done at once, but I still used the monster maul to split a cord of our 10 cords this year.
I’ll yell when I’m splitting and hope my neighbors don’t call an ambulance...lol!
Girl I would have to buy a wood spliter.
I am no woman but I am impressed with the one on this video! Well done Madam!
Chuck
splitting wood is hard work for either man or woman,good job
Thanks Chuck! Its pretty fun splitting wood...better then hauling it!
Fensterfarm Greenhouse i
I chop big pieces on the ground and smaller ones on a block. Someone below mentioned that you could bury the chopping block partially in the ground so it's not so high. As i commented below, the key is not to have the wood "bouncing" so you lose the energy of your swing. I also like to wrap my splitting block in old conveyor belt or mud flaps to hold the wood upright, of course this would not work for pieces that are larger than the splitting block but then you wouldn't want to lift those anyway.
she's using a maul, it's not an axe as some have stated below...and she's muscling it and not using enough momentum when she comes down and making it more work than it needs to be.One hand is firmly gripped at the bottom and the and the other lightly at the top right under the head...as you come down with it you slide your top hand down to your bottom hand, this gives a lot more speed /splitting power.It's the manly way of doing it but it is less work than muscling it.
that's a really good tip. A stump is okay sometimes, but usually not, and if so, preferably a short one. I think it's more about leverage than using your whole body.
Theres some really good stuff in this video, especially working around the growth rings for harder wood. Ive seen some content creators whi just do wood splitting not know that. Kind of funny.
Forget the maul; get a couple splitting wedges and a nice small sledge hammer depending on your strength 5-10 pounds, and it is a hell of a lot easier/quicker than the maul. Take care.
JAD1225 Everybody is stealing my answers! Your method is what works for me, too.
She's doing just fine, and it's better than the gym... For any of us.
You're good ! Cute Nija turtle too, and you're right gotta have fun too ! They should have used you in the movie Titanic as Rose, in the recuse scene. You're really good with that ax, hitting the precise spot very time !
Girls,(guys too actually) get a fiskars splitting ax. Light, sharp and unbreakable, yet splits wood amazingly well. best $50 I ever spent
You're hitting gravel and dirt with the axes edge when you split it on the ground, the edge will have to be constantly sharpened for it to be efficient, sit the wood up on another piece so you wont have to be resharpening the axe all the time, if you swing the maul the way it was intended to be swung then you wont be using as much energy splitting the wood. Bring it up above your head and let the weight of the maul do the rest. Slide the hand closest to the head of the maul down towards the other hand to hit the wood with the full weight of the maul and then some. Heavier mauls are the easiest to use, no force needed other than raising it up above your head, and maybe a little when you're swinging it downwards.
Also don't try to split "down the middle" Slab it off around the sides. I grew up in Sandpoint, and when young, we skidded, bucked, buzzed, threw, hauled, stacked, split, and carried more wood than I ever want to see again. I'm 68, with bad shoulders, will never do this again.
Turn the wood sideway and lay it on the block. Cut a descent chopping block so your wood won't roll around. You are chopping with the grain so pick the shortest distance through the wood. Hint, it is not through the cut end... Provided you hold on to the axe tightly you should not bounce or glance off. It is not about power, it is about control. No one can push a splitting maul through a junk of wood. Axe speed and head weight is key, not grunt power. Wood splitting is a work smart not hard type of job. Do not turn the head of the axe over, yes it makes an easy split, but you risk breaking the handle. When you have to pay for a new hickory or fiberglass handle you won't turn the axe over again. You are right to let the maul do all the work. Paul Bunion behind you needs to shut up and let you split the wood. If you hurt yourself, it is because he is distracting you. You will learn in time what is good for you, good luck and stay warm.
Split that wood girl, awesome job lol. All kidding aside it's a skill you need to know, what if your husband got hurt and wasn't able to split the fire wood? Debbie and I do everything together too from splitting and stacking fire wood to working in the garden. If one of us gets hurt or sick the other doesn't have to learn the others chores, we already know them. She's not a big fan of the chainsaw though and I'm not much of a cook lol.
