THE TIME-HONORED ART OF SPLITTING WOOD
(Page 2 of 4)
November/December 1980
By Larry Diamond
No matter how you attack your billets, though, do try to let the weight of the maul do most of the work. In addition, be sure to hit the rounds flush: that is, with the go-devil's handle landing at a 90° angle to the standing log. (You will probably have to bend your knees slightly as you swing down to make a straight-on hit, but such a blow will definitely increase your splitting effectiveness — and help insure that, if your maul glances off to one side, the tool won't swing down and strike you in the leg!)
RELATED CONTENT
After 1,500 miles of alternative fuels vehicle driving, we found that you can run a truck with a wo...
Almost half the world’s original forests have disappeared, one-fifth since the late 1950s....
If you're looking for a way to reduce your high winter heating bills, consider wood heat. It's a gr...
Joining pieces of wood to create furniture or other projects can be easy. And the results will look...
From Shaker rounds to ricks, how to stack firewood for maximum seasoning. The classic cord, coverin...
To develop accuracy, concentrate on aiming for as small a target as possible. And be optimistic when you swing. Don't visualize your tool striking the top of the round and bouncing back up, but consciously think it down through the wood!
SPLIT THE CHECKS
A major element of efficient wood splitting is figuring out the best spots to strike. It's hard to go wrong if you try to cut on one of the small cracks (or checks) that radiate from the center of most billets. Such openings mark the lines along which the wood "wants" to come apart — so it's plain, laborsaving common sense to cooperate with that "desire."
It's often best (especially after you've struck a log once or twice and the crack begins to widen) to direct your stroke to the wood at the near side, rather than down the center, of the opening. That way, you reduce the chances that your maul will become irretrievably stuck, or that the tool's handle will run into some stubborn fibers when the head breaks through. (On unfortunate occasions when your maul does get stuck, you may find it easier to free the tool if you push down, not up, on the handle. But be careful, you can break the wooden stem by doing so!)
Sooner or later, of course, the force of your inevitable occasional missed swings will add up, and you'll find yourself replacing the go-devil's handle. The worst part of the task is removing the remaining bit of wood stuck inside the tool's head. That job may go more smoothly if you drill a few holes in the wooden fragment before you try to drive it out. [EDITOR'S NOTE: A few handle-preserving tips can be found in Down-Home Country Lore (November/December 1980).]
SPLIT UP
The grain of wood fibers flows in the same direction that the tree itself grew: from the ground up. I'm convinced wood splitting is easier when I stand each round upside down and split the wood in the same direction that it grew. You can readily discern which end of a log was originally higher if one tip is smaller, or if the piece has any branches (such offshoots always grow toward the sun).
