How to Split Wood! 

Nicole wants to thanks all the logs for their kind participation and their willingness to split on demand (if you don't count the ax persuation).

Excellent tutorial. If you are chopping wood that was not cut perfectly straight (like it was me with the chain saw), use a chopping block that has a little slope to it. That way, you can rotate the log you are chopping until it stands up vertically.

And def remember to let the tool do the work. The motion, guidance, momentum, that's all the lumberjack's purview but don't try to drive the axe into the wood. You will quickly exhaust yourself and the axe will bounce in weird directions. Y'all be safe! (and I hope you're safe with all the Canadian fires going on right now!)

Thank you. Good info. Always impressed by your accuracy when you have the bigger pieces, the line of strikes is so straight.

A tutorial everyone needs to watch in order to split wood safely and correctly. Nicole is a fountain of information with great demonstrations. CHOP ON NICOLE!!!❤

I find I am so much of a New York City boy that I never realized there is a logical method of easily chopping and splitting logs. Several times I have visited my sister who lives in southeastern Alaska and between your videos and what I have seen at my sister's, I would never make it up up north. It takes a special talent like you and my sister & her husband has, very impressive!

Excellent example of a RU-vid video that gets right to the point and is very entertaining. Thanks very much.

The synchronization of the two slow mo shots was really helpful and satisfying at the same time 💜

Unless your logs are perfectly cut, its better to use a slightly uneven stump so you rotate the log on top of stump till it stands up straight. Don't put the log you are trying to split in the center unless you have a huge stump. Put the log on the far end of the stump away from you so that when the axe or maul swings through the log it goes into the stump. Bending your knees near the end of the swing adds power and keeps the head of the tool more in line with the ground and is safer. Don't aim for the center of the log when splitting otherwise you will overstrike and damage your axe handle and you also gain more splitting leverage aiming for the end closest to you. Only aim in the far end and center if you got a big round you are trying to split across and you know isn't going to open on the first few swings so you establish a crack going across. If you have to split a log with knots, flip the log being split so that the biggest knot or knots are on the bottom so you have more leverage to potential split the knot. Sometimes just flipping the legs helps if you have been going at it from the other side and its not splitting easy. Even your maul needs to be sharp though it doesn't have to be shaving sharp like your axe should be. Reprofile your axe or maul to a sharp convex wedge if it isn't already as most cheap axes aren't properly profiled. Don't try to flick your wrist on a swing you think probably won't split the log as you can sprain your wrist. I've done that before. Not every log should be split down the center, sometimes its better to take chunks but follow the rings of the wood. Splitting wedges are your friend for logs that are tough as you will just wear yourself out if you try to only use a maul for everything. A sledge or maul landing a powerful strike a metal wedge can sometimes ring painfully loud and piercing so consider ear plugs or certain headphones for that. Cut yourself a really huge fat wedge to compliment your steel splitting wedges and to follow them in particular tough pieces if needed. Use the axe for small pieces and when you get comfortable and you have appropriate wood you can golf swing your axe and quickly split small stuff on the ground quickly and efficiently striking the end of the logs laying across the ground. Don't trip over the carnage. You can clean sticky sap off your axe so it goes smoothly through the wood with alcohol, and it works for your hands too.

Awesome!! I actually didn't know know about the flick at the end, so I'll give that a try next time I'm doing some chopping. Thank you 😄

Only recently came across this channel, but I’m already greatly appreciative of your content! As of now, none of this information is relevant to me, but you never know. Good to be prepared than not! Thank you very much!

I had no idea wood chopping had so many elements to learn. plus the different axes. very cool! 😄

Wasn't sure what to expect from this, but this is a really solid tutorial! :)

Thanks so much for your videos. I have NEVER chopped wood. My landscapers took out a huge mesquite tree in my back yard. I asked them to leave the wood for me, since I have a fireplace and also wanted to use it for bbq. They left huge pieces for me, so now I have to figure out how to get it into smaller pieces for my little bbq. I rather use my own wood than buy it from the local supplier, since it's very expensive. I just purchased my first axe ever thanks to watching a few of your videos. I'll ask my neighbor to watch and supervise, just in case someone needs to call 911 for me. Lol. Seriously, I think it'll be great exercise.

Whenever I split or cut wood, I can hear my dad laughing. He worked an axe like you do, could split a fly on a block of wood without effort. I come kinda close, love the around and down (better hit = less trys = less work), and he found my small errors very amusing. I always feel close to him again when I swing an axe. Great video, it's good to go over the basics sometimes. Love your technique and your power.

Solid footwork is paramount to mastering the fundamentals of chopping wood. It feels replenishing for the soul watching an expert at work. Thank you for redefining the rulebook standards of the current chopper generation !

