Hand Split Firewood the Easy Way

Efficiently splitting firewood from tree rounds just requires some know-how and a bit of self control. And a splitting maul. Don't use your hands.
Fiskars Splitting Maul: amzn.to/41wNrzn
I try to post videos of homesteading/farmsteading things that I've learned over the years, especially when I haven't seen any other homesteaders post videos similar to what I'm doing. If you have specific requests, let me know.

[@djrtime1398]

Excellent video, it has 100% convinced me to drive to Tractor Supply, walk past the splitting mauls and get that 30 ton Champion power log splitter. Thank you for shining a light and the inspiration.

[@joshuastacy7564]

Eh.... Little personal satisfaction in a motorized splitter..

[@djrtime1398]

@@joshuastacy7564 splitting wood is a lot like riding a bicycle. If doing smaller amounts for the occasional fire in the fireplace, then yes, it’s like that scenic bike ride through the country. But if doing day in and day out heating a home all winter, then it’s like riding a bike to work day in and day out…it gets very tedious knowing how fast, efficient and comfortable driving a car would be.

[@cactiguide]

@@joshuastacy7564 I burn 10 cord a year and have a 37 ton splitter. I have no ego to stroke, but I do have a home to heat through a Minnesota winter. The satisfaction is having all your wood cut and stacked by the furnace before the snow flies. I also use a chainsaw to cut, but I'm sure you'd be happy to cut down trees using a hand saw.

[@bear9923]

Words usually spoken by a person who goes through 3 face cords of firewood per year not by someone using 15 loggers cords per year. lol @@joshuastacy7564

[@sherrym5556]

@@cactiguide HA! I hear ya!

[@CounTreeGuy]

I can’t even believe this. I almost stopped watching in the beginning because I thought it was bologna. I actually went outside and tried this on some real nasty wood I have. It’s literally half the effort. UNBELIEVABLE. Possibly twice the swings but half the effort. Good work, thanks for sharing.

[@zoeaionios7572]

Dude, you've taken me to the next level of work smarter not harder.

[@tesoro2250]

Brute force and ignorance is how I split wood

[@LarryVarner-zq5zd]

Yeah, but your Heart is still Pumping. Think about your Heart. ❤

[@MissAngela007]

😅

[@joshuatremper5026]

@LarryVarner-zq5zd Yeah but I don't have time to think about the heart because a stupid piece of wood has a mile long knot and doesn't want to split

[@jondor654]

Brute force and knowledge here .

[@ngf5077]

Based on

[@SkillCult]

I split almost all of my wood on the ground. That thing about the ground absorbing energy I find to be much more theoretical than actually a problem in real life. I tend to use solid ground when available, but it isn't really necessary. I find wood is easier to split at that lower level than up on a block plus no lifting, and no putting the maul down and picking it back up. I used to use splitting blocks, but gradually just quit for efficiency's sake. So much less work involved. Also, you can split anywhere, no moving the wood to the block or vice versa, just wade in and start splitting.

[@francismccabe3265]

Agreed. Never waste time or energy hoisting a log up on top of another. I burn 24" lengths, so a 30" diameter wet oak log can approach 500 lbs. Velocity and momentum of my 8 lb maul is greatly increased, and I can usually blow apart a 24" diameter log 1 to 3 hits. If it does not start to split by 3 swings, I use a wedge and sledge. Spit 14-1/2 cords this way during the COVID vacations in 2020. Still giving that wood away to my neighbors and friends.

[@ar1701]

@@francismccabe3265 lol 2 foot by 30 inches = 500 pounds huh DAM !!! im strong !! and 73 by the way.

[@johndegaray383]

I split my small diameter logs on a block but anything larger than a foot or so, I will just leave on the ground so I don’t have to lift it up and place it over and over

[@MaderaByWolf798]

@@ar1701 according to my log weight calculator. A red oak round 30" in diameter and 24" long would be about 619 lbs. For comparison, sugar pine would be about 511 lbs, and red cedar would be about 275.

[@Jimbo878]

That's just incredible!, as I was watching this, the "logic" of your technique just made absolute sense, first I've ever seen this method, all credit to you for passing on this knowledge, and you weren't out of breath at the end of it 😮

[@angel8fingers]

This would have made my life a lot easier two years ago! That being said, I have two more oak trees to take down that I will be much less stressed about, thanks man!

