Can anyone ID this brick?

[Dfw245]

Sorry to seem like I'm posting so much, there seems to be millions of trees around here haha. But seriously, this wood is INCREDIBLY hard. Literally almost feels like a brick. Seems dry but not because of seasoning, more like it just doesn't have a lot of moisture. Owner told me it was an ash tree they got rid of, however isn't ash easy to split?? This stuff is crazy. Like really hard. The X27 seems to even bounce off in places. For it's size, it doesn't seem as heavy as say a much smaller piece of pecan. But I've turned this thing all over and cannot get a crack started. I only grabbed one log because I wasn't sure if I'd be able to split it or not or even if it was good enough wood. It does have a very grassy/citrus'y type smell to it.

 

[d.sebens]

Definitely white ash. It’s HARD to split. Try chunking off sides and working in from there. There’s no way you will ever hand split that in half.

 

[Dfw245]

Goodness. Everything I read said ash was incredibly easy to split. Clearly not. Looks like I'll have to try splitting around it. I was making sure this wasn't like white oak or something lol

This stuff worth going back and grabbing more of?

 

[d.sebens]

White ash is pretty amazing. It’sdense and relatively dry when cut. It’s denser than it’s easier splitting brother green ash.

 

[Dfw245]

White ash is pretty amazing. It’sdense and relatively dry when cut. It’s denser than it’s easier splitting brother green ash.

Sounds good to me. Well, looks like I'll see how I can get this one split and if I can do it with relative ease, I'll go grab some more. Thanks

 

[Jags]

It’s ash.

 

[MongoMongoson]

If you get it off the ground on top of another log more of your energy will go into what you are trying to split. Try it. It will feel a lot more "solid" when you hit it.

If you don't have wedges, get a couple. I have a traditional blue Estwing wedge and one of those pointy triangle wedges in addition to a couple of old traditional wedges that I still keep.

Sometimes I can't get a traditional wedge to even start. The pointy triangle wedge can work better at times.

Sometimes you have to get two wedges going at once. Hit one, then the other. Really stringy ash or elm will sometimes eject a single wedge even after you get it 1/4 of the way in. Wedges will save you a lot of frustration when you get a really ornery log.

 

[Caw]

Defintely ash. Worst case you can always noodle it once. It looks awfully long?

 

[bigealta]

Defintely ash. Worst case you can always noodle it once. It looks awfully long?

Sure does, the x27 is 36" long. Makes that log look to be 28-30"? Cut that boy in half then try splitting again. And chunk pieces off from about 2-3" in from the edges.

 

[Simonkenton]

Ash. I wacked a dead ash tree that was bigger than that, and as you suggested, it was easy to split. I split it all up with the Fiskars. In fact I have cut up 5 ash trees. Don't know what the problem is with yours.
ps Great firewood.

 

[Jags]

Sometimes wind beaten yard trees or fence row trees just grow up mean and tough. Not sure where the OP harvested the tree, but that could be part of it.

 

[Simonkenton]

The ash is not as heavy as pecan, and it does not hold coals as long as pecan. But, ash is pretty good firewood.

 

[Dfw245]

I can definitely tell it isn't as heavy as pecan. That's for sure. I'll see how these slabs fare in the flame lol Yeah it is pretty long. Maybe about 25" if I recall. It's just so heavy to get up off the ground and I didn't have a chopping block big enough to stand it on(until now). I need a chainsaw and have been looking into them. All I have is a crappy basic 10" corded one from home Depot mainly used for pruning limbs. There's no way this is cutting through that. So I've been looking into the Echo CS590. Something that'll last me a while. Plus I believe that'll be better, even for noodling jobs.

And mongo, I might need to get some wedges. Or maybe a 8lb maul? Something of that nature. Also, the ash wasn't harvested by me, it was a scrounge. There's tons left but an hour away, and long like that? And tough to split? No thanks.

Thanks for all the responses though. Definitely white ash, but seems to be white diamond lolol my fiskars is literally bouncing off it. Split around the sides and even that was a pain. Got it smaller, still won't split. I've literally walked around the outside of it and have it down to maybe 10" thick? Still won't split.

 

[hickoryhoarder]

To me, that's white ash.

Sometimes on big rounds only a wedge will split it for me.

 

[Dfw245]

Pfft. Looks like I'll have some ash slabs sitting around then lmao at least I got to experience it. It's not as painstakingly frustrating as trying to split elm, but giving it your all and swing the axe with force...and the wood just says, nope. That keeps you humble lol

 

[firefighterjake]

Ash.

 

[bigealta]

Yes A chainsaw will be a Huge help when u are scrounging wood. Sharp chain is the key, even a crappy saw will cut well if the chain is Sharp.

 

[Dfw245]

I'll have to look into chains as well then

 

[bigealta]

I'll have to look into chains as well then

You just need a hand file and a bit of practice to sharpen a chain.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

I used to sell firewood to a lady that passed away several years ago, and she had a pretty good section of her Ash tree come down so I figured I could cut it to size and split it by hand in her yard. NO WAY! This was a yard tree, and I had to bring it home and even at times the splitter struggled with it. You could never tell that just by looking at it, but this thing was nasty, trust me It really fooled me as Ash usually splits so easily!

 

[Echo Parking Lot]

Is that some ash borer damage on the bark?

 

[Dfw245]

I used to sell firewood to a lady that passed away several years ago, and she had a pretty good section of her Ash tree come down so I figured I could cut it to size and split it by hand in her yard. NO WAY! This was a yard tree, and I had to bring it home and even at times the splitter struggled with it. You could never tell that just by looking at it, but this thing was nasty, trust me It really fooled me as Ash usually splits so easily!

Same thing I went through. Never again lol

 

[Dfw245]

Is that some ash borer damage on the bark?

Not entirely sure.

 

[Dfw245]

You just need a hand file and a bit of practice to sharpen a chain.

Just bought a saw. It'll be here tomorrow!!

 

[gzecc]

Try hitting on the edge (about 3" from the bark) This will usually remove the bark and some wood. Keep going around making it square. Then take the corners off. Its harder on a longer round like you have. Hitting it in the middle on a long round won't work unless you have a splitter.