Ancient Technique to Split Firewood Without an Axe !

How to Split Firewood Without an Axe. This is a technique I would actually use, and surprisingly, it is not at all a gimmick.
Lots of folks don't bring an Axe or Hatchet Backcountry simply for safety reasons. Throughout my studies and experience in survival, I've heard of techniques like these but never really tested them.
#campinghacks #bushcraft #campfire
A few video sources Id like to mention are these:
@wildwaybushcraftuk - inspiration for the 2 cut method:
• Splitting Wood Without...
@RayMearsWoodloreLtd1983- for the single cut method:
• Ray Mears - How to spl...
@recall5811 Shawn Kelly - Corporals Corner - for another single-cut method:
• Split Wood With Your S...
Thanks for watching, and I hope this has helped.
If you'd like to support the channel, check out the gear I make and sell myself:
www.bearessentialsoutdoors.ca

[@TheBearEssentials]

Of all the “folklore” techniques..this one was my favourite and the only one I would practically use! …and yes that is a massive black fly bite on my face lol 😅 they were thick ! Hope you enjoyed, Your friend, DJ

[@pappysproductions]

Bigfoot was watching you from across the lake! 😮

[@jenhamilton]

Never seen this! Also works pretty well if you find a dead standing tree.... Cut/Chop or push down then Do halfcuts at intervals down then find two live trees a few feet apart and stick first top section in and use leverage to break. The leverage trick is great breaking something you couldn't break yourself and couple it with the saw trick (which is a cousin to this type) and it splits in half really well. Way less time, work and danger of the axe.

[@TheBearEssentials]

Great addition to this!! Thank you for sharing with everyone!

[@thanasiszisimopoulos3412]

Nice demo brother thanks for sharing.

[@TheBearEssentials]

Thanks for watching and the kind words brother!

[@camiloquiroga516]

Great video DJ, I was wondering how can you further split the halfs into quarters and so on to have wood easier to fire?

[@TheBearEssentials]

Good question! I stopped there at halves but will continue the hunt to see if I can find a way! (Aside from battoning)

[@AprilManno]

Fantastic tip👍..I did that with or something really similar in cooking before..I just need to recall what it was..getting old😊

[@TheBearEssentials]

Nice!! Yes it seems to work really well

[@SusieLovesJesus]

Thanks for the demo DJ 😃 Always tryin to help us out ☺️👍🏻

[@TheBearEssentials]

Always! Thanks for being here Susie, your comments always make my day!

[@Undomaranel]

"Two Cut Method" Might I recommend renaming it to something with "Z" to better describe where the cuts go and where the split forms? The Z Cut, Z Saw or Z Tap or something more creative? Great technique, thanks for making something consistently useful!

[@TheBearEssentials]

That’s a fantastic idea. I didn’t invent this so I can’t officially name it but I’m definitely going to refer to it as the Z cut now. That makes perfect sense!!

[@Brian_Chambers]

Another trick to add to the tool box, thank you, another informative video ☺️.

[@RedRyan]

This looks like a great technique for building things, especially if you need linking log type stuff

[@dobrofool]

Mind blown 🤯! Amazing and brilliant for a given situation! Thanks bro!

[@TheBearEssentials]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@journeyman7189]

Great tip and demo DJ Thanks Nate

[@mikeinthewoods2193]

Didnt know about this one. Thx DJ!

[@TheBearEssentials]

Ya im surprised it worked so well. Thx brother!

[@daiblaze1396]

Would have never thought of such techniques. Thanks for sharing!

[@dawns789]

Thank you for sharing this tip, Great Job! (While splitting wood once, a friends axe actually broke, the handle, & he improvised doing similar to what you did.) I'm grateful to you, thank you for showing us the steps!🙂

[@denisantoniazzi9844]

The real reason is actually to use your Bucksaw. The rest is a bonus! Awessome

[@TheBearEssentials]

Thx Denis!!!

[@peterhall2324]

Despite my early retirement I nòw think I wasted my life DJ - I missed out on so much fun that you did not!!!!! Well done buddy.😅

[@jasonacraft]

Thank you for something new!!! It's been years since I've had that experience

[@bushcraftbasics2036]

Great video, thank you.

[@TheBearEssentials]

Glad you liked it! thx for watching and commenting here!

[@daisiesndirt]

great video and a great technique!

[@TheBearEssentials]

Thanks a bunch for saying this! I'm glad it was useful to you!

[@latifaagius39]

Thanks again! I'm saving up for that forest 19" axe......

