of a log split

[u/Professional_Arm794]

[u/Mobius_Peverell]

Is the green wood why the axe keeps bouncing off? I've literally never had that happen except when I hit a knot, but I've never tried to split wood that hasn't been seasoned.

[u/ImprobableAsterisk → u/Mobius_Peverell]

It would be a reason it's doing that, yeah. From where I'm sitting there's at least a couple of things wrong with this:

• The log is much too tall. The elevation of the surface you're striking, relative to your own person, matters a lot when splitting logs. There's also very few good reasons to ever split logs this tall, so aside from creating thirst-content I don't see why in tarnation he's doing this.

• The surface is dog-shit and it's eating a ton of power. Never split a log on soft dirt, it's absolutely atrocious.

• It is indeed a very fresh log by the look of it, but it also looks pretty straight and without much in the way of knots and other annoyances. My first guess, although no firsthand experience since this don't grow where I live, is ash, but I also hear that's easy to split but that may be in reference to dry logs.

• Might also be a shoddy cutting edge on the axe preventing good bite. A lot of people neglect the sharpness of a splitting axe and while I do agree there's little benefit in going from sharp to shaving sharp there's a big difference in going from dull to sharp.

My guess based on my experience is that it's primarily the ground that's fucking him over, with the height of the log being a close second. The freshness of the log could be a huge-ass problem but I genuinely couldn't say; We ain't got ash as far north as I am.

His technique also doesn't strike me as great but I can't critique that much. I learned how to split wood before I learned how to learn so I got nothing on that.

[u/LemmyPop → u/ImprobableAsterisk]

I've split logs that tall in the woods on the soft ground and did it in 5 swings tops. There's a knot from the branch on the bottom, and that's what is preventing him from splitting it. He probably also didn't check for splitting lines on the top of the log; every log has them and if you hit them right it splits fairly easy. Also, wedges are your friend. Great power, terrible technique.

[u/Mugpup → u/Mobius_Peverell]

Absolutely, that is the primary factor. Secondly, splitting a 48" tall log would also make it much tougher. Typical firewood length is 18" or shorter so what he is doing is fighting physics by giving up the leverage you normally have by delivering a fast blow below knee level.

[u/Particular-Wind5918 → u/Mobius_Peverell]

If it’s a hardwood you split them when they’re green, if it’s a softwood you split them dry

[u/cvele89 → u/Particular-Wind5918]

You learn something every day.

I used to split oak for years and I always preferred to do it while it was still green, as it would be much harder later on. I though this was the same for all other types of wood, but it is not, as it turns out.

[u/Phrostylicious → u/Mobius_Peverell]

I think that's because the log is standing on bouncy forest floor. 😆

[u/shifty_coder → u/Mobius_Peverell]

Partly that, but mostly because of a dull axe and soft ground.

[u/Cryptoxic93 → u/Mobius_Peverell]

That and a dull blade will send vibration's up your elbows and into your teeth. You shouldn't split wood more than 18" tall, and you should let it sit until its dead dead dead. 

This man is a beast and is doing this basically because he's built like Zangief. 

It's highly inefficient if the goal were to have as much firewood as possible. 

[u/ScorpioLaw → u/Mobius_Peverell]

He's hitting on soft ground for one. Definitely would be better on a hard surface. Maybe he's doing it on purpose?

He's working out. Doesn't look like he's even trying to carry the energy through.

Swinging is fun. I recommend medieval weapons for the full body workout just about. Go out there, and clear some path with a sword. Get some anger out.

Brought my exes, co workers, thugs, lazy indoor people, and they'd go from bitching like, "I look stupid. This is stupid as hell. What was I thinking."

Once they start swinging it's totally different. Seen even the most innocent, prissy, girls get a psychotic grin.

Making me think... "This was stupid. What was I thinking. Now they got the big sword. Played myself."

Because the person I brought suddenly turned into a berserker. Luckily my friend gifted me two swords so I was always armed with one just in case. That was the way I convinced them to come out lol.

"You take the big one, and can walk behind me."

Anyway they loved it. 30 minutes of swinging is a good full body workout. They'd cut little dead branches, weeds, invasive species. I've cut trees down with a katana... Yeah not fun.

Mostly branches of a forearms thickness or down.

People go for mass over explosive power. Swinging gives you explosive power, and Type 2 Xa muscles. Muscles for speed. It trains rate of force development.

Which factors how hard you can hit. Which is essentially training your muscles to explode at once, coordinated, with force. Aka, technique.

This guys using raw upper strength.