[@rdzhang]

I have been split logs for a few years, starting from edge to the center, but I never walk around. What you did is quite creative! You follow the rings of wood. It looks fun too. I will try. Greatly appreciated.

[@VzRyder55]

i have been splitting wood with my maul wrong for the last 10 years, seeing the crack, hammering the hell out of it, picking up the half that fell and doing it all over again. ohhh man my back will thank you for this amazing video!!!!!!!!!

[@hotpoker4212]

You should always keep d knot on the bottom,🇨🇮🇨🇮

[@hotpoker4212]

That round is made for a wedge in the middle,to split in half

[@ScreamPotato]

Holy smokes, think you've changed my life! Thanks for the vid.

[@StefanMalic]

Thanks Jeff! I watched this video a while ago, but to be honest, I forgot about it. Yesterday I came across it again and decided to put it into practice, and it made a huge difference! So thanks for that and thanks for the no BS teaching style as well!

[@earnestbass4043]

Great video and excellent pointers. We split a lot by hand, and I’ll certainly use your technique. We split in the winter, when the woods frozen. Splits a lot easier.

[@CounTreeGuy]

All the negative comments here are either from guys too hard headed to imagine there may be a better way or are spoiled by nice species to split. I’m a tree guy and I heat my house 100% with wood. I also split it all by hand. I use all species, shapes, and sizes and have used every method I’ve seen. This is hands down the best I’ve seen (and tried) for tough splitting wood. As for putting it up on a block, yeah that’s extra unnecessary effort if you’re just blasting through easy splitting wood but for this method its obviously needed.

[@candicemeyers7585]

You made this look so easy! Work smarter not harder!

[@toddsecki]

I am impressed. The most efficient technique for manual splitting. Wish I knew this before i started using a hydraulic splitter.

[@alexanderebersberger4650]

And just 11 Minutes for 1 round of oak, incredible.

[@lewis2553]

Gee, thanks, dude. I gotta get me one of those splitting mauls one day. I've been splitting wood by hand since the early 70s. Today I split a couple of big pieces of pecan. I have a few pieces that are around two and a half feet across to split soon. Yesterday, I split the piece from the main fork of the tree using a 4 lb wedge, a 5 lb wedge, a cross wedge, an 8 lb sledge hammer, and a double bit axe. It was a lot of work but fun, too. I like to talk to my wood and my tools like, "Oh, a wise guy!", or, to the wedges when they jump back out, "I'm gonna beat you with a hammer, if you don't get in there and split that wood!" My favorite saying to the wood reminds me of my mother telling my brother, "I'm gonna bust you open" (if you don't, blah, blah, blah, . . .) 😂😂

[@thepredatorhunter50]

Hey Jeff, that was more than educational-it was fun to watch. Few folks make time spent viewing worth it, let alone profitable *I have three HUGE maples awaiting me outside that had to be dropped for safety reasons* your video helps me turn them into about 2 years of warmth for my family.

[@michaellangevin3943]

rent a splitter.

[@robindegu7294]

i'm thankful for your video. both the explainers, the camera work, and demonstration.

[@alex0797524]

Seeing the knots at the very end was worth the wait. This is a great technique. I was ready to start at the center, but thank you for saving my back. You’re the only video that talks about chipping off the outer edges first and working around the log. Thanks!

[@bryn494]

Watching this makes me soooo thankful for my log splitter ;)

[@superalex2002]

Whoah! Great aim brother. Thanks for sharing this technique

[@davidfenton3910]

Thx for the upload, lovely little vid, showed me something I didn't know.

[@toddmartin3617]

Great video! Thank you for saving me alot of wasted effort.

[@tumelomaneli5052]

Wow, you make it look so easy. Lesson learned, this is the best video I've seen thus far.

[@donnafoster2022]

I see a Father’s Day gift in my husband’s future. He always says you can never have too many tools-which is why I have my own set too! PS. I love your sense of humor.

[@familymanof6169]

Jeff, I just had to pick my jaw up from the floor. For a 66 year old man who has split a few cords of wood in my day this was just unbelievable. I was one of those who struck it like you demonstrate at 3:05 of your video. All brawn, very little technic or brain were used. Thank you sir for an exceptionally educational video!