[@ooppen]

Super cool

[@TheBearEssentials]

Thank you! hope it helps

[@trustoldpaths1415]

The mood all changed from curiosity to discovery at min. 1.00 thanks to the music

[@Eindkaas]

Very cool technique, will definitely try this when I'm out in the woods again. Now it's got me thinking, how to make best use of the unique shape it creates in the logs, almost like a hanger or split stick deadfall trap.

[@TheBearEssentials]

Great idea! now this has me thinking as well haha

[@Eindkaas]

@@TheBearEssentials Haha nice, well if I end up figuring out something I'll let you know man. Keep it up out there

[@arthanor9631]

There's gotta be a way to use this when building a fire that uses the fact it can't slide/roll quite the same!

[@DiabloOutdoors]

Nice :)

[@EmeraldsFire]

Nice 👍

[@TheBearEssentials]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@BiggMo]

Good morning DJ. Nice hack

[@TheBearEssentials]

Mornin Mo!! Thx brother!

[@lt.davidy.8769]

赞！下次试试。

[@earndoggy]

That's awesome! I'll call it the bear split!

[@timtaler2826]

👍👍👍

[@johnsmalldridge6356]

It makes me wonder if an end cut and a side cut would work?

[@db.mc2]

Thanks DJ! 👊🏻👍🏻 Awesome tip! God Bless 🙏🏻 Appreciate you my friend 🫶🏻

[@TheBearEssentials]

Thx for watching!

[@randybeeson3424]

A better way to cut with the bow saw is to stand it on one end and move the wood up and down. The split is exactly like a promontory peg cut for trapping.

[@TheChurchOfPhakeKnewz]

👍👍👍👍👍😎

[@gautampandagre9013]

How to tie cylindrical object on bike?

[@Ehtizan-Editor-002]

Hey DJ, I just watched your video and I must say it's really helpful and well made. I was wondering if I could help you design your thumbnails for better CTR? Wanna try out a free one?

[@TheBearEssentials]

Sure, shoot me an email. [e-mail]

[@jeffcoxen1386]

Step cut, works good in removing limbs safely from a tree too.

[@Jameskeith1972]

Call it the Egyptian Lovers cut L-7

[@cprn.]

Alternate log ends while hitting it to get even split.

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

I can understand why an axe/hatchet might be too much for a lightweight pack, but why not just go with a strong, dependable fixed blade, with a full tang. A decent quality chef's knife with an 8" blade should hold up to baton work. Keep it sharp and it'll be suitable for a number of jobs, and then you've got the perfect knife for food preparation. There are so many good manufacturers that you'll always find something on discount - as long as it's a classic shape, full tang, (bolsterd) with riveted hardwood scales, and an ⅛" spine you should be good. Stick with European or American manufacturers and you'll get a knife that'll hold up to some abuse. You should be able to find something for $70 - $80. I don't know why outdoor enthusiasts don't consider chef's knives. They obviously don't look the part, but if you can get beyond that, and make a sheath, you'll have a dependable knife. (Usual things - clean and dry before sheathing and i can't see a downside).

[@TheBearEssentials]

Ya, just primarily teaching a new skill here, aside from batoning ofcourse,

[@jenhamilton]

He mentioned that at the beginning of the video.

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

@@TheBearEssentials Apologies if I wasn't clear - I definitely wasn't trying to criticise you or question your expertise. I was just trying to add to the discussion. As you'll no doubt agree with, people who enjoy the outdoors should think outside of the box, and be adaptable. If someone can break down their essentials to the bare minimum it's always a win. Carrying an axe, a hunting knife, a saw, and a utility knife isn't always possible...or desirable - I was just offering a possible alternative, IF it would work as a strong utility knife that could do baton work. It'd be great to see you test it with the breakdown bow saw. Take care ✌️

[@TheBearEssentials]

Great addition Ian!! Thank you for sharing that info !!

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

Hardwood/softwood doesn't define how hard or soft a wood is. Yew is a hard softwood, and Balsa is a soft hardwood.

[@jenhamilton]

Are there true classifications vs actual hard/soft? I have always heard the finger nail technique.

[@malt2380]

@@jenhamilton Yes soft is coniferous, which are year round green. Hard are deciduous, which grow new leaves after their fall shedding, and winter resting months. Coniferous usually have cones such as pine, and deciduous are flowering, such as apple down to oak.

