Completely agree with your outlook on education. My 8 year old son recently kept getting in trouble in class. He was constantly drawing in class. We go to school, look at his notebook in his desk and got completely blown away with his artistic ability. After about 5 minutes, I tell his teacher to never say anything about him drawing. After showing numerous people his artwork no one can believe his level of skill at his age. School should feed these kids interest and their god given talents instead of forcing them down the “correct/narrow path”. I’m a true believer in working in a field that you truly love instead of going to a job where your dread waking up for everyday.

Silly me, I thought this was a video about cutting and splitting wood. Boy, was that a short-sighted view on my part. This is a story of life, human ingenuity, experience, perseverance, finding purpose and allowing work performed well to provide us all with a sense of being, value and purpose. There may be an occasional glimpse of the almighty thrown in along the way. Regardless, the pure humanity and artistry evident in these videos is awe-inspiring. Thank you, Billy, for the inspiration you share with the world. You are a treasure.

I just want to thank you for your videos! You put a smile on my face every day! Weather it’s you running saw or talking wisdom. I love it. Keep up the good work!

I love every bit of this. Your continued relationship with Ken speaks volumes about the quality of you two.

When I was 60 to 100 pounds, I used to split most of ten cord of wood every summer. I loved it, and I was good at it, but not when my dad bought a fiberglass handle splitter. That thing flexed just enough I couldn’t get a good snap into the wood. New ones are probably better, but I like hickory.

I know what it’s like to have a father figure that didn’t have to be, he passed a year ago, I’m just glad I seen what a real man looked like because I’m the father I never knew I could be, I’m only in my 30s, tree worker, not much falling around here, you are inspiring BR, thanks brother 🙏 🪓

Thank you Ken for taking Billy Ray and his family in when he was such a young boy. Thank you for the stability and security that you brought to his life at an age when it is so important. God bless you for your kindness sir!

Buckin, my 7 year old recently decided he couldn’t handle, and dident want to be at school. He was the one with all the friends, all his peers looked up to him, he told me he could not handle the pressure from the teachers. He told me he was looking around seeing the other kids doing the work while he sat there confused, multiple conversations with the teachers about how he needs some extra help, but nothing. About two months ago I’ve pulled him out of school. Everything for him has been going amazing since. But I have been personally struggling with whether it was the right choice or not. Thank you for your words my friend, unexpected as they were, my son struggled, I struggled, you struggled. No more, the education system is broken. Your words have helped in a way you can’t imagine. Love ya brother.

Buckin that handle in the slowmo intro at the beginning. That handle has crazy side to side flex reaction after the flick!

Loved watching you axe splitting wood doing the " Flick" method right as you strike the wood! My Dad taught my brother and I this at about 10 years old! It saves a lot of struggling trying to remove a stuck axe!

Love that slow mo!!

If a video is worth a thousand words, this best shows the flick. Thanks, Buckin’.

24:30 adhd and proud. Felt like an alien my whole life and constantly heard "you're so smart why can't you apply yourself"

It’s cool to watch you go through some of those old formative memories in such an honest and raw way. The fondness really comes through in the footage.

You are 100% correct on the outlook on live. Thank you Billy Ray and bless your family.

On my "vacation" I skidded out 3 cords in 2 days by snowmobile. Great feeling. I've got my 1/2 cord piles elevated on 3 ft stumps \ platforms to get them above the snow line. Easy pulling the 4 footers into the sleigh. Wish I could do wood work all the time...

I'm like you I was pushed through school because I could not read or right, they even put me in a special class, but I was a log home builder and one of the best in the USA. I was good with angels and numbers.

the synchronicity of the first part of this video, to me ,personally, today, is incredible. what an amazing world we live in thank you for sharing the world through your point of view, huge fan

There's something about going back to your old stomping grounds.......I like to see B.R. EXCITED ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS.......

I grew up in a Hollow in Illinois and the incredible memories of running around and playing in the woods are some of my fondest memories so I can fully understand that feeling you get coming back there.

i think my grand-kids said it best!! papa has got good hands! anything they wanted i could build wood or metal!!