[@privatear2001]

Great video. I do something similar with a fiskers x27 axe. And I can really chop down the big ones fast. I probably do up to 18 or 20 inches easily with this type of technique. I work my way around and usually the wood splits out as I'm going, but if not I just continue the walk around. Wood seems to split better in winter when everything is frozen, of course. The smaller axe head doesn't wind me out quickly like a bigger maul axe would do. Fiskers makes the best axe (in the x27) as far as I'm concerned but you do have to worry about kickback sometimes or glance-off because the axe is so light. I've been splitting wood for over 40 years and its the est axe I've ever used. I can split for about an hour to a time easily. And you can really swing that axe without getting winded. Thanks for the video. Nice to see the technique. All the best!

[@derekw3069]

That is a new way for me to try splitting my big rounds! Thank you.

[@markhlutz]

Very good explanation. Exactly the info I was looking for.

[@HunterBidenCocaineBag]

Splitting large pieces of wood with a wedge and sledgehammer is my catharsis. Splitting THOSE pieces with my ax is my joy. It's such great exercise and there's something about hearing that first crackle of the wood giving way. This is a great video, and, frankly, your method has never crossed my mind. I do see the benefits of it. Thanks for sharing!

[@andrewwomble2722]

I especially love splitting wood after a demanding workweek. I put on some music, turn my brain off, and just go to town on some rounds.

[@drums2go615]

Great! Great video man! Thank you. I am pretty new to axes and woodworking and stuff and I love it. Thank you for your video

[@stoneyj1a1]

excellent job. i didn't know what the heck you were gonna try. great work

[@cliffjenkins6419]

Once the integrity of the logs circumferenc is broken they can usually be split through the centre. Great video,hard work and good humour. Cheers

[@helentc]

You got a like from me from your first joke. If I could give you a second like, it would be for the really great tips! Thanks! As a small person, I would have thought cracking and not splitting it to be a bad thing, now I'll have more patience and go at it more methodically.

[@robertbehan9186]

Best video/technique I've seen. Who the heck wants to keep picking up pieces to split?!

[@artszabo1015]

I started splitting firewood in 1958 and I was taught by my Dad a lumberjack from Kentucky. He used a double bladed axe and a splitting maul that were both handmade by a blacksmith. He taught me the technique of splitting wood the smart way. It was identical to the way you demonstrated. EXCEPT - for the ring you made splitting off the outer layer. This appears to be a distinct improvement. Five stars to you Sir! A video well worth watching. You do need to improve your accuracy a little. When you put a bunch of cracks in the wood it gives the wood a place to go if you know what I mean. Art from Ohio

[@Foxycarpathia2]

I have a Big Jim in my living room and a pecan tree that fell last year. This was exactly what I needed. THANKYOU AND Hello from Rocky Mount!

[@Himoutdoors]

I like the brains over braun approach. Make it as easy as possible! Thanks!

[@camcarb3]

Got some Bob Ross vibes out of this video. Nice work. Very calming and good splitting technique.

[@ichooselife1916]

Always happy to see your videos. Great work man

[@RobertoSu]

This man knows what he's doing, good job.

[@markkiser9329]

my shoulder hurts....I am outta breath now thanks LOL

[@lylemorton8641]

Nice. Never have I seen it done like this before. Learn something every day. No big wood on my place but I’ll remember this. Thanks. Good job.

[@winstonclay9408]

Simply brilliant. Thanks, man.

[@AndyH3000]

I am very glad I watched this video, because I have a couple of rounds like that and I was wondering how the heck I was going to break it up by hand ... this honestly looks like fun, thank you for sharing!

[@driftlesshunter8975]

Watching this makes me appreciate my Brave log splitter even more! 🙂 Great video for hand splitting, however! Thanks for sharing!

[@Ahch.]

I doubted you at first.. I have to apologize. This is great information. Many thanks! I've been using 2 old tires on a solid wood platform that I built. It works OK for small rounds. Thanks again

[@chrishelbling3879]

A brilliant technique, had never occurred to try it this way; thanks.

[@STORM-bf1xy]

I use a Fiskars X27. Start at edges and this could be done in half the time with a lot less swings.