Yes good advice. As a couple ..I think its great when we can share these things just in case something does happen to the other. I too love cooking and not a real big chainsaw fan..but as long as we help each other out I think it helps our relationship!
Good job!
I agree chopping wood is so much better than hauling it and stacking it .
Julie Shepherd YESSSS don't get talked into hauling it! YUCK!!
That dog had a hair ball or something at :25. Then hacked of camera at :57. I don't think I'd have much luck getting my wife out there splitting wood. You're doing well. Nice job!
+Happily Retired Mark Haha dont know what Sprig was up to!! to funny though!! I like to split...but only the easy stuff..as you see i have the human splitter so Im set!!
lol..hi-yah!! love the ninja turtle wood splitter!
+Roxyie CuroneWhhhooyaaaa there she be!
Good Job.. Try this.. Don't aim for the center of the log for the first hit... Hit the furthest edge, and try to hit the maul half on the wood and half off.. In other words, let the force of the maul focus on a smaller area.. Half of the maul sinks in the edge and that gives you a deeper cut, which splits more and deeper... You might break a handle or two to start off with, but, it will be much, much faster.. Now, saying that.. Try it to begin with on the close side.. Not as effective, but, you can increase the effectiveness, if you keep a short stump for a chopping block.. You want to hit the wood and continue down into the wood, and not let the arc take the maul out of the wood and into the dirt.. You'll know if it is not tall enough or too tall.
In blacksmithing, we are trying to "Squish" or move the metal.. We put the metal on the edge of the anvil, and use half hammer blows.. Makes a big difference.. The same swing on the face of the anvil would take 5 times as many hits to accomplish basically the same thing.. Cheers..
Starry you are just freakin awesome . God bless you and mr. Hilder
If you take a longer swing, you'll build up more speed. Learn to start the swing completely behind you. I taught my 'ol lady to swing like that. I taught her to clean fish, dig worms, seine minnows, and skin squirrels before she left me.
Jerry Collins thanks..and sorry that your wife left you:(
Starry Hilder Yeh......She didn't want to learn how to change the oil in my truck.
I am also only 5,3. I've spent the last 15 years splitting wood about 13 cords a year I use a 10 lb splitting maul with a short to the ground No taller than about 6 in as my splitting block then put my wood on top of it and split it works out pretty good.
You're doing a great job but, if you cut a lower block to put them on, say about 6 to 8" in your language and cut the tree into shorter lengths, say 10" instead of 16" it'd be a lot easier. They'd split easier because they were shorter, and seeing as you are both talking about power, you'd lose less power into the soft ground. You'd cut heaps more. And put your gloves back on. ;-)
I wish you're my neighbor, I would loan you our log splitter. We are not burning firewood this winter, we had so much firewood in our sideyard. Winter here in Ohio is probably not at cold as yours in Idaho esp. you live up in the higher elevation. I do enjoy watching your videos. Thanks for sharing.
-Bel in Ohio-
Ahh that's sweet..but heck we actually enjoy splitting the wood. Keeps us in good shape. We have neighbors who have live in Ohio! They have a seasonal cabin up here by us! As far as our winters..No no no we don't have actually the cold..we have mild winters! That's why we moved from the Midwest to here! I have been running biking and paddling for almost a month now. We only skied for 7 weeks then the snow melted away and still no bitter cold.....:))) Thanks for the wood splitter offer..though! You'd make a good neighbor!!
nice job!
totally agree on the chopping block.
On the down stroke slide the choked up grip down to the hand at the end of the handle. Watch where you set the wood. On the rocks makes for dull ax when it finally splits thru. For smaller pieces a ytuber puts chunks in a tire all together. I never tried it. I personally planted fast growing silver maple and some Chinese grass(bamboo). I am eyeballing rocket heaters for heat . I will chop the maples down at some point and let them bush out. I will harvest limbs rather than using logs which can be used for structures anyway. I never cut a live tree anyway. Solid dead trees chunked can be piled near and chopped when freezing(easier) to add to any fire. The rocket heater idea sized down will make great summer cooking and canning outdoors with minimal wood. House design/use can also save in winter ie: much like your outsided your fridge. Flat screens, smart phones, composting, rocket heaters...change the common living room, kitchen ...and even how you run your plumbing so you can adapt the same living ares as the season changes. Diet also is huge difference in certain places.