Whenever you work with someone you like. It seems like the aches and pains go away for a bit. Great video

Pretty (new to the channel) old guy. Still working (61) but acquiring more old school skills and knowledge everyday. Working my way with a 👍🏽 thru every video. (Talk about a task)

11:24 OMG what a view it's wonderful

very pleasing environment

Love ya Buckin! Kindness, sweat and argyle will save the world!

Love your comment on education- “I felt I was being left in the dust and the last thing I was was stupid”. Very succinct and spot on! Love you!

That is probably the best camera work that you have documented on the topping of trees and the damage it does. It was neat to actually get a good visual on how nature took it back. So cool tx for sharing this Buckin !

When you spoke about your early years at School... it was the exact same for me. So nice to hear your story and looks like we have both turned out just fine. God bless...

Thank you for your time and bring in wood I'll throw a log on the fire for you!!!!!! KEEP ROCKEN!!!

1st. Good Afternoon brother. Good to see you. Love seeing where you spent your childhood.

Hi Buckin, it was neat to see the area where you grew up & even your bus stop! Ken seems like a great guy 😊 That 3.5 pounder looks “DEADLY!” 👍

That new Bullet from Brad’s is a beaut, NO LUGS is the way to go 👍

I love it!! When ole Buckin does the lumber jack hop, lol thats when you know he is giving it a hell of a wallop! lol 😁

god bless you buckin billy ray, you've really helped my mental health with this one tonight.

Hey buckin I been watching you now for about 2 months and haven't missed an episode. Just wanted to say hello thanks for the tricks of your trade you teach I have learned a lot that I thought I already knew. Lol. Oh those wedges your stepfather has , they do work I have used some like them in the past to split oak and hickory. Have a great day. Keep em coming.

school is the only place where we will find what you are not good at and then have you do more of it...I was an educator for 31 years and now became a full-time wood producer. Much happier now.

Привет из Украины Вы сильно помогли одному парню пилить и рубить дрова! Ваше умение и опыт заслуживает внимания в мире! (P.S. нислова не понял но действия понятны БлагоДарю Вас)

Love hearing your insights on the axes. So many variables to such a simple tool. As for the splitting wedges and points, i say dont sell them short. In tough wood, they are super nice. A real work saver.

Billy, I live in the UK and many years ago I had one of those conical wedges made by Oregon and they were called wood grenades. You used them either with the back of a maul or sledge hammer and were used for splitting gnarly wood. They worked pretty well.

Great to see Buckin’ can reconnect and still have a good relationship with Ken after all these years. Nothing like a well designed, very sharp axe. I have used some dull ones and about wore myself out trying to get anything done.

I luv you brother. I can relate totally. I had to go to "special " classes for reading. I just couldn't comprehend it. But math. My grandpa had showed me and tried to teach me a slide rule. I could almost instantly see a math problem answer in my head. But I couldn't speak or read well at all. Now I luv my job. It's whatever God has for me next.

BILLY we have all got a talent or something we are really good at .its just such a shame we dont all get the chance to shine .peace an love from scotland stuart an family.

Buckin Its amazing to hear your story’s about your childhood because they are so much like my own . I too grew up running through the woods pushing down small dead trees and if I could not push them over I had a hatchet I’d chop them down as best I could and I did learn a lot through those times . My dad had one of those round Oregon wedges. Love you videos brother.

I like how you have embraced your eternal spiritual self. The positiveness is inspiring! I’m a carpenter and have spent a good deal of time learning to drive a nail. Letting the hammer do the work. Swinging the hammer with finesse. I see that in the way you swing an ax. Putting the right force exactly where it needs to be. The power comes with fully using the wrist in the swing.I’m enjoying your example! Thanks

I'm with you Billy earning your keep makes you appreciate it more.Have a good evening man and thank you.

I love your take on spirituality. I couldn't agree more. It is a personal relationship. I love it.

It's always good to see you Buckin!! Thanks for all the knowledge brother

Thank you always Buckin ❤😮

So much love for what you are doing 💖💖💖

I know what your talking about . In school they told me I was stupid then IQ test. Then they called me lazy I quit and taught myself . And now I can do just about anything. Tree work is my life now

Love seeing where you come from brother! Love you all! ✊

EXCELLENT VIDEO!