Excellent tutorial on reading the log, a very important part of splitting wood. With the checking she showed on the ends of the logs, the wood almost tells you where the split should go.

Having just bought a 100 year old house in Portugal and having the roof replaced your video has given me the confidence to give chopping the old wood a serious try. (61 year old woman) Thanks for being to the point.

I promise, this has been the cleanest and informative video I’ve found as a beginner. Thank you

Much appreciated! Around & down is the only way I've been able to split anything, so that puts into perspective how much more I need to exercise.

Excellent tutorial! "let the axe do the work otherwise you will hurt yourself" told me one oldwoodchoper. Took a while to understand that 🙂

Someone: what's the most Canadian thing to do This girl : hold my axe😂

Nicole, thanks for sharing! ❤

She's so enthusiastic. I love it.

Excellent tutorial , thanks Nicole🙂

All I learnt by doing over decades presented in 3min by a young lady :) even that squats thing. Did not expect that! One more thing: using a very flat chopping block keeps the target piece low. That gives a bit more momentum and in case the axe wants to follow its own path, it is less likely to end up in my foot but in the ground instead.

Good advice, and thanks 😊

i sometimes chop wood at my grandparents, this will be really helpful, thank you! :)

Very useful. Thank you

Thank you!!

Very charismatic presentation!

I am completely delighted to have found your channel.

It's always cool when you can hear on the first hit how easy it's going to break.

Keeping you in great shape!

Great to see someone using and instructing others on the right tool for the job. So many folks cosplaying lumberjacks pounding away at a giant log with an axe until they're out of breath, instead of taking a good swing or two at it with a maul.

Very nice! Great information! I had to do a lot of wood splitting in my younger days!

thanks for the vid i have been chopping wood in my back garden but not with a good sized axe so i will def wathc this vid when preparing for the big logs!!!!!! Thanks you!!

I think it's a mark of how great Nicole's videos are that I watched every second of this, fascinated. I don't own an axe.

She makes it look like so much fun!❤

My father worked for a timber company, as did I, so I used axes growing up. However, at one point we shifted to hydraulic wood splitters for firewood, which I hated. Honestly, your axe skills are way better than the hydraulic devices and you are so heads above my log splitting skills. Cool videos.

Perfect and nice explanation. Thank You

Great tutorial and great video! I've been splitting wood for 30 years to heat my home. You're a beast! (In a good way...).

Thanks for a great video, Nicole ! I hand split my own wood. Sometimes I'll split green wood on it's side, if it's stubborn - I'm in the south so I split a lot of sweet gum, with is stringy when it's green (much easier to split when it's cured). I also tend to buck my wood a little shorter (I have a small woodstove so I'll sometimes buck at 12 inches), takes less force to split with a lighter weight maul. Also, the splitting block is much easier on your lower back the higher you make it! 🙂

Looks easy ! I'll try tomorrow.

Wow, she made splitting logs entertaining. And it was educational, too.

Love your channel can’t wait to see more.

I was going to axe you some more questions, but who wood've thunk, you've covered most of it in this video, thanks!

Great and beautiful explanation.

Clear instructions, but I like your bright smile !

Okay I know I say it often but this was actually a really informative video. Thank you for that🙏

Well done!

oh goodness your aim precision is just mindblowing

Not the knot, got it!

Awesome thanks these are great tips,❤

Informative and totally awesome 👏🏻

Information we all need to know thanks for tutorial 😊

This was so to the point thank you. It was like 50 tips in 3 min lol

Thank you for this.

Thank you you’re very awesome and always entertaining

Good info, thank you.

Well done! Very informative for all the new splitters out. I'm a new sub and really like your content! You make me laugh you also have great axe content! Keep it up!

I'm an experienced woodchopper too - and I use precisely the same technique like fantastic Nicole!!! 😍😘🙏💪💪💥💫

Good advice. And video

Loved this game and played it often with my brother.

Watched a couple tutorials and yours is easily the vest. Thorough, slow enough to process,, good visuals, and just repetitive enough to drive home the point. Thank you for this cutting edge demonstration 😉

A couple more things: - For big rounds, it's easiest to split near the ends rather than in the middle. Work around it until the round is a manageable size - On tough rounds a shorter chopping block is best since it allows for a higher drop (more momentum) from your swing. 4" tall block is enough to prevent the ground absorbing force from the swing. - as you showed but didn't mention, stand with legs apart so the maul passed between your legs if it missed or split through too easily. More of an issue with shorter handle splitting axes than mauls. - For very large rounds from tough wood like locust or hickory, it's easiest to chainsaw it into smaller halves or quarters before splitting. - put your rounds inside an old tire before splitting. This helps contain split halves so you don't need to pick them up to split into more pieces. - keep your mauls and axes sharpened!

