Another addition to the wood splitters Hall of Fame

[dave11]

I'm not sure if anyone else finds this cool, but I do. I'm visiting Lewiston, Idaho this week, and I was introduced to a woman, aged 80, who is still splitting her firewood by hand. She is about 5'4" and weighs about 140. Very spry. She splits approx 6 cords per year, all by hand. She has NG hooked up but says she's "too cheap" to pay for it to heat her home, so she heats with wood, and has done so all her life.

She uses a single bit ax, not a maul, and says if it gets stuck, she will drive it down with a sledge, or will sometimes use a wedge to free the ax.

People here know her and confirm this all to be true.

She says: "Everyone should sweat some, at least once per day."

80 years old. 6 cords per year.

I love it.

 

[oldspark]

Be nice to see a video of her splitting wood, cant be easy at 80 no matter how big or small you are.

 

[shawneyboy]

I hope I can split by hand when I reach 80. Hell I hope to reach 80 !

Shawn

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It's in the genes! Well, some of it might also depend upon the wood she is splitting. I've known many older folks who are just like that lady. Most do it just because it should be done! They think nothing of it because that is how things used to be done. Today's society seems to think otherwise and it is nice to see or read of someone who still does it no matter the age.

I also recall a man I met one time. His yard was full of junk and it turned out he was some type of an artist....but past his prime. He was 86 when I met him and you would have thought he was a very poor man. After all, looking at the junk and the home he lived in....and he also heated with wood that he cut....using a crosscut saw! Naturally he also did not use hydraulics when it came time to split the wood. I also later found out he was a very wealthy man! He just preferred to live that way.

Just a couple years ago a man was moved into a rest home. I used to see him often when I rode past his place on my bicycle. He always waved and I did too. He lived in a one-room house and he also cut his wood using a crosscut saw. He was somewhere around 93 when he no longer could take care of himself. But it was a joy to see him doing what he wanted and liked to do, no matter the age.

 

[Wood Duck]

I have at least... hmm, 80 minus 43 times 6 cords carry the two ... a lot of firewood to cut before I am too old. Oh, wait, just read Savage's post. OK, 93 minus 43, or probably minus 12 since that guy probably started at 12 years old, times at least 4 times harder with a crosscut saw... Yeah, I have a long way to go before I catch up with those guys.

 

[Splitter77]

I would love to see that video as well. Good for her!

 

[woodchip]

I always admire old people for just getting on with it.

I bet she hangs her washing out on a line too, much simpler than the new green way of producing electricity on a giant wind turbine and then using it to power an electric dryer..........

 

[REM505]

Hell's bell's- they used to have to do it like that....every day or freeze. Gives her purpose, if someone bought her a splitter she'd probably use it once then keel over!