Split Big Rounds of Firewood Quick, Easy and very little Effort! 

I found the easy way to split the big wood is to get my son in law to do it , can watch him all day and I don't get tired .

If I was a nice plump chicken I would not be hanging around next to a guy with an ax.

My wife and I been doing wood removal for arborist tree service for over 15 years. Splitting mostly by hand. Over 500 cords a year. This is a great way to do it for sure. If you split your wood while it's green. It splits a lot easier!! Warning. When you chop as much wood as we have by hand it will catch up to you. Your hands and shoulders will pay the price. Great video.

I thank you... my wife thanks you... my dog thanks you... my cat thanks you... my cabin in the Catskill woods thanks you... but most of all, my 73 year old back thanks you. Great video!

That's brilliant!!! Thanks so so much. I've been left huge flat rounds not what I'd wanted but now I know how to deal with them. At 68 I think this is best way for me to rebuild my muscles. All good positive stuff

Man! Thankyou so much! God bless you. These logs were wearing me out because the wood was soft. So I bought a hatchet and use my axe like a sledge hammer and it works beautifully

Good job! Thank you for taking the time to pass on your advice. I'm no woodsman and I appreciate that I can learn from what others have figured out already.

I have extremely bad carpal tunnel in both of my hands all the way up to both elbows. I'm a single mom with four kids and I live in the mountains some money is a little tight with everything being considered right now at this point in time and I watch this video and tried it myself and was so extremely happy at how easily I was able to do it myself.

I mean this with the utmost respect, this guy sounds like slightly snarky Mr Rogers and I love it. Just, kind, informative, and encouraging. Now I want Mr Rogers for adults. “Hey neighbors, today we’re going to pour a concrete slab”

I learned so much from this video and started splitting all my wood this way. No more mis-hits and slaving away with an axe. Just perfect cuts with my 4 lb sledge and hatchet.

Nice one Harry. An old boss of mine once said, “I like lazy people ‘coz they always find the easiest way to get stuff done.” Not that you’re lazy Harry...just smart! 😜👍

Axes aren't really meant to be struck like a wedge or a splitting maul and like your axe obviously shows, it will get damaged. It's your axe so do as you please. I can understand though that because of its thinner profile, it can be a lot easier to drive down an axe through tough hardwoods than a wedge. It would be safer however to file down and bevel the mushroomed poll of your axe to avoid any potential problems down the road. Better yet, just use a steel wedge and re-profile if you must. Some wedges cost only about $7.00 or less. There was one person who commented below about the Myth Busters episode that debunked steel on steel contact "explosion" but they really should have used different steels (hardness) such as in your case, a hammer and an axe or an old mushroomed axe such as yours. Be safe.

Harry! I love you! We had our grand California Live Oak tree uprooted in a storm. We asked the tree service to mulch the canopy and leave the logs and rounds for the neighborhood. We gave away what people could haul off on their own. We were left with the huge rounds. My research found your video on how to split these rounds safely. Love your skills!

You are definintely right that hitting the outside edge of the round is the easiest way to start. I think you should also wear eye protection and ensure that people do NOT strike the back of a axe with metal. A maul is built so you can hit the back of it with a metal sledge but most axes are NOT. So this technique might work fine most of the time, but when a piece of metal comes off and strikes you in the eye it'll be a bit off putting.

Those poor axes, makes me want to cry

This is the best video I have seen on how to split wood easily. Thanks for making it!!

Thanks so much for this video! I have been struggling with splitting three century-old trees and it has been a struggle for a petite, older woman. This makes sense to me, along with the tire technique so I won't have to chase the pieces around.

This is the finest example of the misuse of a tool I have ever seen. There are wedges and sledgehammers for this task, or better yet, an electric wood splitter.

At one point RU-vid wanted me to watch Family Guy.... like all the time.... Now I think they want me to season some wood...

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I am 62 with a nonhealing fracture of my left wrist. I am going to try this!!

Dear Sir, I strongly advise you to use a proper splitting maul for your splitting. You risk the chance of a shard of steel breaking free from that axehead and putting your eye out!, esp since I noticed that you also are not wearing safety glasses to go with your fancy vest...

This is my uncle. You shoulda seen him trying to teach me to ride a bicycle. So demoralized I never got up after I fell. “So easy” he said. My life is ruined.

Steel against steel no glasses .when that "hammer" or axe loses a bit it will stick in you A $30 maul is cheaper than an emergency room visit.

As a guy who just had a crap load of oak trees go down in the last four days--THANKS!