Mauls are better for splitting on the ground because of their lomger handle. Splitting axes usually have shorter handles that improve accuracy. I have a maul, a splitting axe, an axe, a sledge hammer and wedgesd... just to suit the wood and the situation, making the job as light as possible. Maybe that maul is too heavy...
Your good at that. I can never hit the same place twice
Wow you rock on this :)
Hi Starry, now that's a gym I would love to join. I can wait till me and my hubby get our piece of land. We order our maul axe. But they told us its on back order till march/April. Do you guys also split kindling? Rosie & Ryon
Rosie and Ryon, we use a small ax to split kindling when its in the house. Maybe a little barbaric for most peoples taste since we split it right on our concrete floor..but we usually don't bother to split a lot of kindling up its usually already small enough ( we pick pieces of scrap 2x4's at the dump for kindling so we have gotton lucky) And yes it is a nice little gym work out. Gets the blood flowing! When are you guys getting your land??
Great videos and tips! One thing I noticed is your left hand is choked up half way on the handle when you strike the log. What I do as I'm swinging the axe down to meet the wood I will slide my upper hand down to meet the hand at the end of the handle , giving much more leverage. Try Sliding your left hand down to meet your right just as the axe makes contact with the log. You don't need much strength it's all in the leverage and you conserve much more energy as the axe will be doing most of the work! =)
Harry Ballzack Thanks!!
great video...you go girl!...no need for the overbearing "man-splain"...dude go change the differential oil in your truck
Great tip on having the wood lower, but, I saw a video on putting the wood inside an old tire to save on the handle in case it gets chewed up.
John D You can do the tire method..it works..but it slows us down. We like to stand the wood up and just go from one piece to another..bam bam bam. My husband can split alottttt of wood without wasting time with a tire. Its all about getting the most done fast. Not sure about the handles getting chewed up...ever have that problem? We havent..and we split ALOT of wood..its out only source of heat:)
The reason for placing it on chopping block is to stop the ground from absorbing the impact. basic engineering.
cut a lower chopping block. rookies
i never use a block simple reason the best part of your swing is at the end, i am currently cutting a lot of 30 inch white oaks and i am splitting them in 3 minutes. the block is a joke.
@@waynejohnson9855 You can't say the block is a joke, the block is a fact. Always has been, always will be. Basically you are saying you prefer to do it the hard way. Good, your getting your oak done in 3 minutes, that's a great time, the awesome news is, that if you do it the right way, it will be even faster!
@@JustaSimplefact i have tried all the gimmicks as i call them to make it easier believe me and by the time you set it on the block i have it split. all my wood is split in the winter so the ground is froze, i do 100 full cord a year so telling me me something is a fact is laughable.
The block method works great for uncompacted soil, areas where there is debris, etc. It comes down to the power stroke sinking into a fixed piece of wood, instead of the wood sinking into the ground with each stroke. If you must take a full power stroke, use a wide base of wood that is only 8 or so inches thick. It will keep the log to be split from sinking into the ground.
@@waynejohnson9855
Just saw this vid today. No block needed..
"Split Firewood On The Ground!, No Stumps,
No Flat Ends or Splitting Axes, Axe Cut Wood"
czcams.com/video/WABo_CvBdMg/video.html
She's doing great, that's a good work out as well, and that does us no harm at all...
how about cutting a slice about 6' thick and using that as a base for sitting the piece being split on?
Starry. I recently came across some great videos on unusual wood splitters like " Invention for Chopping Firewood!" by amazingvideos. Only 51 second video, but great to watch. It is so quiet! Someone commented on another video that one could use an engine hoist to make a splitter.
