How To Split Wood With an Axe or a Maul- Beginners Guide

How do you use an axe? How do you use a maul? How do you use them to not wear out your body and keep safe?
The Best Maul I have used- Fiskars 8 pound maul with lifetime warranty. amzn.to/3pmkK4L
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[@St.Michael-Ross]

Thank u I learned a lot, been splitting wood for years too. I use a wedge and maul. I’m going to try the ax and the tire method. Less bending to pick up wood. I’m 59, and it does help me to keep in shape. Great video, thanks God love u.

[@kenweis2291]

Its always nice to have a longer handle....it generates more force and keeps your feet out of range better

[@calebjohnson9797]

You are right there are alot of opinions on the "correct" way to split! Lol. I prefer a 6lb maul, nice balance between weight and speed. Great video!

[@HealthAndHomestead]

Very, very true. Thanks Caleb.

[@gregmerckx8557]

Thumbs up from me. I say that this is a very good to great instructional and informational video for beginners and even medium. Hit all the main points so very good. I heat with wood too. 1 free standing and one insert does my house well. I usually split 10ish cord/yr, all with my mauls and axes and sometimes wedges when needed. But I don’t fell trees, I get a logging truck delivery of logs. I use about half of that 10 cord and sell the rest. I’m on track for almost 14 cord this year. But I split all year round. Anyhoo…not many videos out there that are so complete with the high points so kudos to you. There would have been a couple things I would have added but then again, if I made something like this I’m sure there would have been a couple things I would have missed! A+ from me.

[@raycaster4398]

Lotsa good tips. The colder it is the easier the split. Frozen ground helps a lot to prevent dissipation of strike force. Right, use gravity. Longer seasoning for the knotty pieces makes them easier to split. 36" is way to go.

[@shermanhofacker4428]

Using an actual stump as a splitting block would be a little better than another block, but cut it short. The closer to the ground the round is the more force applied. A tire, especially the newer one that have wide tread and narrow sidewalls help keep the rounds and partially split pieces upright and corralled

[@shermanhofacker4428]

I remember when the fiskars people were adamant about how terrible mauls were for splitting wood; until they had one for sale!

[@harleykamp]

Great video and easy to use instructions!!👏

[@taylorhinkle6673]

I use the same maul as you do Chad and really nice it.

[@HealthAndHomestead]

It is a great and tough tool.

[@steveboyd3455]

Good video. My only suggestion is that you should not have the head of the maul or ax drop behind your head. Keep it above your head, only and then let it drop. Much less effort and less strain and you'll get the same results.

[@oxfordblaze4392]

And save his back!!

[@Tadders]

Also, studies have shown that the vast majority of moisture from firewood is lost via the ends. This can be seen if throw a green piece of wood on a fire and wait a few minutes; the end of the piece of wood will become damp looking and you will see/hear steam escaping from the end. That being said, I still don't don't why it seems like logs split down to smaller pieces dry so much faster than just logs split into halves or quarters, yes there is more surface area but moisture moves through wood from end to end via the xylem & phloem; splitting the wood parallel to the xylem & phloem should not increase the rate of drying by much. What are your thoughts?

[@nunyabusiness5075]

I usually refer to the crack in the firewood as a "check" that occurs after some drying/aging.

[@marinetrax]

I Chad, Just wondering if you have the next video out that you said was coming soon at the end of this one? I think it was about you going away from cutting wood with an axe/maul. Thanks mate.

[@AverageJoeHotRodShow]

I’m new to it. I’m trying to split some gnarly honey locust and it’s laughing at my 6.5 lb Prandi maul. I have probably 50 swings on some rounds. They’re about 24 inch diameter. I’m either incompetent or it’s seriously tough wood.

[@HealthAndHomestead]

It must be the wood. I know what it is like to swing at tough wood. Other wood will split super easy. Gnarly stringy wood can be super difficult. Sorry to hear that.

[@AverageJoeHotRodShow]

@@HealthAndHomestead it’s alright. I’m getting one helluva workout doing it.😂

[@HealthAndHomestead]

@@AverageJoeHotRodShow You will get in unbelievable shape.

[@kenweis2291]

I always let hard wood sit in rounds for 2 years...then chip pieces off with ease....once you quarter the round things fall over...also use controlled power....rounds that sit for two years season in 6 months or less after splitting

[@Tadders]

I call "glancing" as you call it, "slabbing". It's where you split off sections on the outer sides of the log; the rings closest to the outside are further apart and seem to be weaker compared to the inner wood where the rings are much closer together. You slab the wood about 90 degrees off of perpendicular to the rings, if that makes sense. Splitting down the middle will always be perpendicular to the growth rings, swinging left or right from center is not perpendicular to the rings.

[@MidnightMogwai]

Great Video! Informative! Liked an subscribed. Look forward to more content.

[@HealthAndHomestead]

Thanks. Happy to have you.

[@bucknertarsney7674]

Great stuff! Thanks.

[@kenweis2291]

Best way to attack a round is by chipping away at it....you will probably use less energy because your only splitting a piece off at a time so its about half as hard compared to trying down the middle

[@kenweis2291]

Cold rounds are frozen expanded grain they like to split

[@Tadders]

Man you have some really white teeth. Very true about the twisty wood. I'd like some tips about how to deal with twisty grained pieces.

[@stuartjones7903]

Good video but as pretty much all the videos you see on KZbin about splitting logs with an axe/maul whatever you use ,everybody places the log pretty much either in the center or the closer side of the stump the log is on ,this is wrong,very wrong as if you have a deflection or heaven forbid you miss the log you are trying to split all together there's only one place that axe is going and that's your shins ,where as if you place the log at the far side ,the axe will be deflected onto the stump not your shins