Brings a warm smile knowing you are out there.

Merry Christmas and this is one of the best videos you have made,you have heart and pride in what you do.

This has been a blessed day for me! A Buckin video of his ol’stomping grounds😊 I’ve been asking to see this for many years! Mostly because I love when his energy hits this astronomical level 🌟 I just knew it would make for great content!!! It’s surpassed my hopes👍 and to top it off I found my first plumb head! And a few other goodies!! Thanks for doing this Buckin! I really enjoyed this trip down memory lane with ya!!!

Always love your videos. Inspirational. And teacher.

Thank you Sir from France

I recently took a walk through a place where I used to live, too. It was nice seeing what was familiar and what had changed. There's magic in that nostalgia☄

Awesome tools my friend as always, learn from you everyday.....much love Buckin!

Nice trip down memory lane and your passion was inspiring ♥️

Beautiful place,that's where your beautiful heart came from

God-bless you and your interjections 🙏 Love you all...❤❤❤ Lieutenant Bradley

Hi Buckin'. Thanks for the hometown growing up tour. I went back to my old place a few years ago and it isn't home anymore. I also don't miss the happenings there. I'm so blessed with a small family, a few close friends, a good craft and bumping into a few interesting people from time to time. Merry Christmas to you, and yours, and yes, that includes Ken and Nancy.

Merry Christmas to Ken and Nancy and Merry Christmas to you and your family too Buckin. Keep up the good work and keep spreading the love and kindness.

Thanks for your story off your school and your lucky day with the Tree. I have had exactly that same experience!

As a now former music teacher, I didn't approach it as trying to create professional musicians. The general approach is to help students develop ways to create or perform music for their own enjoyment. Now, I caught the music bug early when I got to see the organ played up close. There were so many things happening with playing it: there were multiple keyboards, you could play notes with your feet, You had tabs or drawknobs that controlled the different sounds you could make, etc. I found that elementary age students generally reacted the same way. They also like seeing the inside of a piano. They're fascinated by the fact that a trumpet can play different notes using the same fingering, etc. I also tried to make sure they found different types of music to enjoy. It's a given that no student will enjoy every piece of music used in class, but I did want them to find something they did enjoy.

Love the videos Billy! Your videos have gotten me into restoring axes. I'm about to fit my first handle to a 3.5 pounder that was badly damaged but looks pretty good now. Almost shave sharp using your techniques. Thanks for your content!

A nice reflective share of your past Billy , I enjoyed this very much . Ken seems a top fella and the memories of the area were good to hear . I don't comment a lot but enjoy the channel , all the best to you and the family and friends over Christmas , peace and prosperity to all , cheers .

Great message!! I definitely know when I'm short on "dirt time".

I appreciate you, thank you for sharing! 🤙🏽

You really have a terrific snap in your swing. Lovely

good to hear ya talkin about emotional/family stuff ..and how everyone has a spark in them. I call it an angst, a yearning, to connect w/ the source of all physical matter, and soul matter..almighty god

Buckin, this is one of the best videos. It sparks in so many ways! Thank you,

Great job on your step-dad’s property Buckin. The the variety of axes 🪓 today. Got the job done!💯❤️👍🏾💜🙋🏽‍♀️✝️🙏🏾🇺🇸

You are one very good man, I get educated and impressed with every viewing. I have to be physical now, and had to be 50-odd years back, I had the right configuration of brain to do well at school, but looking at the thing, I could find little motivation. If I am not in Nature, I die inside.

What a beautiful spot ken lives at ! I tell ya bucking your so right about the schooling thing , I sat for years in classes I couldn’t care less about but we HAD to do them . I nearly failed high school , but an English teacher who made the lessons fun saved my behind big time , I still won’t pick a book up unless I’m interested in the topic ……

Wow what a great place to grow up in and as always wise words Thanks for another great video Like a lot of people on here found your channel for wood chopping tips and stayed for the community Keep Em coming sir

Axeman time, i love the enthusiasm, is always there!🙏

Thanks to Ken and Nancy! Your property is beautiful!

I am a friend of Bills so I appreciate your doing the next right thing!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Blessings

It was super cool to see where you grew up and hear the stories..... thank you for sharing this with us.... also big thank you to Ken for his role in your young life!!!!

