Splitting large rounds of wood without the proper tools !

pitdog

pitdog

Joined
Apr 13, 2007
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I guess that this info will be wasted on most here as many of you have been splitting wood for far longer than I have !!!

Anyway having been given some large rounds of super tough Maple and not having either a chain-saw or splitting maul I was at first perplexed as to how to break this down into usable sizes, this is what I came up with !

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Firstly I use my modest hammer to knock my gerber axe into the wood to start a split ( I had been trying to knock it in using my wooden batton and there is no way that was going to work !!!) it also helps if you knock the axe in where a fine split is already visible in the wood !
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Once the split is started I knock in a roughly made wooden wedge until the round splits in two, I then repeat this with each piece until they are the required size !
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Basic stuff but it had me scratching my head for a while !!!!:o
 
not good for your axe to beat on it with a hammer. Either get a heavier baton or put a piece of wood on the back of the axe and beat on the wood with the hammer.
 
wildmike said:
not good for your axe to beat on it with a hammer. Either get a heavier baton or put a piece of wood on the back of the axe and beat on the wood with the hammer.
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Man I tried all that stuff believe me,my hands were ringing but the axe was not moving without the help from the hammer !!! Check my previous Dumpster Mutt thread to see the massive batton I use, I might as well of used a pencil !!!!

The axe doesn't suffer much from the hammer, just make sure to wear some eye protection just in case !!!:thumbup:
 
I had to split A LOT of wood this summer, mostly pine and spruce, but some of it was 2' in diameter and I only had a <20" axe, and I ended up using two approaches.

If the round had an existing crack I'd start there, aim for the edge of the round instead of the middle, you wont get it on the first swing, or first few for that matter. 3-4 hits in the same ever widening crack usually spreads it across the middle, then you can just pry it apart with the axe stuck in.

Sometimes if you have a particularly stubborn piece that wont do the trick, in which case you've got to go for the edges, parallel with the grain, as though youre turning the round into a square.

just my $0.02
 
just buy a couple of steel wedges, not too expensive, three at most will split anything i have had to deal with.

alex
 
pitdog said:
Firstly I use my modest hammer to knock my gerber axe into the wood to start a split
Click to expand...

:eek::eek::eek::eek:



That log over on the left side of the photo was the "baton" used to get that tiny Vaughan started into that log.

Old Jimbo is that axe master. He is the one that made my recent axe mods possible. Lots of help from him there.

Also, just because you can't see the damage, does not mean there is none (talking about hitting that thing with a hammer). Most tools can handle it for a long time and show no effects, but then can have catastrophic failure. Don't you remember the Swamp Rat M6 Pipe wrench fiasco?
 
briangandrews said:
:eek::eek::eek::eek:



That log over on the left side of the photo was the "baton" used to get that tiny Vaughan started into that log.

Old Jimbo is that axe master. He is the one that made my recent axe mods possible. Lots of help from him there.

Also, just because you can't see the damage, does not mean there is none (talking about hitting that thing with a hammer). Most tools can handle it for a long time and show no effects, but then can have catastrophic failure. Don't you remember the Swamp Rat M6 Pipe wrench fiasco?
Click to expand...


I hear ya Brian, having worked at a coal mine for 17 years I have abused and improvised a lot of tools breaking plenty in doing so but if my cheap Gerber fails me tomorrow I won't lose any sleep over it as it's more than earned it's cost !!!:D
 
I know what you mean. Just make sure if one goes to the woods with you, it is well taken care of. Just in case you "need" it :thumbup:

BTW, did you learn anything interesting with the wooden wedge? Or did it just work right away the first time? I am asking because sometimes it can be a bit of an art. Different geometry based on different woods, and all that.

Rockywolf: I will see if I can dig up the old threads at the swamp and PM you. I don't want to get Pitdog thread too far off topic :D
 
On splitting large rounds I start on the outside edge and work my way around. You can split some large rounds that way with a axe.
 
I did something similar a few weeks ago when batonning my 12" Ontario through a tough piece of Oak. Got it stuck fast about half way through. Pounded a wooden wedge into the top of the crack and opened it just enough to free the machete. Batonned a little more, drove the wedge, etc. Walked right through it, and did it with a lot less stress to the blade to boot. Never underestimate the power of a wedge. :)
 
I split most wood with ax. Usually oak or maple. If you have a lot winters freezing helps. Make your self a big wood mallet to have around for pounding.
 
Thats pretty impressive for just a camp axe and an improvised wedge
Those Gerber/Fiskars axes are tough as nails and pretty cheap too. The Moras of the axe world.
 
For me, small axe and wooden wedges ARE proper tools. Therea are better, but these are good enough.
 
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