[@TheBearEssentials]

Red pine has a janka hardness of 560 which is the first two logs I use. Paper birch is 910 - the 2nd two logs I try.

[@paddor]

Would have been nice to hear when you need to split wood. I never split my firewood and I camp in all weathers.

[@pappysproductions]

Be Extremely careful! This will attract BigFoot 😂

[@zackmcconnell7038]

Axes were made so we don't have to do this. Log splitters were made so we don't have to use an axe. Wood processors were made so we don't have to use log splitters.

[@EvoS76]

I use a froe.

[@TheBearEssentials]

Nice! do you make shingles?

[@EvoS76]

@@TheBearEssentials yes. I haven’t in a long time but when I was a kid I helped my grandpa build a woodshed. We took turns cutting the shingles out of cedar rounds. We used the froe and a large wood mallet that he’d made out of a round of hardwood. It was a pretty cool experience. I use it today to make shingles before turning them into kindling.

[@TestUser-cf4wj]

Okay, but _why?_ What's the utility of splitting wood this way? Short pieces for what? For fires? Just burn the whole round. For two foot long planks? For _what?_ i just don't see the point.

[@TheBearEssentials]

I suppose the same reason when you buy firewood it comes split, and not just logs. A basic scenario is if it’s raining, and you’re out backcountry camping. It’s very difficult to burn rounds this size in the rain, unless you already have a ripper going and don’t care about the energy loss of evaporating the water soaked outer layers to start burning the interior stuff.. Yes under the most ideal situations like a bonfire or dry weather you can toss in full logs and wouldn’t think twice!

[@TheBearEssentials]

Great question btw, I bet a lot of people had this top of mind, glad I got to address it!

[@adamsimonsen8076]

I automatically went to all my tools broke/lost except this here saw.

[@franki00]

I'm a bit of of context, but what are the "safety reasons" not to bring an axe?

[@TheBearEssentials]

Some folks aren't comfortable with using one backcountry. Injury like glancing off a log into their leg is a fear of some people and genuine risk.

[@franki00]

​@@TheBearEssentials Oh, I see now. Thank you for explanation. It does seem like a reasonable safety measure.

[@danielbustamante6249]

Awesome. Ill try it next time im in the sticks

[@TheBearEssentials]

Let me know how it goes!

[@marknthetrails7627]

👍✌🖖🥃

[@UrsaMajorPrime]

Try that with pine now.

[@TheBearEssentials]

The first two were red pine actually.

[@UrsaMajorPrime]

@@TheBearEssentials Ah, hrm, I'm from the west so no red pine, not sure how it splits compared to the firs, spruces and junipers we have out here - that cracked so easily I was surprised. I'll give it a whirl next time I've got logs about that size though. The physics are sound, but the sap infused and knot ridden wood we usually have available does lend an air of skepticism to my chances of success.

[@borttorbbq2556]

​@@UrsaMajorPrimefir pine and spruce are all quite similar this would work though id us a saw to start and use a rock as a wedge

[@Mike-dy8bq]

Why not just cut the log to the length you want instead of cutting half way in two different places? What am I missing?

[@TheBearEssentials]

The splitting of the log is the actual technique here, not just cutting the log into lengths. People split them to burn better campfires usually. It’s especially useful in rainy / winter environments

[@joot78]

Cutting lengthwise is much harder than cutting cross-ways. It's hard to balance a log vertically and get it to stay put while you would have to saw down the entire length of a log. This technique shows how 2 small cross-ways cuts can result in a lengthwise split.

[@PromasterHOF]

Thanks I just added something else to my list of totally useless information

[@azimcz]

Ancient - because saw was here before an axe 🤘

[@Bob-gn8ph]

❤John 3:16❤

[@Jesuswillbeback]

AMEN 🙌🙏🔥

[@undercoverasiant696]

Ramen!.

[@brilurz]

❤Romans 5:8❤

[@karlfonner7589]

Yeah right. Try it with a piece of oak.

[@alexandergutfeldt1144]

Well, then don't! Life is so much easier if you don't try to make it hard!

[@TheBearEssentials]

Hey Karl, I’m an experienced woodworker and am very familiar with the hardness levels of different types of woods. That’s why I first tried red pine, which has a Janka Hardness of 560, and then Birch in the video. Birch has a Janka hardness of 910, while red oak has about 1290. In theory, it will work on oak, too, but there was none available in this forest. You can also make these cuts and put the log in between two trees for leverage. In theory it should work there too. Cheers.

[@timkopp2204]

And the oak will still take three years to dry