Skip the wood stacks at your local gas station and flex your outdoor muscles the next time you need to build a campfire. With a few basic tools and the right technique you can split mighty logs into pieces that catch easily and burn slowly. Plus, you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of chopping wood with your own two hands instead of paying premium prices at a the local quickie mart.
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Before you start splitting logs, however, make sure it’s available for you to use. Never cut down a living tree or remove branches from one while camping. At best, even a freshly felled tree is difficult to burn in a campfire. You’ll have better luck lighting a wet sponge.
Also, don’t pick up fallen wood unless a park or campground authority tells you it’s okay. Many forest creatures rely on decaying tree trunks and branches for shelter and food.
If you’ve foraged it from the right places, follow these steps for chopping wood:
What You’ll Need
-A sharp maul or ax. A maul is a cross between a single blade ax and a sledgehammer, and puts more “oomph” behind your swing.
-Safety glasses
-Sturdy leather gloves
-Protective boots
-A companion or a cell phone nearby to call for help in case of an accident
Nice Options
-3- to 5-pound steel wedges to help split the logs
-A medium-weight sledgehammer for use on the steel wedges, if you’re using an ax to split. Not required if you’re using a maul.
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How to Split Wood
Start with seasoned wood as it splits easier. Make sure it’s free of nails or screws, as these will damage the edge of your ax or maul.
Your logs—also known as “rounds”— should be cut into 16 to 20 inch lengths with the ends square and flat so they can stand on end to be split.
Set up a chopping block, usually a large section of a tree trunk, if possible. This will raise the logs up off the ground and make it easier to swing your ax. It will also save painful straining of your back.
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTES
-Don’t use a concrete or asphalt slab as a chopping surface. If the ax passes completely through the log, the blade will get damaged, and may even send chunks of concrete or asphalt flying. If a chopping block isn’t available, stand your logs on bare ground.
-Work in a safe area that offers steady footing. Make sure it’s clear of debris and overhanging tree limbs and power lines and is away from windows, buildings or vehicles that could be damaged by flying wood.
-Make sure people and animals are clear of the area, as the ax could slip from your hands or the head could come off the handle.
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Step 1
Stand the log on end at the center of your chopping block. Make sure the log is stable.
Step 2
Check for large knots where branches were removed. These areas will have crooked, gnarly grain that should be avoided, as they are tough to split.
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Step 3
Look for splits or cracks that radiate out from the center the log. These are where you’ll want to aim your blade to split the log more easily.
Step 4
Place the edge of your blade on the log where you want to split it, and then set your feet for the proper stance. This will enable you to swing the ax with greater force and accuracy, and split the log more successfully.
Double check your footing so that if you miss your target, the completed swing won’t hit your leg or foot.
Step 5
Hold the ax or maul handle with both hands. Your dominant hand should be placed closer to the head.
Raise the ax over the shoulder of your stronger hand and then swing down quickly and firmly towards the log in one smooth motion, sliding your stronger hand down the handle to meet your weaker hand. This maintains control and delivers a more powerful blow than if both hands are together through the entire swing.
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Step 6
If the log fails to split on the first blow, pull the ax blade out and strike the log again in the same spot.
Should the blade get stuck, rock it toward and away from you to free it. Do not twist it from side to side as you may splinter the handle or loosen it from the ax head.
If this remedy fails, tap a steel wedge into the split using the sledgehammer or maul—not your ax, as the head could shatter—and crack the wood apart.
DO NOT lift the log with the blade stuck in it over your head to swing down again. The ax could come loose and the log could fall on you.
Step 7
Split each block of wood into smaller and smaller pieces, until they’re of the desired size. Typically, you’ll split one piece in half, and then split those pieces again until they’re about six to eight inches across the widest part.
When you’re finished chopping wood into big pieces, you’ll also want to make some smaller pieces for kindling, too.