Wood Splitting ABCs | How to Chop Wood Like a Pro!

[@julianzacconievas]

The bit about being scared while chopping wood.... So real. Arborists die very frequently. It's a very dangerous job. Thank you for being real. Real men get scared, we just have to learn to deal with the fear and use it to keep us and our families and buddies alive.

[@matthewbolton4289]

Well known lifelong arborist on youtube died not too long ago from an accident

[@filaptv]

100% Even a little branch falling can be a problem. A big heavy branch or god forbid the main tree itself is just deadly business.

[@Skipium]

The key to cutting down trees is actually pretty simple and way safer If you aren’t in a hurry or something you can just chop the tree down half of the way and try to push it as hard as you can However, if the tree isn’t falling, you should wait till a windy weather comes by and mother nature takes care of it herself

[@ginosalihbegovic7137]

You creat fear within yourself and it’s not letting you be calm. It’s a waste of energy to fear anything but you should respect everything as it is.

[@brokenbravo83]

Need knee surgery, hip surgery, back surgery, and a shoulder surgery... Most days I'm either bedridden or in a wheelchair but when I can stand to put weight on my hips I still split wood for heat every winter. Takes 45 minutes to crawl the 25 feet back into the house afterwards but its not going to split itself. Its the bending and lifting that my hips knees back and shoulder can't take, the swinging of the axe is the easy part. I have gas splitters and winches but they require more bending and lifting than just good old fashioned swinging of an eight pounder. My body maybe failing but ill keep swinging until its my time Thank you for your videos as some of us need all the inspiration we can get

[@poetryqn]

Clear, concise, and informative - thanks, Thoren!

[@Natalia-ze3dx]

❤

[@dvjonath]

Yes. I'm Brazilian getting understand the english of this dude perfectly.

[@barondavis5692]

I love your commentary. You only fall dead diseased trees, you get permits, hand tool shown rather than fancy, he-man chainsaws. Must admit I recently purchased a fancy, he-man chainsaw.

[@utetopia1620]

I realised while splitting that rotation left/right of my left hand was what determined my aim. If on the down swing, I rotated that wrist, my aim would skew. For those wanting to add to Thoren keep that left wrist rigid and straight. Crazy how people don't like to see a tree cut down, but can't make the connection to round ready to be split.

[@vaynesolidor4529]

you seem like a kind, humble man! and you are indeed jacked 😂 keep on keepin on brother!

[@martinv.-]

Thank you for making this video Thoren! Great tool and technique pack for those starting :) Also, people is not ready to hear or understand tree felling and harvesting the same way they were not ready to watch the process of killing animals, while they want to enjoy eating some tasty meat. I've just started this year's to process my own firewood and hopefully for others next year and it's key to understand what to do and how to tell whether a tree is dead, diseased, or invasive, from a tree that should remain where it is. Thanks again, and keep throwing this type of content, it's great! ❤‍🔥

[@williamburke9947]

Loved your comment about cleaning the forest floor. Firebreaks are critical. I’m a permie/regen ag guy and people don’t understand this in most of the green movement.

[@NorthEastTennUSA]

One thing not mentioned is that it is a good idea to put whatever you are splinting on another piece of wood to help prevent hitting the ground when your axe goes thru the wood.

[@littlech4os331]

My brother I usually never comment but you are awesome keep up the good work you seems pretty honest and well mannered and a great role model!

[@justinbruck9602]

I really sympathize with wanting to get back to working with your hands. Mechanical engineer now, but I look back fondly on my time as a kid cutting and splitting wood, good times.

[@thekingofprotoss4376]

whats so cool about the step hoist pull motion he speaks about, is that its universally used in construction for swinging sledgehammers if you want to get the right efficiency out of that tool.

[@tcepsa]

Thank you for the tip that you can get permits to source wood from forests; that's great to know! I've also gotten round from chipdrop, a site that connects landscaping and other tree-management companies with folks who want wood products (so the landscapers don't have to pay to haul it to the waste facility, and you don't have to pay to buy it from a lumberyard or forest, and you don't have to harvest it yourself). It's free, too, but you get what you pay for; rounds may not be cut to good lengths and may not be flat like the video mentions, and they may give you more than you wanted. Still, if you're looking for logs to practice on or just something to burn, it can be a great resource if they cover your region!

