I'm a city girl, new to the world of burning wood for heat, comfort and the pure satisfaction, and thanks to this site I've learned pretty much how to do everything I need to know, except how to split wood..... I just haven't been able do it and I'm so embarrassed to admit it.
How did you learn how? How long did it take? What's the best technique? Tool?
I bought the Fiskars Splitting Axe after much research, watched the video on here recently of a dude splitting a giant log with mind-boggling ease..... although I can't find it now but he didn't use a wedge or a hydraulic machine, it did take him a few strikes (2 or 3) on a few splits but not 20 like me. What the hell is wrong with me? My dad says I need a wedge, my uncle says I just need more practice, my boyfriend says I need a heavier axe, my son says he'll take care of it.
I can hit the logs dead on time and time again but the axe just buries itself in the log and I have to pry it out only to have it happen again, 10 or 15 times, at which point I get angry and quit. I haven't cried yet but I'm SO frustrated! I hate to think that it's just because I'm a girl. Am I too short? 5 foot 3 inches. Did I choose the wrong axe? Is 27 inches too long? Too short? Am I too old at 46 to learn a new trick? I consider myself to be pretty strong even though I'm small but maybe I'm delusional. My son and my boyfriend have helped me out so far and they seem to enjoy splitting wood and have little difficulty doing so but I want to be able to do it myself. I like being self-reliant, I'm not the damsel in distress type of gal.
The wood I've scrounged so far is green- cherry, hackberry, pear and mulberry, the pear isn't as hard as the rest.... I did manage to split some of it but it took way too many strikes in my opinion. Thankfully I bought a few cords of seasoned oak, already split, to get me started but I'm hoping to get enough free wood from friends, neighbors and CL so I never have to buy any ever again, which means splitting it myself.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated, especially from the ladies, or dasisterhood as BrotherBart so lovingly referred to you.
Thanks a bunch in advance!
How did you learn how? How long did it take? What's the best technique? Tool?
I bought the Fiskars Splitting Axe after much research, watched the video on here recently of a dude splitting a giant log with mind-boggling ease..... although I can't find it now but he didn't use a wedge or a hydraulic machine, it did take him a few strikes (2 or 3) on a few splits but not 20 like me. What the hell is wrong with me? My dad says I need a wedge, my uncle says I just need more practice, my boyfriend says I need a heavier axe, my son says he'll take care of it.
I can hit the logs dead on time and time again but the axe just buries itself in the log and I have to pry it out only to have it happen again, 10 or 15 times, at which point I get angry and quit. I haven't cried yet but I'm SO frustrated! I hate to think that it's just because I'm a girl. Am I too short? 5 foot 3 inches. Did I choose the wrong axe? Is 27 inches too long? Too short? Am I too old at 46 to learn a new trick? I consider myself to be pretty strong even though I'm small but maybe I'm delusional. My son and my boyfriend have helped me out so far and they seem to enjoy splitting wood and have little difficulty doing so but I want to be able to do it myself. I like being self-reliant, I'm not the damsel in distress type of gal.
The wood I've scrounged so far is green- cherry, hackberry, pear and mulberry, the pear isn't as hard as the rest.... I did manage to split some of it but it took way too many strikes in my opinion. Thankfully I bought a few cords of seasoned oak, already split, to get me started but I'm hoping to get enough free wood from friends, neighbors and CL so I never have to buy any ever again, which means splitting it myself.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated, especially from the ladies, or dasisterhood as BrotherBart so lovingly referred to you.
Thanks a bunch in advance!