[@robindegu7294]

maybe put up a video yourself. i'm curious between getting the maul vs the x27 myself

[@STORM-bf1xy]

@@robindegu7294 I use the X27 6lb axe. They have an 8lb. It’s so much better than my heavy maul. Quicker swings and if I can upload the huge cherry tree I split I will.

[@Redneck_Ed]

​@@robindegu7294i have a few x27 videos on my channel, so check it out there. I've used the fiskars 8lb maul and it is a beast but the x27 is way better for longetivity. It would have easily ripped through that oak round.

[@wollywolly2734]

​@@robindegu7294 I hand split more wood than your average bear , way more. He is right that was a lot of wasted hits and wasted effort. Depending on branch joints , that round I can do in 2-3 min . I know it's a demo vid but there is a lot of wasted swings, a lot

[@wollywolly2734]

Completely agree ! 2-3 min

[@michaelboyle1983]

Good thinking. That worked great. Thanks for sharing it with us. God bless you and your family!

[@jlogan2228]

I will say one thing. It may not look as fast, but this saves a TON of energy in the long run and doesn make you feel as beat up just in the fact of you dont have to keep bending down to pick crap up over and over. Just let the tool and physics do the work

[@JasonVladimir]

Just bought a house with a fireplace. So I am new to splittin' firewood. This was an awesome video! great technique! Thanks for sharing!

[@sherrym5556]

Get a moisture meter

[@brianczuhai8909]

Yeah, I got that going now on some 23" rounds. I find that when it is below freezing the logs WANT to split. I think the water in it expands and bursts or shatters the wood. Busting them them smaller makes it easy to split them with a 6 ton electric splitter. It is nice getting out the axe and watching them split.

[@greenpen122]

Thanks…finally a video from a smart and experienced person.

[@r.coleman3077]

Jeff - Thanks for the education! Simply brilliant!!! Texas sends!!

[@user-yo1pk4ky4k]

If you rub down the head of your splitting maul with wax it will penetrate the wood easier. About every 30 minutes rub the surfaces of the head with an old candle, parafin, or something similar. Especially effective when using an ax as it keep the ax head from getting stuck.

[@brianmgrim]

Thanks for the tutorial! I did notice your breathing accelerated a good bit. It takes a strong cardio-pulmonary system to swing that heavy maul that often even half a day!

[@ivyz2741]

such intelligent "stupid simple" approaches

[@GT_Racer347]

WHAAAAT!!???? This is a game changer for me!!! Nice! So glad that I came across this video. 🤓👌🏼

[@rilosvideos877]

At the beginning i wasn't convinced at all at your technique. But towards the end you got me! Its probably the next easiest way after using a 10t wood splitter.

[@bw3506]

We used to split fresh cut red oak just fine with a double bit axe. Just do it with it frozen. Don't even know they made splitting mauls then. Sometimes Grandpa would split a whole trunk with wedges and a sledge if it was a huge tree so the rounds were more manageable.

[@bobbuilder1637]

Wow. I feel like an idiot. I thought there may be an easier way to split by hand. KNOCKING off the OUTSIDE rim is genius. Thanks

[@lliamarden8560]

I have raised pallets on either side of my blocks to ease resetting but I have to say this gave me something to think about. Thanks!

[@richcooke9241]

Your early "swings " were light. At some point before 6:50 you started to lean into your maul. From the Get-Go, I would suggest that a person start "Knocking the Edges Off". Swing the maul/splitting axe hard, without hurting yourself. The pre-existing checks or splits can be utilized, but not right away on such a big log.

[@sanpansam7977]

Excellent demo! I learned something useful here. I’ve been doing it all wrong.

[@patcamo]

Jeff thanks that is a master class in chopping wood

[@grekiely6245]

Excellent tuition, thanks.

[@DA-qe9py]

A really great video showing a terrific method for hand splitting large nasty logs! Although, I'd still rent a hydraulic log splitter. 🙂

[@oliverdavidpatrick]

Thank you, you helped me so much with this video

[@daveywoods]

I've been doin it wrong. Love this technique. Super. Thanks bigly.