[@thprofessional5070]

My favorite of your videos! Loved the humbleness and q and a!

[@evemorrigan3120]

Great video Thoren 🎉

[@giacomopastorello3249]

Need your review even on hatchet cause out there I've not found nobody that make video review like you 🙌🏽🙌🏽

[@bandawinsor7170]

I love your videos as they remind me of home, my grand father was a wood cutter and owned his own lot up until this year when he had to give it up at 87. I wish I had of thought more seriously about taking it over for him before it was to late 😢

[@conniedavis172]

You have great hair. Handsome, too. I like when you have tutorials and Q&A. I call digging holes, shoveling dirt and mulch and axing my way through tree roots exercise. Feels like it to me. I am 69 years old.

[@Carboneye7]

I put down the maul for splitting-Once I picked up a vintage plumb tassie it was a wrap. They do so nice in the red oak I harvest. I enjoy the council tool/whisky river 5lber too.

[@TheChristiebug]

I appreciate the Q&A. Gives good insight on you. Your tutorial was great! 👍💯😘

[@cleetusray7153]

Maybe i missed it and it seems intuitive but for those who are new to swinging a splitting maul a nice wide stance is quite helpful and your shins will thank you

[@iiRockyRoadii]

Hell yea I got a response! Actually helpful too bc I’ve been wondering about permits for harvesting wood. Thanks Thoren, godspeed 🙏🙏

[@ChristianY1219]

Do you recommend wearing steel toe boots when splitting wood?

[@elbryn1]

Yes, I wear steel toes when splitting wood. I'd also recommend chaps.

[@Krzyhuuu21]

My dad once used a wedge and part of it burst into his arm. That part of it entered his vein on arm. There was a lot of blood. I used to use it and it's dangerous but sometimes you have to use it.

[@markricketts6957]

I've always preferred a straight up and down stroke for all day chopping. When the axe/maul head is significantly behind your own head you lose an element of control, it takes more energy to drag the axe back up to the vertical and tires you out quicker.

[@jamesgoudreau1940]

Where was this lesson when I was a kid. My cousin cut a couple pieces and said look dumbass this is the sharp side of the axe keep it away from body parts if you want to keep them. He did hang out with me for a while to make sure I could do it though. The early 80's were like that, lol.

[@Mountain.man85]

Awesome video bro!

[@ThorenBradley]

Glad you liked it! Have an amazing day

[@Mountain.man85]

@ThorenBradley You too brother! Keep up the great work!

[@dillbertt]

loved the bts view the Q&A provided 👏

[@JohnOehmler]

Not sure if it's worth noting, or maybe it's obvious. But the body position(s) when you're swinging the axe is pretty similar to deadlifting and kettlebell swinging. Just kind of applying the force in the opposite direction. Fun fact, more or less.

[@marlanamarquess3995]

You’re a very good instructor. Thanks for the lesson and also for the personal information. It’s nice to learn more about you. 😊

[@nancyperez9970]

Thank you for sharing more of you with us all 💖

[@flame_half]

I worked as a fabricator and welder until I got my engineering degree. I sit at a desk way too much now. Part of me really misses putting things together with my hands.

[@upchurchforpresident8569]

You should design your own maul if you already have not.

[@Carl-JohanNajvik]

@Thorenbradley Why don't you ever switch side you hit from?

[@johnsparrow9549]

I get the axe over head so it's weightless then let my arms drop but snap those wrists. Like a golf swing.

[@mattisafool]

you are right about helmets getting sensitive about cutting trees down always makes me chuckle

[@paulweakley3440]

Good video. I would have added some tips about where to hit the rounds (like some species you need to split off the edges, not straight down the middle). A lot of time when I get questions from friends I find them hitting grain as weird angles or trying to split huge logs down the middle.

[@iiRockyRoadii]

Hell ye great vid! Also, been wondering if you’d ever do a vid about things people do in the lumberjack world championships (sawing, chopping, speed climbing, etc). It’d be very fun too see and maybe some fun content too. Nevertheless, love this stuff!

[@edwardpriestley2747]

This was my day splitting red oak and hard maple with the x25 alien 6 pound maul and the fiskars 8 pound maul and the Helco Tasmanian for the straight grain stuff!!!