I can relate, I felt I too was left in the dust cause of my bad eye sight. I have never read a book and I’m 55 years old

Happy holidays to everyone. Thanks Billy.

Its great to hear your education and life outlooks. PARENTS-- If you want to make your kids stupid just give them a cell phone when they are young and a T.V. in their room unsupervised. Let them just not interact with other kids person to person. I truly believe that a kid like this will learn all he needs from the social media. And then parents are surprised when the kid is lazy or disrespectful or no COMMON SENSE. I am watching the decline of kids because they don't do the things that Billy is talking about. If I told my Dad or Mom I did not want to do something I was sore for a few days. I started working some at 14. Bought my own car. Learned how to fix it. And do manual labor. I raised my kid the same way. Now he can fix his own house, make great money, and help others. Patents, please lose the phones yourselves, and set a good example. I had a friend that was offended by how well his kids took to me. I never looked at a phone when they were with me, never took or made a call. I let them know they were not second place to a device in my pocket. He did not do this. Easy tp figure out.

We had that exact wedge when I was a kid!! You had to beat it with the sledge and it did --kind of-- work, albeit not at all efficiently. Ken is charming! Fun video.

nice meet u step dad he loves u .

I agree and I'm working on Mac 10 qp right now it is a beauty

Those oregon cone wedges are amazing for notty wood. My old friend Stan in east van let me borrow one once. Great message Billy

What an assortment of axe’s you have. All have something to do with you journey to the wood bullet , which this channel has fallen in love with. We all will continue to fallow along 👍👍👍

Hello Ken. Nice to meet you. You and Nancy have a beautiful place! Merry Christmas to you both.

Cool seeing your old home place. Also I spotted the patrol patch in the background back at the shop 👍

I'm glad I found this channel, you're a kind soul and the world is a better place with you in it. I don't think I've ever swung an axe in my life but for some reason I like watching your videos. I do work with my hands and agree there is a certain fulfillment after a hard days work. Thanks friend!

A few years ago I watched your video where you shared your enthusiasm for the HB Avrika, so I ordered one. Holy cow, what a tool!! I absolutely love that axe and use it continuously for some falling and a lot of splitting. While I do love it, I hope to score a wood bullet at some point! Also wanted to comment on your views pertaining to education. I have been blessed with two grandsons that were born a month apart. Though they are only 4, they couldn't be any different little men. One is a book smart brainiac and the other cares nothing for books but loves everything mechanical, can identify the majority of hand tools and understands how to use them. Both are impressive little men, but couldn't be more different. Oh yeah, my mechanical grandson loves to spend Saturday mornings watching BBR with me. Much continued success Buckin' !!

Ken you did a fine job loving on Billy Ray ...... God bless!

I really like the way you speak truth! I also like seeing a little bit of the back history in your life. The life lessons really do make the person. I completely understand your frustration with the reading and comprehension Because I am dyslexic and also have a major problem with reading spelling and comprehension ever since I was very young. Keep on doing what you’re doing that’s why we all watch your videos. ❤

Awesome Video Buckin!! It was cool to see where you grew up! It's beautiful!🤗

thank you for the way you approach talking about faith. It really nice to have someone so inclusive to all. such that you dont leave out any beliefs by being yes, vague but giving us all something we cab connect to in that “spark”. scientists, devotees whatever we may be everyone understands theres something fundamental about us, our origins and life that we cant explain without a little magic, or really complex maths. so, thanks again for always being a good guy.

Buckin! I have a few of those odd wedges. My grandfather had them from the 60s or 70s. They are cool pieces for sure

Great video definitely reminds me of when I went to school and issues I faced also in 70’s. Never realized that a big part of my problem was I needed glasses! Reading was something I did but I used to get migraines. Until I discovered that I needed glasses in my early 30’s. Migraines gone! I guess I always strained my eyes without realizing. As far as splitting wood I swear by a wedge I bought many years ago at Lee Valley it has a twist in it and makes the job of splitting the largest of rounds easy. I just looked at their website and they do sell one not sure if it’s made by the same company “mine was made in France” still have it.