+Gail Pugsley Thank you dear will check it out!!!
I could be delerious but, overswing-ing the maul and hitting the ground equals dull and burred up head. This results in having to take several hits. At one part of the video the head bounced right off the wood - no or little penetration- I have had the same happen to me because the head was dull. Not criticizing - just an observation from what I have experienced as well.
I am here because of Steven from Skillcult.
You need a lighter maul, just swing it faster. And a bigger diameter block to make sure the log is seeing the force not the ground......
Our house close on the 25th. The money we made is for our land. We may be flying out to Sand Point in April to look at land. We never been there. We are stepping way out of our comfort zone. hopefully before September, when the next economic crash happens. We think this one is going to be very interesting.
Rosie Lee NICE ! Have you then been here? you said flying to look at the land? Is this so far site unseen??
Rosie Lee Am wondering...the rest of the story...Jan. 3, 2020
Dig a hole and put a big log in the ground and then split logs on to of it. Not level with your chest.
+JOHN WALTER That's a great idea, keep it low to the ground and that eliminates any energy absorption that soft or wood chip covered ground might cause.
SHHH, don't tell everyone... lol
Starry is going to need our help, she has been in a bad accident. Details are here: www.gofundme.com/starryhilder
A GoFundMe page was started on her behalf. Even $1 would go a long way to help her during this crisis in her and her family's life. I created an email address that I will share with Starry and her family, they will receive 100% of the proceeds by using this address. I have listed the address at the hospital where you can send cards or care packages on the GoFundMe page if you prefer send something through the mail, just so everything is in one central location. Starry has a daytime job as a nurse and needs our support to help with bills and running her homestead while she is recovering. As you all know she also contributes immensely to her homestead's upkeep and her contribution will be missed. If everyone donates only $1 it will go a long way to help her keep things running.
If you can't donate but still want to help, here is a poster you can print and share: tinyurl.com/j988m54
Here is a link to an update video she posted yesterday: czcams.com/video/4Til0Cj-yKc/video.html
Thank you for anything you can do to help.
What kind of ax are you using?
Argh!!! I can NOT do this!!!
Every now and then I try a little more, but I'm so bad at it!
I think our maul is a little bigger than yours and I'm only 5' 2"
I have the hardest time hitting the same spot twice in a row!
But I have a bottle jack mounted on a rail with a wedge at the other end.
It takes longer perhaps but I still get it done ultimately.
I suppose the bottom line is that if we have enough wood to make it through winter then its not a fail, is it?
+Fenikkusuuk Dont worry...just keep trying..:)) I do that sometimes to..it just takes practice
I've seen another woman set the wood on a piece of stone like 4" thick so the wood wouldn't be to high but still had a hard surface
No way! Every time the maul hits it.... Yikes! MORE gray hair..... and MORE days off my life.....
Starry...you look a lot healthier and somewhat heavier here. I am sorry about your divorce. It changes everything in our life. Best wishes into 2020.
what kind of wood is that
@.52 secs "you wanna hit that crack as hard as you can"
either that or buy a log splitter
I could watch you split wood all day!
Man here... the idea of putting it on another piece of wood is to allow the force of the splitter into the wood instead of the ground. I understand the stroke thing... but if you were splitting on top of level bed rock... you would blow through that wood much better! He should be splitting and you hold the camera!!! LOL!
George Adams the way she swings she'll split the rock too. she has no control. her husband's probably no better.
Gotta make noise love it
We would have an issue if I found my wife splitting wood and dropping the maul in the gravel on every swing.
Kdan Frew That why he gives me the old one..then I can swing and he doesnt care as long as I chop the wood!
You GO, girl! Are you related to Wonder Woman or what, lol??
Log splitter
Haven't read most comments but, it didn't seem to me that she heard the guy talking. Every one of the swings were all arm. The tool wasn't doing the work. Harder wood and it would have bounced or made a sponge out of the top.
ide like to see her try to chop oak or ash
Girl power!