[@ortalionowywiesaw9455]

Steel wedges for splitting wood are more effective. The best are old wedges made by a local blacksmith. Two pieces are needed. One thinner than the blade of your hammer to make a crack, the other a bit thicker to split a wooden stump. wedges made by a blacksmith are better than those from the store because they have a corrugated surface, which prevents the wedge from jumping out of the hardwood in the initial phase of driving.

[@shermanhofacker4428]

Red oak is one of the easiest woods to split. Rounds set up on something is like having it on a pillow as well as restricting the swing and making a miss lick more likely to wind up hitting a leg. Exception would be muddy ground after freezing/thawing cycles. Then a short block would make sense. Actually i would consider that round to be knot free!

[@wulf67]

Splitting rounds on the ground makes the maul’s edge round. The harder the ground, the faster it wears down until it won’t split wood, and not only that: it doesn’t do the ground any good.

[@shermanhofacker4428]

​@@wulf67 Giving a bit of a flick to the side as the edge enters the wood adds splitting force and keeps the edge well away from the dirt or concrete (which is what I usually use as a splitting surface when the ground gets muddy)!

[@wulf67]

@@shermanhofacker4428 I will try that.

[@machseven2802]

Embarassed to say how much wood I've split with the constant resetting of the big piece. This is better!

[@tnycchen9790]

Same here, bro!

[@kevinault7424]

You-me = same. This is better.

[@JoeyBitz2000]

Good to put a chain or easier with bungee cord to keep it together

[@terrycole127]

After splitting by hand for many years, the best way is buy or rent a splitter. You are a fool to do it by hand.

[@bennyjustus]

beautiful wood. love red oak. red oak and white oak is what i primarily use for firewood. i've been cutting and splitting wood for many many years. i've never used that method, i'll definitely try it, i have always been one to exploit the first crack. but it is a lot of bending over, picking back up, repositioning. i liked how you just chipped them off like that, well done!

[@Neeko_Z]

Great approach! Thanks for this vid 👍🏼👍🏼

[@donmelanson4894]

i tried this and it works very well, thanks

[@Paul.Douglas]

Well done! I learned something and had a couple good laughs 🤣🤣

[@stevekillian9710]

Just bought a house with two fireplaces! So helpful!

[@naturewatcher7596]

Was expecting you to split it under a minute. :) No way I could last more then that. Really thinking now to buy a gas splitter. Thank you for the tutorial though - very informative.

[@dalekrinke2674]

That fellow has dang good aim! Don’t see many guys that can hit twice in the same spot. 👍👍

[@wulf67]

It’s easier to do when you don’t try as hard. Visualize a spot about six inches down in the round directly under the spot you want to hit and the maul will go there. If you try to stare that first dent in the wood down like a hawk your dominant eye will pull it too far to one side.

[@babel1980adam]

Great idea and execution . Many thanks

[@oldguyplayin5828]

thanks for the tips. learned quite a bit here. one thing I would do at the end with those stubborn pieces, is use a wedge, rather than trying to push the maul through it. works for me.

[@dozingnsloping6814]

Never thought I'd get Rickroll'd by a video about hand-splitting wood, man at the times we live in lol.

[@friedrichthegreat]

impressive work, good explanation!!!

[@Golden_SnowFlake]

Learned a lot, thanks for the Video!

[@randydavencal1259]

Your method is fine if you have a lot of extra time. I use the 5 lb Gransfors Bruks large splitting axe, which likely weighs half that of the Fiskars maul. I start with the edge of the round and the pieces fly off immediately. No pre-hitting required. I continue working around towards the middle. Occasionally I have to strike twice to break a piece off. I split 10 to 12 full cords per year using this method and it is pleasing work. I do swing harder than you, but with half the weight and likely a third the number of swings, it is an efficient method. I have split with everything from a double bladed felling axe (not cool), small mauls, medium mauls, heavy duty mauls, and even the ingenious Lever Axe. The time tested splitting axe is the best thing going. It’s a method worth considering.

