remember folks expose that crack

I've been splitting logs for 40 years plus! A trick I learned with those more stubborn rounds. Is to flip them over and repeat the process!

Thank you, for reminding me why I bought a log splitter.

Instead of trying to bust those big rounds in half, split chunks off around the edge and work your way in.

You are making a good choice with the Fiskars Axe. You will make it split easier if you hit it on the far side EDGE. This makes the force go into the wood and it splits easier. I also put a bungee cord around the bottom outside so the wood go flying off and you spend so much time chasing it down. Don't worry if it doesn't split all the way across. Just go around the outside edge and by the time you get around to the starting point it will all be split. If it is big around like yours, you can cross split the center of the pie sections. It's all about getting the most pieces of firewood with the fewest strikes. I could send you a video if you will tell me how to get it to you.

Stacking a log like that to split it is making the job much harder. You talk about the ground absorbing the blow if you don't stack it but the log is moving all over the place when you hit it which is where all of your energy is being lost. Clear leaves and debris and put those big ones directly on solid ground. Also is a bit safer because when you stack you can swing through and end up chopping you foot or shin. The X27 can do a lot better under better setup conditions, but the Fiskars 8lb would probably be the better tool to half or quarter giant logs.

Always put the knot on the bottom, makes it easier splitting.

Watching this video helps me get over spending the thousand dollars for a 22 ton log splitter. It sure enough makes my life easier.

Greetings from the Emerald Isle of Ireland 🇮🇪, I use a truck tyre with the inner walls removed,stack all your rounds inside the tyre,and just chop away until you have them all split, saves your back if time, make sure you have a solid base, happy splitting,🇮🇪🇮🇪

I've hand split firewood all my life. Swinging a 6 pound wedge axe was fun and relatively easy. I'm 70 now and fairly sedentary most of the year. This year I'm cutting up some logs that didn't get to the mill. They consist of logs between 20 and 30 inches diameter of oak, hickory, black walnut and poplar. I cut very short, about 9 inches thick like he did. That makes it easy. I split them sitting on a stool. I use a small two pound hammer with little wedges made from old beat up solid body boy scout hatchets and a small ordinary wedge. The hardest part for me is man handling such large rounds. Any longer than 9 inches and they would be too heavy for me to lift into the wagon. I usually roll them around as much as possible. Sometimes I have to saw the larger rounds of hickory in two to get started or saw through any big knots. It's fun for me and doesn't require much exertion or effort. I have low lung capacity and get winded after just a couple of heavy axe swings. I started using a Makita battery powered saw with a 16" bar. It only weighs about 11 lbs with batteries and doesn't hurt my back. I can still cut up to 25-30" logs with it. Cutting 9 inch lengths the saw will cut as much as I dare pull out of the woods with a RZR side by side and trailer using only two sets of batteries. Makita uses two of their small tool batteries. Perhaps half or more pickup load. So even at 70 and out of shape one can still cut his own firewood. I just can't work so fast and furious. Although I suspect I could probably split up that straight grained maple piece he was working on in just a little more than the time than he took and I would breath normally while doing it.

Put the rounds on the ground so you can use your entire swing. Setting rounds on top of eachother is needed when splitting small/skinny rounds.

Good work sir. I've been using a maul for larger rounds, but have switched now to using wedges & a sledge hammer, then splitting axe/maul to further breakup.

Well done my friend! The fiskars are excellent splitting axes.

I just welded a heavy steel handle on an old maul head , it's a beast, certainly not user friendly but I can split 400mm knotty pine logs. And I cannot break it with a miss hit. Watch your shins !

Awesome video thank you for helping me out

I use the x27 fiskers and the isocore 8 lb maul,and the x25, great tools,

I use a old maul head and a sledge hammer. Never has failed me yet, until I ran into some large fresh hickory rounds. Its like string cheese made of steel cable

Nice video Lenny. Even had some comic relief thrown in for good measure. 👍

Spitting wood is a mindset.

Sorry forgot to mention if use axe closer to the bark area you use less muscle or energy & the big rounds splits easier with less force by use a wedge helps alot

great video man. thanks!

Love that music !

Not as easy as some people think. Can see who are the coach potatoes from the comments. Great job

A couple of metal wedges would have made super quick work of that, you swung more than a whole little league team.

Wish a nice weekend. And always good wood GREETINGS FROM GERMANY PIT

Great axe, I have one. Where did you find such a good instrumental of Wagon Wheel? Sounds like OCMS version

New subscriber, I liked what I see , I’ve split wood that way for 30 years . Not anymore though.

good video

Miniscule amount of gasoline, oil and diesel are needed to heat with wood, if you got lots of trees nearby. The rest is just sweat. I use Stihl 241 C-M, Fiskars X25 and X27 plus trusty ol' 1965 Massey Ferguson 135 (AD 3.152).