[@chadrogers4635]

Technically all you need is an ax. If you learn how to do the flick method with a splitting ax you can split any wood with just it. Which the flick method is where you twist the handle of the ax as soon as you hit the wood. And if the wood is to big to split normal then you chip off the edges until it gets small enough to split it normally. As for the hatchet you can do the same thing with an ax by choking up (holding the handle closer to the head) on the ax and do the same thing. Watch Buckin Billy Ray here on KZbin and he'll show you exactly what I mean.

[@cal1776]

Nice job editing with the blinking colors.

[@Liamm24]

Would love to see you going out and harvesting more wood and driving your truck like you did in that videos little while ago

[@CherylBurnsCalifornia]

Love the new home gym ❤😊 the other one was better 100!!!

[@rando_300x]

Perfect and Clear Instructions 👌 🔥

[@Dylan-jn3dq]

Thanks, I've been wondering the proper way to do this. have lots of excess trees around my house and many friends and family due to hurricane Helene.

[@ilovebaniporudesigns6764]

Can you please do a review on the cheap 8 pound Estwing splitting maul. More power to you.

[@ThorenBradley]

I’ll search for one!

[@ilovebaniporudesigns6764]

@@ThorenBradley Thanks! We'll look forward to it. Can't wait to see that cheap Estwing 8 pound splitting maul with 36" hickory wood handle in action.

[@downeastjd1711]

How do you like that Halder maul? I couldn't decide between the Simplex, and the Helko Saxon splitter. So, I got both.

[@quintenstevens3710]

Hello from France, I absolutely loved the tutorial part of the video. I have split a bit of wood myself, but it turns out I didn't use proper technique. 😑And I admit I often had to work my way with badly cut pieces of Pinus halepensis or aleppo pine, common in mediterranean France (I did not cut them myself, I was too young for that), with knots in them.🤐 For what comes, I'm sorry for the long read. For those willing to, please enjoy !!!😃 Don't worry I'm not hating. 😉 As for the second part, I'll have to strongly disagree with what you said about harvesting standing and fallen-down deadwood being good for the forest !!! Depending on the type of disease, that also goes for ill trees. At least if you're talking about a non-monospecific, kind of natural forest. I am a masters student in Ecology and Ecosystem functioning in Besançon, France. Before I did a Bachelor in the university of Marseille (AMU). I feel obliged to tell you that having standing dead and very old, sick, hardwood trees and also fallen-down dead trees in the forest is ESSENTIAL for it's biodiversity, as it creates new ecological niches for detritivorous insects and coleopterans, as well as different species of birds, ants, small mammals, funghi, bacteria etc in the standing dead trees.👌 It also provides the forest floor, after decomposition, with new nutrients that will refertilise the soil for the next generation of trees that will come in the place of the fallen one.💪 When we think of how a forest works in nature, we have to rid ourselves from the human bias that is time perception. Forests don't evolve on a human timescale, they are way slower, especially well established oak forests and basically any forest of slow growing species.🕰 Of course, I have to moderate my statement, for example if you're harvesting your wood from a forest that has been subject to a wildfire a year before, there will be enough dead wood for your harvesting not to be a bother , or if you're getting wood from a parcel of forest where a plague of a certain parasite has killed like 50% of the trees, then yes, sure, take the wood, or at least what you need. There will be plenty then. 😵 What I'm saying is, It's very important to also have very old trees in a forest, as well as dead trees, trees with hollow trunks, and oh yeah also ill trees, as long as it's not a vulnerable species in a population of low genetic diversity.🤕🤒 It's also very important that the forest is multispecific, or in other terms, rich in species diversity. Tree species, but also undergrowth species, and that there be an age diversity among the trees of the forest. A mix of trees of all ages. As for Invasive species of trees and specimens affected by a plague caused by an exogenous parasite, I'll have to strongly AGREEwith you again. Harvesting them is GOOD for the forest, and I must applaud your efforts on that part.👌👍 But again I have to nuance my statement 🙃. Nothing is ever as simple in ecology. Nature is awesome.😯 If it's an invasive species that resprouts very strongly when cut, then cutting it once will not be enough to kill the tree. You'll have to come back cutting that tree's resprouts for 3, 4 or 5 consecutive years, until the tree hasn't got enough energy left to resprout. Otherwise, it will be strenghthened by cutting it, instead of killed.🥴 I more generally applaud you for using wood as a heating medium, as it is renewable at the scale of one or two human lives, and it is one on the only ways of heating that are so, on top of having, if managed correctly from an ecological perspective, little impact on the ecosystem, and needing no rare metals or unrenewable substances, like semiconductors for solar panels, or huge amounts of steel and copper for wind turbines and electrical wires. The more so in a well insulated house, that is not too big according to it's occupants' number, thus easy to heat. Better even if you have an efficient woodstove, that can even be connected to some radiators, that work with a closed watersystem that gets heated by the woodstove and a closed watercirculation system with a small electrical pump. 👌👍💪 Thanks for reading for the courageous ones. I appreciate it very much !!! 🤩🙏

