Hand Splitting Firewood

[RI Chevy]

I hand split most all my firewood. Just curious if you split wood green or split it after it's seasoned?
I split all my wood when its freshly cut. Just what I have done for 40 years.
Thoughts?

 

[PJLink]

I try to split it as soon as i can, open it up and let it do its thing.

 

[RI Chevy]

Some firewood I split today. Maple, Ash, and Oak.

 

[CrystalRiver1]

View attachment 241915 View attachment 241916 View attachment 241917 View attachment 241918 View attachment 241919 Some firewood I split today. Maple, Ash, and Oak.

Great looking stash of wood.
I vary some...I always split some upfront and other logs later.
We've got a decent cool spell here, I'd better take advantage and let this southern heat do its thing on the splits.
I've got a good mix of black locust, pin & white oak.
Just got the Stump Shot modded MS 660 an "official new pull cord, new bar/chain!"
She's ready to ROCK & ROLL!!

 

[CR888]

I'll split either dry/green although what's the point waiting, green wood will season much faster split than kept in natures wrapping.

 

[Deets066]

Not bad hand splitting when it’s all a decent nominal size and just the straight wood.
The big knarly stuff and or elm is what I have a lot of. So I don’t do much hand splitting

 

[Kiwioilboiler]

I hand split some local Pururi hardwood for our elderly neighbours today. I love my Fiskars X27 for a bit of exercise.......what i don't love is the neighbours tree guy who top chopped the tree. Nearly every piece had branch stubs, and i'm pretty sure he was trying to put a bevel angle on every other piece because hardly any thing would sit flat on the splitting block......

 

[RI Chevy]

Big difference when cutting for firewood or cutting to just take tree down. I feel your frustration though.

 

[angelo c]

Jeff, can you add another "category" for us older guys?

I suggest : O are you fuggin nutz...I NEVER split by hand-Im too old fer dat.

 

[RI Chevy]

LMAO Come on Angelo. You look like an Olympic athlete compared to me. [emoji16]

 

[Redfin]

 

[Johnmn]

View attachment 241936

I use a tire as well with a big ol maple chunk under it.

 

[Wilhelm]

Oak, turkey oak, beech, hornbeam, ash - that is what I encounter and they all split much easier green and freshly bucked.

My theory is that the woods moisture helps crack the wood open when the ax's or maul's blade hits the round.

I split exclusively by hand with my dragon slayer ax.
I have about half a dozen axes, none gets the job done like my dragon slayer.

I'll get some pics up when I switch to my desktop PC.
I have a couple splitting videos up on YouTube.

 

[Kiwioilboiler]

Oak, turkey oak, beech, hornbeam, ash - that is what I encounter and they all split much easier green and freshly bucked.

My theory is that the woods moisture helps crack the wood open when the ax's or maul's blade hits the round.

I split exclusively by hand with my dragon slayer ax.
I have about half a dozen axes, none gets the job done like my dragon slayer.

I'll get some pics up when I switch to my desktop PC.
I have a couple splitting videos up on YouTube.

@Willhelm, do you have a pic or link for that ax friend? I tried to google it and got all kinds of fantasy BS.

 

[birdmeter]

i want to split when wood is frozen. but i split when i feel like it. splitting is good fun and gooooood for yeah. ima split some pecan friday for cookin this memorial day cook out.

 

[RI Chevy]

So the general consensus is split it green. I like it...

 

[Wilhelm]

@Willhelm, do you have a pic or link for that ax friend? I tried to google it and got all kinds of fantasy BS.

LOL
You don't like fantasy BS?

It is a nickname my ax got here on the forum.
You will not find any related results Googling "dragon slayer ax".

The ax style is called "bosanska sjekira", try Googling that as a key word.
It is an eastern European ax style, very common in my area.
By now I have four of these ax styles, but only my old faithful splits rounds effortlessly without even being the heaviest one in the bunch.
The other three axes I purchased in this head style are too narrow on their cheeks, I am in the process if customizing one head in hopes to get it to split wood like my dragon slayer ax does, if it works I will customize the other two as well.

I have a video featuring all four "bosanska sjekira" axes up on YouTube.

 

[Wilhelm]

@Kiwioilboiler

Comparison of four axes including my old faithful dragon slayer (the 1.8kg head).
40" handles on all except the 1.2kg head which has a 32" handle.

Fairly knotty green turkey oak, freshly bucked, random rounds so that every ax should have encountered a knot or two.

 

[Wood Doctor]

American elm and cottonwood are almost impossible to split when green. You have to wait until the end of the rounds check up and the bark starts falling off. Then they split rather well, but that's usually after sitting several months in the round. We live with it.

 

[Lightning Performance]

American elm and cottonwood are almost impossible to split when green. You have to wait until the end of the rounds check up and the bark starts falling off. Then they split rather well, but that's usually after sitting several months in the round. We live with it.

Green old white oak or red oak when soaked gets left to sit for two to four months in the summer. It will split easier imo. Sycamore is best left to season a year before swinging at it imo. I'm refering to to 24" plus and fresh cut live.
I split elm once... never again. It gets given away now. The knots and Ys get noodled in any wood type here.

If you must split in the fall or winter for next season and you have fresh or recently cut wet wood... move it to a shaded area covered and let it freeze first. Splits a whole lot easier imo. Been there did that. Black birch and black locust are just a mfer. They get noodled or left behind till next year. You can burn it green if not cut during the rainy season.