Actually there is no warranty if you break it. It only covers defects in their workmanship. ''Fiskars products are warranted to the consumer purchaser to be free of defects in material and workmanship for as long as the consumer owns the product. Warranty does not cover sharpening, normal wear and tear, environmental factors, accidental damage, misuse, industrial/commercial use.'' I just bought one after watching a guy wack the neck against a tree full force approx 100 times. Zero damage. Finally used a shotgun. 1st round just grazed it. At this toughness who needs a warranty.

Have you purchased the fiskars iso core 8lb splitting maul yet? I have both and the maul makes a big difference and you can switch back and forth.

I use that same swinging method and it works really good gives you a great solid hit

I use a laser beam double bit work from the outside in starting with bark and I'm splitting eucalyptus twisted

Glad to see the younger generation busting up some wood! Do it bro!!

Thanks.

I love my Fiskers , I have the 25 and a hatchet but getting ready to by the next size up after I get Christmas out of the way.

Hey body ! Which pant do you wear ? Love your job man !

Have you tried using a chain saw to plunge cut a cross shape into centre of the 30 inch log, then insert a large conical shaped dropped forged wedge and hitting it with a 15lb hammer to cause radial splitting ? Any thoughts, possibly more efficient and less hammering will be required.

Thanks for the video. Question, did you try chopping any of these on the ground? I have the same axe and I've noticed a few instances where I feel it's worked better splitting on the ground.

Thank you for the demonstration. Personally, I believe a maul would work better. With the maul, I hit the center of the log and either it splits clean or is partially split, maul still in the log. If the log is on the blade tight, pick up the maul and swing it with the log beine what you slam into a splitting log. The weight of the log and the maul normally finishes the split. CAREFUL - make sure the log being split is tight on the blade and don't bring the swing over your head.

Next time use a maul, and for that size I would use a 12lb. I usually swing a 10lb and it’s fun watching logs pop and spin in mid air once I get swinging

Would love to take a day and show you the easy way to use that maul. Not to be a dick. I sell a lot of firewood and I split it all by hand. Once you learn the easy way you just can't believe how well it works.

what you use is what we calle a splittingsledge .its a heavier edition of a normal axe.it does the same job but with less strenght as if you only use axe.

The only thing I would have done different is lay it on that other big round that you have leaning up there then it wouldn't fall off so often, save you a little bit of work

you should chop around the outer side edge moving around in a circle slice small pieces off...

Another tip, use your knees and keep your elbow in. Keeping the elbows in keeps the head of your axe/maul from wandering, while using your knees will generate MUCH more power and keep your back from hurting the next day. I have a weak back and use a 10lb all day and I can tell you, when I use my knees with my back those smaller rounds thst are taking your four to five whacks usually only take me two st the most?”, most of the time it pops the first time and one time I saw one piece jumpnupnmidair, spin, then drop straight like a stone, it was funny

Dry wood is much harder to split then fresh cutted logs. We never split dry firewood logs.

Nice video. And there’s nothing wrong with whacking your wood from time to time. 😄

Just a few things that could make it a lot easier a big base splitting block a quality splitting wedge and a 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pound small hammer put the wedge in on an edge and pound it through for your main split and then just grab a 6 lb Maul and have at it much easier.

I love my Fiskar 27 also, but for that big of a piece, the initial bust in half you need my monster maul. : )

When i sticks into yhe wood. Use a sledge to drive it on through. Save many usless swings. Buy the Fiska splitting maul!

What is the difference between a maul and a splitting axe?

Hit the round as close to the edge as possiblle

Actually, I'd recommend splitting those rounds on the ground. The effort you put into lifting them onto your block (and moving them there in the first place) will wind up to be greater than the effort you lose through shock absorption to the ground. Those rounds are large-- their mass and their surface area against the ground alone are decent resistance to shock absorption. Plus, your block is too small for those rounds, and you lose some of the stroke of your swing by raising up your rounds. Once you break up those rounds into smaller pieces, then start using the block again if you feel you need it. Given a novice level of control over the tool, I'd recommend a block so you don't put your sharp new Fiskars into a rock-- but if you can keep the tool out of the dirt, then try splitting on the ground.

Maybe think about using a length of chain & a bungee cord to wrap around the wood before splitting. You'd spend less time chasing chunks & just unhook the bungee from the chain when you're done.

Axe splitting is fun and sporting, but if you’re in a hurry and have no splitter, you can’t beat an old school maul.

where did you get that shirt?

Tks for demo ive got fiskars & i love it But you do get some vibration vs wood handle has no vibration Stay safe from covy-19 ok 👍 from Toronto Canada 🇨🇦

Ever tried it with a wedge to get it started?