+Michelle Scott Yes we girls do rock!!
Yo GO girl!!!!! :) :)
Well I know I couldn't do it ..I'll use a gas saw. It's great you can do it. When you have those end cards up I can't read anything that you have popping up. Blessings!
. I believe there is no such "logging for women and logging for men". The technique is the same. If women don't have enough strength, keep on trying that one day the strength will come, once our bodies get stronger every month when we put it to some effort.
And my suggestion is to strike with a narrow grip. Wide grip is easier to get the ax hitting where we aim, but the narrow grip (holding with both hands together at its tip end) makes a stronger hit.
I tell my Wife this when she tells me I should do some physical chore because I'm stronger. I tell her I got strong by doing things that were difficult and with time, they get easier.
Larch is a softer wood. I can't split the wood we have here, i/e oak!
+Debora Tessman-Mc Kenna yes oak is tough! but larch is right up there with the oak in BTU's. so not bad for a soft wood. thanks for watching.
i split some pecan or something like it today wore me out !!!!!
It's better to hit the edge of the wood first with the edge of the axe hitting the edge,
By placing that wood on the ground, you're driving the blade of your maul right into the dirt and gravel every time you swing. About the only way you could do a better job of ruining the blade than that is if you were to try chopping up engine blocks!
She needs to work on the swing but what a Girl ☺
I started splitting wood in 1957, a double bit axe is 10 times better then a mall. But you have to know how to twist the axe just when it hits the wood. When you use a splitting block you lose your power. When i swing a double bit axe my feet leave the ground, this is the kind of power i put in to my swing. Then when the blade hits the block of wood i put a little twist in the handle of the axe, my father taught me how to do this. I have never seen anybody else do this, then i ran in to the video of the girl thats splitting wood bare foot. Watch it, watch the double bit axe twist just when it hits the block of wood, shes been taught how to use the double bit axe and she does it very good. I've had many contest splitting wood against a powered wood splitter, its not even a contest, i always beat hands down. A powered wood splitter is just a reason to get a few guys together to drink beer.
Glad to see a woman chopping wood :)
I would try a shorter stump. You are losing energy by setting the piece of wood on the soft ground. Plus your axe is hitting dirt which will dull it much faster. Also you can lay the log on its side, prop on side up on a smaller log ( also on it side) and hit the elevated side and it’s splits like magic. It’s much safer and and you can get a full swing. Sounds silly I know, just started using this laying down method a few weeks ago from a different video I saw in YT. It’s nice and so much more safe!! Good luck to you.
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quit using " because I'm a women" excuse. splitting wood isn't about strength,technique is the answer. Watch the bare foot girl splitting wood.
go girl..
I split wood with my shoulder using a maul for at least 10 years before I realized I was destroying my shoulder and then I am looking at a total shoulder replacement or monthly cortisone injections or both. The cost of a hydraulic wood splitter is around $1000.00 and the cost of a total shoulder surgery is around $50,000 plus pain and suffering. Do the math and go buy a good hydraulic wood slitter powered by a Honda engine.Nice job with that maul.
vermeea1 wow thats too bad on the shoulder! So far our shoulders are all good!!! But as a nurse I know the cost of surgery...:( Future purchase...wood splitter:)
Starry Hilder I notice you called it a maul...As someone who worked in the timber industry ,a maul is a wooden headed hammer .it has a round head reinforced with steel rings. We used mauls to hammer wedges and hooks into logs .What you have is what we called a log splitter ,and it was struck with a maul .
Traditionally the log splitter was used for making fence posts, railroad ties ,beams for building etc. I would use an axe for splitting the wood. Well... I used too ,50 years ago. now I use electricity. LOL!.
haha ..i only know how to split it...the technical terms are beyond me!!:))
Starry Hilder Keep watching and get a deal on a slightly used one. I know you DIY, but your time is still valuable. A splitter will pay for itself the first season.
Hit the edge instead of the center.
Hit it like you HATE IT!