How to Chop Firewood

Try the new splitting axes. Basic ax head with flanges on each side to help spread the wood. Much lighter than the old heavy splitting malls. Allows for more speed of swing and thus more energy. Also they have ax handles which are more efficient than the straight handles used on malls. Also seem to be less prone to being held in the log. I have not ever needed to use a wedge and sledge since switching to a splitting axe.

I know this article states you should let the wood dry first but
I used to cut wood for a living and I found that for me at least
the wood was much EASIER to split right after cutting. i.e. the
greener the better. I delivered mostly Fir, Maple and
Alder.

In addition I found it was useful to use a special technique for
cutting a lot of wood without getting too tired. When an axe gets
stuck in the wood it wastes a lot of time and energy removing it.
So the technique (which I was taught by a logger) was to give the
axe a slight twist away from the larger part of the wood exactly at
the time that the blade hit. The result was often that the piece I
was cutting off would fly to the side while the axe would land
flatly on the larger piece. Then I could steady that pice with the
axe head and repeat my blows very quickly without much loss of
energy. I became quite good at it. Worst case it did not split in
one hit but the axe was never stuck in the wood. It is not for
everybody and requires a substantial amount of forearm
strength.

When splitting rounds of wood from downed trees, look for faint
cracks in the center of the round. My Grandad (Pap) told me,"they
tell you which way the round wants to split." Line up your axe
strokes with the cracks. It works every time. In working with those
cylindrical sections of trees, try finding an old tire to fit over
the round to keep it upright while you're splitting it. Of course,
wedges of different pitch are good to have on hand. I cut and burn
wood every year as supplemental radiant heat. Feels real good and
smells good too.

If you can, let your wood freeze before you split. Green wood is
much easier to split after it has frozen. The very best way for the
bigger and knottier ones is to use a power splitter, even if it is
one of the old hand pump units.

My Grandfather told me long, long ago that it is easier to split
a log if you hit the blade of the ax on the outside edge of the log
rather than hitting it square in the middle. I have found this to
be true with all logs except Sweet Gum, which is nearly impossible
to split cleanly even with a wood splitter.

One important safety tip not mentioned is to check overhead
before you swing. Your "reach" is greatly extended with an axe as
you swing and this could cause the axe to snag an overhanging limb
of a tree or clothes line, resulting in loss of control of the tool
and the natural consequences of such loss. Additionally, as with
most endeavors involving considerable force, good footing in a
clear area is important to good control and its resultant
safety.

An ol' timer showed me that wood splits better if it is in the
direction it has grown, ie put the big end up.