6lb jersey poll , 6lb maul, 2 steel wedges , thats my log splitter. And rail splitter outfit. " If i ever spent a hour swinging my axe i spent 3 hours sharpening it" Abraham Lincoln

Don't do this!! Use two steel wedges placed (off center, away from heartwood) along a diameter line or best crack. Then after 4-6 hits with an 8lb sledgehammer, you have your halves, then using a single wedge go for your quarters, eighths and sixteenths. THEN, pull out each "radial wedge" and then use your Fiskars to split each wedge into three or four pieces, hitting (once!) along the concentric growth ring lines. No exhaustion. Boom.

I suppose the important question would be, would you be less fatigued using this axe or a more traditional splitting axe

6:26 tobias funke over here 🤣

Hey, great video! How long have these stumps been sitting, getting seasoned?

Try using a wedge!! Then work the sides...many fewer swings...with 8 lb maul...then the axe...

So this is my predicament, I am a total beginner on this and got the Fiskar 8lb, Maul, a neighbor just cut down a tree and the stumps are big like the double of the one you have and no cracks. How you would approach this effectively ... Today I took 2 hours to split the entire stump - thanks!

HEY I chop pieces of wood like that!📹😭 I 💘 chopping wood!

9:00 Good tip!

Rounds that bif I'd be splitting on the ground. Save your back because the little ground absorbsion those huge ones have isn't worth lifting up onto another.

Nice vid bro

The implement that you are using is probably too light for heavy stuff like that. Speeding up the film makes it look easier than it is. A sledge hammer and wedges would be a good idea to start things off for splitting in half or quarters and then going onto the axe. You are using up a lot of energy for a relatively small result.

The only thing i would have done different is rested more. ha ha .. im a little older.. nice work.. nice axe.

It would be much effortless if only he chopped it from one side to another 😁anyway... it's all about the axe 👍

Jorge Masvidal of wood splitting

Wedge and sledge!

Just by looking that only 12 inch wide. 15 to 18 sells the best.

It splits a lot easier if you lean up against something and hit the edge.

I do it differently. One strike with axe/maul. Then I hit that with sledge. Seems much less taxing, less swings.

Everyone be sure to check out my new wood splitting video I uploaded yesterday!

I use about 3 wedges and a sledge hammer. Takes less swings but definately very exhausting

Why put it on another block, the ground is better, it’ll give you a little more length on your down stroke. Also the trick is to get an eye for the best place to hit and get really good aim.Missing your target by as little as an inch can make the difference between a split and a wasted stroke.

Nice job buddy! That axe is the best in my opinion! Love it!!!

That's a lot of work to apply to one round. Which suggests the tool is not up to the job. A heavier splitting maul would probably work better. If you are heating an entire house with wood, skip these heroics and buy a hydraulic wood splitter. You will become prematurely old this way.

Hi, nice video. Are you right or left hand ?

what kind of maple is that? looks similar to a oak.

Just ordered the same axe hope it’s worth the money

I usually start at the outside rings then it opens up easier.

I have one of those axes. It works, but it’s a throw away axe.

Mall with a wedge woulda done the job quicker

Do whatever you like for "whacking off" your wood at 6:30 in your...video! 😁

Until they come out with a maw or axe that does the job with one whack, I'm splitting with the old speedo splitter.

Is that all your woodland? New subscriber here. We heat our entire house from oct thru April with wood too.

Best way to cut firewood is to invite people over you have never met. BEFORE They arrive...Tuck one arm under your long sleeve shirt...let that sleeve flap around... Now start to chop the wood with one arm. Everyone will start helping as they will feel sorry for you. Relax... now and have a beer.. WAIT! for all wood to be chopped. Then take out your "Missing Arm". If they get mad.. who cares your woods chopped. Scout out New People and invite them over.. repeat as needed. 😁

Precision is key. There were some nice cracks, but you need to hit them. Hitting near them won't do the trick. I find that just raising the Fiskars up and swinging it from a position above my head is more precise than swinging it all the way back over the right shoulder. Also, get a bigger stump/block or you will loose too much power to the round wobbling around.

Just try your axe to tropical rainforest wood. There too much knots and make your axe stuck. Wedges and sledgehammer is the best choice i think

Hard Work = effort applied. no lack of that. big rounds require that , what I do and it works good for me, use the chainsaw to cut a shallow line about 1 inch deep in that natural crack you pointed out, accross the log, use wedges to bust it in half, then use the Fisker's to finish,,, only criticizing comment from me, is to use one of the other big rounds as a chop block, you lost alot of the force of your chop strikes to the fact the round moved , downward , as you hit so hard it was trying to flip over, you are a strong man, let physics help you make the most of it.

Thanks for the tips.... Kinda hard to explain things... ...w/o talking ... spank that log w the Fiskar...I have 3 sizes of them. Very nice axes $10 gets their Sharpener which is sweet!!

The manual how not to chop firewood

ol lenny should've bought the 8lb maul instead. Now he's wackin off with the splitting axe.

that "crack" is called a "check" or the check line.