Well done! 👍👍

Really good video I'm going to start practicing on my flip here in about a couple hours I got 25 to 35 cords of wood to split and no splitter it is too far away and it ain't going to be back for a while and I got to get to work manually for a change. Just thought I'd watch some videos and pick up a few little ins and out tips and nice work thank you.

Thanks, good tutorial

I feel like a collab video of you and buckin billy ray would be one of the most wholesome videos on youtube

I love this how to video

Do you have a great videos and you’re welcome I’m in Joyed them all. I hope you keep on making these great videos keep up the good work young lady.

Thank you! I'm a beginner and I really needed this. Now I just need to sharpen my aim which is awful (never twice in the same spot😅). Cheers from Spain!

You know what? You are good guy! and even I have learned hot to chop wood, I will use this experience soon! :))))!

Good stuff!

I was doing it right all the time. Nice 👍

NIce one! Thanks

Love the sound of good dried wood

Hey Nicole you need to do a tutorial on chopping hard woods like elm, oak or maple. You're doing great with your videos!

If you have a stack of split-resistant logs, plan B is to set one log horizontal on the ground, and the prop the log to be split on it at an angle, then strike that log on it's corner. The ax sinks in further easier, and it'll start busting open easier too.

Thank you for these, i can say without an ounce of shame that i have taken up splitting wood literally because i want my arms to look like yours

Good info!

As a kid, my dad taught me to split wood much the same way. He had me use a splitting maul overall to split primarily pine wood. Good times 👍🏼

One thing you didn't directly address (although it was more-or-less demonstrated) was how to slide your high hand down along the handle as you swing the splitting maul downward into the block. Your lower hand stays put during the swing, the high hand slides down to meet it during the swing. This greatly increases the force and smoothness of the swing.

Sei fantastica. Mi dai veramente una grande energia. Grazie di cuore dell'Italia!❤

Thats interesting regarding the dominant hand. I have always used the dominant hand at the end of the handle. Same with rakes.

I don't have much interest in chopping wood--but you make it so darn entertaining that I watched the whole thing. Look forward to your next "Okiee Dokee"

I bought an ax two days ago from the Okay brand. I have to chop wood too, the snow is coming to Switzerland !

I dont know when or if I’ll ever use this information, but it’s oddly fascinating and enjoyable to me xD

I agreed to help my country bro help chop wood for his family this weekend. As a city boy, I really need this

got me worried there for a moment, but you explained the real important thing in the end: stance! I like your content, and of course it´s part because you look gorgeus. Who am I kidding 😆 but I also enjoy just the woodcutting as in of itself. I wish my friend with his fireplace would ask me more often to get the work for it done 💪😁

It's also good to hit the closer edge of the log with the first swing, ideally with just upper half of the maul- reduces friction, but be very careful! If you miss the log, your leg might take the hit

I spent a few summers rebuilding ten miles of railroad track using only hands tools. I did a lot of spiking and got pretty good at it. I swung the spiking hammer as a "windmill". I generally gripped the handle near the end, with my hands together. My hands never separated. I found the movement to be very efficient and precise. I was able to spike with my eyes closed, after the first stroke. I did that on occasion to show off, once in a while. This technique may not work so well for chopping wood but I was wondering if you have ever tried it.

A chopping tip from my dad: For logs with knots, always place the log with the end up that would have been higher on the original tree stem. You can usually tell by the way the removed side branches poke out the sides of the bark. If you think of the knots being V- shaped you are now hitting into the bottom joint of the V, not onto the apex. No pun intended. Even better to think of that already when cutting: Cut just BELOW a group of side branches. Then you can place the knots at the bottom when chopping as you say at 1:12, but still have the end up that was higher on the tree.

Okey dokey, and that's a "doozy" (from the advert for a Duesenberg automobile, ca. 1920's) are terms I use regularly. Good to hear that they're still being used denote choice examples. Well played Nicole, well played. Cheers from a displaced West Kootenay guy, now in the Willamette Valley.

I use my Fiskers maul for kindling all the time.

In Oz, we use hardwood for firewood, cos that's what we got. Let's see you do this with a lump of eucalyptus.

I love watching wood chopping for some strange reason

Dad taught us to "box" the wood with a double bitted axe. Just as the edge of the axe enters the wood, twist the handle in your hands and that movement would split the wood easily.

Thanks for posting this. Sent it to my Sister in Laws partner, to help her. Much more useful than the GUY at the hardware store, who told her she "wouldn't be strong enough to swing an axe" (sigh...), so sold her a sledge and a wedge instead..... (W.T.F). So, when we went to visit them, i picked her out an 8lb maul, and showed her the basics. Now she has a link to your vids, hopefully she'll be confident enough to be a better woodswoman.