How to Split Wood
Splitting wood correctly is important for a number of reasons. First, it will be easier to stack and store firewood if they were all regularly-sized. Second, it will be easier to use regular-sized wood for different purposes, whether it’s for a campfire, a fireplace or for your stove. While there are hydraulic logs available for an easier time splitting wood, you can also do it on your own. Here’s how.
Decide on what the size of the wood should be. Wood used for stoves are typically anything between 16 to 20 inches long.
Look for a flat, level ground to split wood in. Make sure that there are no overhanging branches, wires or anything that could get in the way of you splitting wood. Your position should be stable and secure.
wood chopping
Have a chopping block ready. You may have already seen on films that a large section of a cut tree trunk is the chopping block of choice for many people.
Make sure that both ends of the log you’re about to split is flat or level. The log has to stand upright when split, so chop off both ends to be level first.
Place the log squarely on the center of the chopping block, or at least as near the center as it could be. Make sure it is stable and standing upright.
Look for two things: The large knots or the gnarly grain where the wood was cut and the hairline cracks in the log. Avoid the gnarly grain patterns when chopping, and aim along the hairline cracks instead.
Align the maul and “aim” where you will hit the axe to split the wood. You should also prepare your stance when swinging the axe. Your feet should be placed firmly about a hip width apart, a stance that will give you a good force and accuracy.
Swing back the axe over your shoulder on your dominant side. Grip the handle firmly with both hands. Keep your dominant hand on top of the other when gripping the axe handle.
Swing the axe down hard on the wood.
If the wood doesn’t split in the first swing, pull the axe slightly out of the log or pull and twist it if the axe got stuck. Rock the axe up and down, but not side to side.
If you get stuck with smaller pieces stuck on your axe, turn the axe upside down. The weight of the wood added with gravity will cause the axe to bite deeper into the wood. Strike the block to completely split the wood.
Split the wood logs smaller and smaller until they are in the desired size.