[@skrrtrussell1103]

3:22 Punted the shit out that piece of wood lol

[@stephenlytle9597]

Came here to say the same thing.

[@JohnGent7]

Very informational great job

[@tesoro2250]

Thank you for the good tips. This will help a lot

[@gileswitcomb8273]

helpful, thank you

[@Krofna1000]

I love your videos man, good job

[@andreaskomies6895]

Keep up the good work!

[@SeanHale-u4z]

Is farming and splitting wood enough?

[@jen0283_1]

Love it thanks for the amazing video!

[@mugen710007]

What is the easiest wood to split? what is the hardest wood to split?

[@indicawool9243]

Is it faster to drop the axe on the ground between logs, or to leave it standing against something while you grab another log ?

[@rodmullen64]

It's always faster to switch to a smaller axe

[@1u8taheb6]

Switching to your pistol is always faster than reloading

[@ArchIVEDCinema]

Grab a stopwatch and experiment 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@wulphgaming8347]

Like your content. Did I just see you in a wayfair add on tv?

[@seancohen81]

Did I just see you on a Wayfair commercial?!

[@mcgruber7180]

I find a good machete works fantastic for kindling as well. Great video

[@zackguy5537]

Im learning this now. Just picked up a new machete and it splits very nice

[@swanben11]

“I’m not a very big human” he tells us before telling us he’s in the 84th percentile for height in the US.

[@ConnerJohn1993]

You ever been asked to be on Joe Rogan? Would love to see that.

[@markd.9042]

Let them know Thoren!

[@karipintakivi9153]

It seems that you missed one very good method of splitting a heavy piece of wood stuck on the ax: rotate the axe/log at the apex of the stroke and hit the block with the axe head on the bottom, axe/log upside down! If you think about the physics of this = if the log is heavier than the axe head more splitting energy is transferred to the log at the sudden stop at the block compared to stopping the log and the lighter axe head transferring the energy. I have also found that I can hit the block faster and harder when the axe/log is upside down, because then I am pulling the log down, not pushing it with the axe, which is more difficult to control. As the energy increases at square of the speed, this also helps a lot.

[@Kargoneth]

Informative. Thanks. Spreading legs helps avoid splitting feet. You missed another hand tool: a (folding) hand saw to section the wood (if it is not already done) as well as in cases your wood sections are too long or not dry enough. You mentioned a chainsaw, but that requires fuel. In a pinch you can fabricate splitting wedges from wood. If time is not of the essence, then splitting wood can help speed up your wood drying. Splitting logs and piling them up in parallel under shelter so that air can blow through the stack can dry them much faster for use as dry firewood than if you were to leave them unsplit. A folding saw is superior to an axe in a survival situation if you need firewood NOW. Axes are apallingly-slow for sectioning wood (whether that be cutting branches into sections or cutting trunks into sections). No splitting is needed if you can find dry deadfall. See the Siberian log fire made by Siberian natives. It can be built on snow. I recommend the channel Survival Russia for more info on that.

[@Topherwiser]

Great video, thanks Thoren! You're a beast bro.

[@richcates2249]

Excellent information thank you......

[@aluginbill6182]

What is your #1 choice (that is currently available) for a splitting maul??!

[@johnseropyan]

Hello, what brand are the hatchet, axes and the wedge you’re using in the video? Please advise. Thx

[@robink4849]

Hatched looked like hultafors, axe is Fiskars x27 (Had to correct axe name)

[@liamdolan1419]

What boots you wearing? Those Redwing Mocs?

