anyone else hand split instead of using the splitter?

[Destructor]

Maul and occasional wedges. I'll borrow my brother's monster mall when I accumulate a bunch of stubborn pieces.

 

[volunbeer]

I am about 50/50. Purchased a DHT 27ton splitter and it works well when my back is sore, but I also enjoy swinging the fiskars, a couple of generic mauls and old wedges, and I just ordered a fiskars 8#. Looking forward to trying that out. I have a cord of beautiful fir rounds and I already used wedges to break them down a bit (really large fir) so I will give it a shot when it is real cold out and let it rip. I already used the generic mauls (truper? I think) to make about 50 big splits for next winter from the same trees. It is nice when I get a full cord in the waiting area and the back or shoulder is tight to crank up the splitter and fill up the racks.

 

[2fireplacesinSC]

I prefer to hand split- good exercise and just fun watching the magical x27 split wood apart. However, when my back's bothering me or just too tired out, I go to the 7 ton electric. Just depends on how I'm feeling as to which I'll use I guess. I do like how small and similar I can get splits with the electric splitter though. I will spoil myself sometimes by getting a bunch of splits almost the same size with it. I've lined up a bunch of rounds though and just went to whacking to the point I got nauseated and shaky- now that is good exercise! (and a good stress relief)

 

[zig]

Using the same #6 and #10 mauls I used as a kid. They just needed handles and now I'm watching my kids split with them. They still need handles. Once a year a buddy brings his splitter over for the twisty stuff and crotches or I use the backhoe bucket. Otherwise, like Dad I supervise.

 

[Hickorynut]

Burning 23 years and 64 years old and have always used mauls, wedges and sledge. Have rented a woodsplitter one time and it was nice. Do quite a bit of noodling when necessary. Trying to save dollars here, but looking back and seeing then what has happened with my wood burning, it would have been wise to have bought a splitter on day one. Too late now though.

 

[pernox]

Burning 23 years and 64 years old and have always used mauls, wedges and sledge. Have rented a woodsplitter one time and it was nice. Do quite a bit of noodling when necessary. Trying to save dollars here, but looking back and seeing then what has happened with my wood burning, it would have been wise to have bought a splitter on day one. Too late now though.

Never too late! I found a gently used Huskee 22 ton on Craigslist and paid 600 for it after a little back and forth. You could make that back selling three cord of wood around here.

For me, burning 10 cord+ yearly, the hydro i unit was necessary if for no other reason than it bus back a lot of hours of lost daylight. Not that splitting isn't fun, but with the volume I go through it was just eating too much time doing it all by hand.

 

[Hickorynut]

Never too late! I found a gently used Huskee 22 ton on Craigslist and paid 600 for it after a little back and forth. You could make that back selling three cord of wood around here.

For me, burning 10 cord+ yearly, the hydro i unit was necessary if for no other reason than it bus back a lot of hours of lost daylight. Not that splitting isn't fun, but with the volume I go through it was just eating too much time doing it all by hand.

Totally understand pernox, 10 cords is a lot of wood per year.

 

[Marshy]

I hand split 8-9 cord a year with my Fiskars X27. I also cut my wood ~20" length. If I buy a splitter it will be a kinetic type. I recently bought a Fiskars ISO Core maul so it might postpone the splitter.

 

[Tar12]

I only grab a maul after I have quartered a monster round with my Stihl 660 and then it gets rolled up on the log lift of my AllWood splitter and ran through the 4 or 6 way head. My back can't take hours of maul usage anymore.

 

[rygar]

i think i found my perfect medium. all the big pieces i split down to quarters. and then i stack all the split wood near the hydro to get ti split to burning size. best of both worlds. i just feel bad not using the hydro so i throw it in the rotation. but i do most of it with a 8lb maul. want to try an x27 though. sounds like an amazing tool

anything punky or tough, i just use the splitter on unless am in a chit mood.

 

[Dobish]

it looks like I get to bust out my fiskars again, since the starter rope on the hydro ripped off. i'm waiting on the replacement unit, but need to get through a lot of stuff.... i think i'll start with the really dry aspen or the maple.

 

[Wood1Dennis]

I split most of my firewood by hand. I have a lot of ash, white and yellow birch, black cherry, some maple. When I get into the twisted stringy elm or oak, I pull the splitter out and use it but I really like to split by hand and it is great exercise. Like a few others have said, when it is nice splitting stuff, I believe that I can split faster by hand and actually have to move the wood less. It also helps to go out when it is cold; single digit temps forecast this weekend means I should get a lot done!

I have seen a lot of references to the Fiskars X27 in this string. Is it really that much better than the old standard 10lb. splitting mauls I have always used?

 

[Dobish]

I have seen a lot of references to the Fiskars X27 in this string. Is it really that much better than the old standard 10lb. splitting mauls I have always used?

i believe so.

 

[gerry100]

not if you have an accurate and efficient swing

 

[HisTreeNut]

I have seen a lot of references to the Fiskars X27 in this string. Is it really that much better than the old standard 10lb. splitting mauls I have always used?

I have one and they are that good.

 

[Deeje]

I've been splitting with this 100 year old Plumb double bit felling axe for a couple years. Weighs nothing but I've got it sharp enough to shave with. Of course, I break out the maul or wedge when I have to, but this one has been a lot of fun. Makes quick work of any straight grain logs and doesn't wear me out as fast.

 

[Tar12]

View attachment 191897
I've been splitting with this 100 year old Plumb double bit felling axe for a couple years. Weighs nothing but I've got it sharp enough to shave with. Of course, I break out the maul or wedge when I have to, but this one has been a lot of fun. Makes quick work of any straight grain logs and doesn't wear me out as fast.

They all have their place. I run several mauls and axes to split with...just depends on how mean I have to get with the wood..lol

 

[Deeje]

They all have their place. I run several mauls and axes to split with...just depends on how mean I have to get with the wood..lol

Same here. My collection grows every year when the big 127 yard sale comes around. Surely I'll have a perfect setup soon and won't need to buy anything else... [emoji1]

 

[NateB]

Cutting, swinging a maul or stacking don't bother me really. It's the bending over. Whatever I can do in any part of the operation to minimize the constant bending over.. I do it...

Check out a Hookaroon. You can do the complete process without ever bending over, if you get good enough with the hookaroon. I got it as a gift, and I think it is a worth while tool.

 

[Tar12]

Check out a Hookaroon. You can do the complete process without ever bending over, if you get good enough with the hookaroon. I got it as a gift, and I think it is a worth while tool.

Got me one of those as well...saves climbing up in the back of the truck as well as bending over..

 

[pyroheater]

I am too poor to buy a splitter so splitting by hand it is for me. mostly 8lb Splitting Maul and a wedge

 

[Firewood Daddy]

I have splitter, an X27, a maul, a wedge and bad back. I use the splitter....


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[smmjam12]

I always split by hand, rent a splitter once a year for the uglies.

 

[Hogwildz]

No. My shoulders & back thank me.

 

[jetsam]

I have a 22 ton hydraulic splitter, but I do maybe 75% of my splitting by hand. It's better for my back, faster, easier. It's easier on my back because I am not heaving so many big rounds up onto the splitter, or bending down for hours to work the splitter in vertical mode.

I am pleased to say that my sledge'n'wedge are mostly retired since I got the hydraulic splitter.

Easy straight grained stuff gets the maul, difficult knotty crotches get the hydraulic splitter. I end up using both on most of the trees I process.