[@fastenit27]

I just stumbled upon this video and thought I'd be open to learning something new. I've split wood most of my life, I'm now 63. I do it all by hand with a 6 LB maul. I split similarly to you - although each log is a bit different, so I may use a different approach depending on the log. It would have taken me much less than 1/2 as many hits and much less time than this video. My father took trees down for a living (climbed, etc.) which he taught me and I learned how to split logs by the age of 10. My family used firewood to heat our house and also had a firewood business. I could have had 2-3 logs split with fewer strokes than the in this video and had much more firewood ready for winter. I split and use about 6 chords plus a year. But there's a difference between me and you - you find this pleasing work and I find it to be work :)

[@jayjaguar2159]

Likewise. I use a heavy maul and swing granny style - straight up then straight down - not over one shoulder. It's all core strength and I pound that log (on the ground) hard. I don't want to swing 20 times on a log when I can bust it up in 5 swings. The method in the video is certainly one way (especially with big logs) but doesn't have to be THE way. Whether it's hackberry, ash or hedge it seems like moisture content and knots are the biggest factor in stubbornness.

[@k80jr]

I'm 77 years old and have been splitting wood for most of my life. Now I do it mostly for exercise and I enjoy making firewood for our fireplace. For the last 5 years I've been using the 7 lb. Gransfors Bruks splitting mall instead of my old hardware store 8 lb. mall. I swing straight up and down letting the tool do the work. This mall is very sharp and efficient. If the round won't split after 5 or 6 tries I bring out the wedges and if that won't work I use the chainsaw to "noodle' it. I use a chopping block, and if the pieces fall to the ground I don't mind the exercise of picking them up. I split mostly black locust, black cherry, and some mulberry or hard maple. It's fun to do during the fall and winter when I can't play golf. I split about 8 or 9 cords a year. I try to keep ahead about a 2 years supply

[@gidkideon]

That way of splitting wood makes so much more sense. Going with the grain, not against it when you go round and round. Looks like an even better work out too than the "traditional barbarian" way. 👍

[@rolandgraff414]

Way to go dad! Love the channel. I’m Old now but have strong grandkids 😂

[@Patrick-kc5ur]

Get yourself a trailer tire and keep it near your splitting stump to put your round inside. This will contain the new splits and it will save bending over to pickup the smaller pieces every time they split off. You did confirm all my practices about reducing the holding wood, but added a new twist which is working around in a smaller circle. Thanks.

[@adogonasidecar1262]

Best 12 min in a while

[@jasonbroom7147]

Sledge and wedge on most obvious check. Split piece in half. From then on, each swing splits off a piece of firewood, like you demonstrated. I'll try what you did here, but at the 5:00 mark you've already hit that piece more times than I would, splitting it all into manageable pieces. I do like the economy of motion, though; I swing a lot harder and maybe that's my mistake.

[@Hoojammyflip]

Great video - thanks for sharing

[@NewWorldHoarder]

I wasn’t expecting Arnie impressions, and being Rick Rolled, for sure! 😮

[@vancochran7344]

I stopped splitting wood by hand after my eye Dr. told me it was the biggest reason, I have floaters in both eyes. I went and got a log splitter from Home Depot in 2000. I will never use a maul or a splitting wedge again. If you enjoy splitting by hand that's great. It is a workout for sure.

[@mfallen6894]

It's good method if using a fiberglass handled axe. If using hickory... Good way to break your handle. I personally hate the vibrations from fiberglass and love the feel of a hickory handle that's had a nice coat of linseed oil. Gives it a grip-like surface similar to rubber. But I pretty much split the exact opposite way, landing the upper 2/3 of the head on the edge of the round nearest me, that way if the axe blasts through the handle isn't taking the blow. Really depends on what your splitting though. Hickory or Osage? Get the wedge out, lol. Oak is all over the pace depending on seasoning and grain. Softer woods like ash/pine/doug fir just fly apart with one blow/"flick". Can even side-split wood like that, and on smaller rounds that the way I like to split it. Cool technique though. I'll have to try it the next time I feel like getting the Fiskars out instead of the 80 year old "refurb's" I hang myself.

[@peterjuhasz5143]

Clever idea, thank you, sir!😊

[@Garde538]

Excellent skills!!

[@JOEZEP54]

This is a technique I use at times , it works well. Keeping the knot on the bottom when possible also lightens the work. You get a good work out when knots are on the top & bottom. Stay safe, Joe Z

[@raza5757]

Thanks for this. Good advice for oak wood splitting.

[@libertas2112]

I've never learned this. Thank you