[@Kirkylad]

If buying just one axe or hatchet what weight or handle length would you recommend. Was looking at the Gransfors Bruk - wildlife hatchet, outdoor axe, hunters axe and the small forest axe. Any preference for a SHTF tool. Thanks

[@_Machine631_]

you got a follow from me right after you said you drink coor's. haha

[@LesTudor]

Thank you for at least explaining how to use a wedge correctly I had a incident with a wedge coming out of a peace of gum and has caved in one side of my face and realistically lucky to be alive as it hit me on the blunt side and no the sharp. A lot of wood cutters/splitters will rave on about a wedge but without using proper technique

[@AZbone]

What boots are you wearing?

[@brandond2394]

2:36 I've been doing that FOR SOO LONG

[@BjornTheLiar]

Fear the tree for the tree does not fear you.

[@Seth-b8w]

Enjoy the videos... I find splitting wood relaxing. Can you elaborate on using a large piece of wood as a base for splitting?

[@wil5963]

I have a dumb question. What would you recommend im splitting big peices of wood. I have the fiskars 8lb maul. It takes a few hits to get it to start cracking. Would you recommend a heavier one? Or different or just keep at it lmao. Thank you

[@johnathontanner7586]

What is the best way to split beefy rounds that "Y"? Love your shit, hope to hear your thoughts

[@Sevag109]

Imagine if Thoren got a low taper fade

[@konst80hum]

Yes i will listen to the advice of the woodsman who has ALL his fingers! I wanne see how he did it and learn.

[@Raz0rking]

Woodsplitting... or use a hydraulic splitter attached to a tractor. Done it years by hand and hot damn, a lot of times it sucks when the wood is all twisted, gnarly and full of branches. Hydraulics do (almost) not care.

[@mishellgagnon5771]

Of course, handling a chainsaw is one of the most dangerous chores someone can face. A second of inattention, fatigue or bad footing and you're done. And, even if you've passed your entire life in the forest, you,re not immune to serious injury. As a proof, a friend of mine, who used to be a lumberjack, is now paraplegic because of a birch tree that fell not exactly where it was supposed to .

[@Pickled_hair]

Thank you, their heads will never stand a chance!

[@DesburnMorris-e2r]

How do you handle it if you're wood is an ant nest and a big one?

[@Putitinreverseterryohlawd]

Love the videos, if you like beer please try Belgian beer! You'll love it and the choice is infinite triple karmeliet, chouffe, chimay, etc, I can recommend more if you want

[@benyeries.7964]

....Thor....god of thunder now spliting woods🎉🎉🎉

[@Rudidly]

Seems like this boils down to “Do it like a grandma”. Still great advice.

[@johndarcey]

Axe head should not be pointing back toward you at point of impact. Should be coming straight down. Aka you have a far better chance of keeping your shins and feet for life.

[@markricketts6957]

The straight down stroke also gives a higher transfer of power from the tool head to the wood, exactly the same as banging fence posts.

[@Zack-kn8uy]

Now what does it mean when your axe bounces of the log and won’t spit? I was thinking water logged, but wasn’t 100% sure?

[@amanteallen8076]

Anybody know what state this is in looks really peaceful

[@lenox9524]

What ur favorite axe rn?

[@addictedtojet]

Hey Thor, we need to see a video eventually where you can just use your bare hands to rip a log in half kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2G2on6uhNSSapYsi=dJ27EOyi3JRugtxR

[@paradear]

Railroad tie? Spike?

[@ThorenBradley]

Yup! Misspoke. I actually just had to pickup some railroad ties today though. Horseshoe pit!

[@paradear]

@@ThorenBradley thought you swung maul all day, or is it more of a fitness thing? What are the ties for?

[@paradear]

I split a lot of green eucaliptus, weird, alien looking thing! Grows like cancer too, cut em down and back they come. Just good for pulp and firewood, crackles and pops a lot, really hot burning when dry, no embers, just snowy powdery ashes. Cheers from chile, mapuche country

[@seanmcmaster2771]

should check out buckin billy ray, after 25-30 years in the tree service/wood industry has more productive and efficient wood splitting pointers.

[@lenox9524]

You should try adlers axes

[@Doncorleone44]

What has the world come to when someone gets criticised for cutting trees down

[@juliaortega8538]

I was expecting the spirit fingers 👐 after the step...hoist...pull🤔

[@thegoat6800]

seen you in a wayfair add brother