splitting pains

[toonces]

i was out splitting the small load of maple i gathered last week and, being new to this game, smacked the handle of the Fiskars square on the tops of several pieces of wood. my left hand (the one at the base of the handle) was fine, but heck if my right hand didn't take a beating. those handles are strong, but man they transmit the shock pretty well. i have a wooden-handled 8lbs maul that felt much better on the misses. the soft part of my hand swelled up nice so i've been holding an ice pack for a while. that Fiskars sure does slice through the wood nice, though, if you find a seam. i'm thinking of sliding a piece of bike innertube up under the head to maybe deaden the misses a little. maybe a piece on the handle too. or some hockey tape.

 

[Beer Belly]

my hand swelled up nice so i've been holding an ice pack for a while. i'm thinking of sliding a piece of bike innertube up under the head to maybe deaden the misses a little. maybe a piece on the handle too. or some hockey tape.

Instead of Ice....I grab a cold Beer.....how about Pipe Insulation on the handle ???

 

[Backwoods Savage]

toonces, it seems many folks have this problem and I have seen some put a rubber on the handle right up close to the axe. I'm not so sure that a bike inner tube would be enough though unless you wrapped it really thick. Maybe two of them wrapped and then tapped into place might work. Time to sharpen the aim a bit too. Do not hurry when splitting wood either.

 

[bogydave]

Sounds like a self teacher , misses hurt
Try making you axe blade just hit onto the round nearest to you, just the width of head.
General rule is to strike the round on the 1/3 nearest to you. (not the middle or other side of middle)
Wooden handles wouldn't take much of that before they broke.
Dad yelled when I over shot & hit the handle, "Just hit the edge, or you're gonna break the handle!!"

 

[LLigetfa]

When I was splitting with an axe, I would often walk around to the other side of the round rather than strike the far side.

 

[toonces]

good advice. my misses were just plain overshooting the round. i'll get better and stronger so my fatigue doesn't affect my aim. another good workout for sure.

 

[Loco Gringo]

The tube is a good idea. Work on your aim and just let the tool do the work. Just like hitting a ball with a bat. One you have it you can swing full force and shave the fuzz off of a gnats ass. Just work on hitting your target.

 

[WoodpileOCD]

good advice. my misses were just plain overshooting the round. i'll get better and stronger so my fatigue doesn't affect my aim. another good workout for sure.

When you get tired with a Fiskars, it's time to take a break. Don't hurry, get careless or work tired with one of them. They are wicked dangerous, much more so than a maul.

If I could find the thread, I show you a boot cut of mine that made me much more cautious.

 

[toonces]

good advice. my misses were just plain overshooting the round. i'll get better and stronger so my fatigue doesn't affect my aim. another good workout for sure.

When you get tired with a Fiskars, it's time to take a break. Don't hurry, get careless or work tired with one of them. They are wicked dangerous, much more so than a maul.

If I could find the thread, I show you a boot cut of mine that made me much more cautious.

i hope that picture doesn't have shredded toes! i found that bending my knees in unison with the strike yielded the best results and put the head more parallel with the ground as opposed to in an arc towards me. i'm also 6'1" or better with boots on so it just felt more solid. yeah, i laid off when i felt the arms getting noodly. i had a few stray glancing blows that made me step back and take a rest.

 

[jotul8e2]

About two or three times every splitting session (white oak, usually) I have a split break along the growth ring at nearly a right angle to the split and catch the handle. I recommend buying hickory replacement handles as they burn very nicely.

 

[Jags]

You might also want to consider a splitting block. They don't need to be 20" tall or anything specific. Sometimes an elevation of 6 or 8 inches can be a game changer for folks.

 

[Gunks]

I found that it really helps if I look at where I want the axe to land instead of looking at the blade of the axe. Definitely take a break from splitting if you are loosing even a little bit of your concentration.

 

[DanCorcoran]

The tube is a good idea. Work on your aim and...once you have it you can swing full force and shave the fuzz off of a gnats ass.

I just use mine for splitting firewood...

 

[mywaynow]

I remember as a kid splitting with a hickory handled axe. One time the handle hit like the op detailed, and it split the handle wide enough that the heel of my hand was caught in the handle when it returned to its original form. Quite a predicament, and don't recall the outcome. Still have the hand, so must not have been too bad.

 

[Flatbedford]

I remember as a kid splitting with a hickory handled axe. One time the handle hit like the op detailed, and it split the handle wide enough that the heel of my hand was caught in the handle when it returned to its original form. Quite a predicament, and don't recall the outcome. Still have the hand, so must not have been too bad.

OOOOUUUUCH

 

[Thistle]

good advice. my misses were just plain overshooting the round. i'll get better and stronger so my fatigue doesn't affect my aim. another good workout for sure.

When you get tired with a Fiskars, it's time to take a break. Don't hurry, get careless or work tired with one of them. They are wicked dangerous, much more so than a maul.

If I could find the thread, I show you a boot cut of mine that made me much more cautious.

Getting tired after a long hot day late last summer did this:

A glancing blow off a knotty round,just behind the steel toe cap.Didnt go through the thick leather completely,but when I took boot off did see 2 small drops of blood on my sock fron the point of the edge.I quit for the day then.

 

[killick]

good advice. my misses were just plain overshooting the round. i'll get better and stronger so my fatigue doesn't affect my aim. another good workout for sure.

toonces, splitting wood is kinda like hitting a baseball. Keep your eye on the ball, or piece of wood, not the bat, aka splitting maul and you're more likely to make a fair hit. And yes, with practise your technique will improve.

Earl

 

[ScotO]

good advice. my misses were just plain overshooting the round. i'll get better and stronger so my fatigue doesn't affect my aim. another good workout for sure.

When you get tired with a Fiskars, it's time to take a break. Don't hurry, get careless or work tired with one of them. They are wicked dangerous, much more so than a maul.

If I could find the thread, I show you a boot cut of mine that made me much more cautious.

Getting tired after a long hot day late last summer did this:

A glancing blow off a knotty round,just behind the steel toe cap.Didnt go through the thick leather completely,but when I took boot off did see 2 small drops of blood on my sock fron the point of the edge.I quit for the day then.

yeah thistle I think I would have headed up to the house for a Captain and Ginger Ale........lol....

 

[Flatbedford]

]yeah thistle I think I would have headed up to the house for a Captain and Ginger Ale........lol....

..hold the ginger!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

The tube is a good idea. Work on your aim and just let the tool do the work. Just like hitting a ball with a bat. One you have it you can swing full force and shave the fuzz off of a gnats ass. Just work on hitting your target.

Dang. Where do you find those gnats at this time of the year?

 

[Thistle]

The tube is a good idea. Work on your aim and just let the tool do the work. Just like hitting a ball with a bat. One you have it you can swing full force and shave the fuzz off of a gnats ass. Just work on hitting your target.

Dang. Where do you find those gnats at this time of the year?

:lol: Gonna say...if he lives where the gnats are still flying around,what's he need wood heat for?