Watched this yesterday.Tried it today .Fantastic.got a few blisters,but have a pile of split wood.many thanks🤗

Just tap tap tap it in 🤣 made me think of Adam Sandler on "Happy Gilmore" 😂

No way in hell its less work when you have to beat the shit outta that thing to get it through...

that is a badass chicken

Thank you, 65 yr old invalid lady going great with this :-) A life saver!

Great technique! I’ve used this method for years! The only difference in my method is I use a beetle made from a stout dogwood root and in place of the hammer. That way the poll of the ax used for splitting is not destroyed.

The poll of the axe being misused as a wedge is already damaged. The striking tool is dangerously mushroomed. These relatively straight grained rounds could be readily split with a properly used 8 lb. maul and little or no call for a splitting wedge. This kind of bad example will lead to people damaging tools and quite possibly injuring themselves.

I like your kit . I shall style my woodcutting look accordingly. Might try a husband and wife duet with a light axe and tapping with a heavy one. Thanks 🙏 from Anne & Andrew Raggedy

'Loved all your feathered help there, and I heard Guinea Fowl in the background.

I guess those birds never noticed what else he did with the axe and their family lol

the Bob Ross of firewoodz . Loved it, thanks!

Harry good job now I know what to do for the big chunks to cut and how to strike out so it won't get fall on me.thanks Harry.

I'm still waiting for the part that's easy!

This is a bad idea - axes aren't meant to be struck like that - agree with comments below.

I’m no timber cutter but my now deceased Dad did a lot of splitting firewood . He used wedges and a sledge hammer - much the same principle as you except instead of hitting the back of the axe which is a rather thin thickness of steel , Dad would naturally hit the wedge ( which after all is what it is made for whereas the axe is made for cutting not hitting billyo out of it. Maybe different ways in America to Australia though .

Wow , so cool . I’ve got some pecan logs that are about that big and now armed with this knowledge it’ll be easier to split em .

Safety is not that guys number one priority.

Wow, work smarter not harder. I'm going to do this from now on. Thank you!

OR you could learn to accurately swing a heavier long-handled axe and hit about 5 centimetres inside the perimeter of the round. The first calved piece will often take 2-3 strikes at the same point, so accuracy (practice) is important. As you work your way around the log, just one well-placed strike will remove the next calved pieces in turn, until only the cylindrical heartwood remains. And the head of the axe doesn't get the fair-thee-well beat out of it.

NO WAY….SHUT UP!!! And I’ve had this old too-big firewood for years I didn’t know what to do with! Thanks bruh!

New to firewood. Good tips. Love your attire. I do hate mashed steel. Gotta find some high carbon steel that won't bellow out.

30 taps? are you kidding? i don't have all day

nice when your wood is that well seasoned, helps a ton. I used a similar teqnique using sledge hammer and wedge(s)

Just what I needed. Neighbor has big ones sitting there for many years not being used. Was going to ask for it but my splitter couldn't handle big pieces like that.

Why not just use a wedge?

Thanks! Dude I seriously thought you were going to put the chicken up on the block. 😂

The chickens are ready for the chopping block🤣

I use an eight-pound maul. I put any knots on the bottom and leave them for last, I don't aim for the middle, I aim for the side splitting off slabs. About maybe 6 good swings I can have the whole log split!

I have a small 7 ton splitter that does a good job on logs like that. Striking the axe head mushrooms it and the handle oriface enlarges making it easier for the handle to come out.

Not one time did this guy try splitting it the REAL easy way. Parallel to the growth rings. Nope he fought it cross grain every step of the way. And then bragged about his skills. And beat the head of his axe to a mushroom. Genious!!!

This is Not Good. I like the enthusiasm of the guy - but practically all he's doing is wrong and dangerous. And Actualy Wastes A Lot of Energy...! NEVER hit ordinary axe with another axe, sledge hammer or Any other metal tool unless those tools were Specialy Designed to do so! The tool for the job is Splitting Paul - it shatters logs that size with the single blow - and no need for hammering. If you're splitting logs which are very awkward and have many nots - use Splitting Maul & Splitting Wedges! Hammer Wdges with the Hammer End of the Maul. Always use safety goggles, gloves & strong and safe boots. Stay Safe. Work Hard. Live Well.

yea get a some wedges...poll of an axe is not meant to be beat on by another hardened steel object. you can use 1 or 2 swings from a good splitting axe or idiot taps..i say the axe is less effort. i guess guys like this are the reason I can never find a good axe head. 5:44 LOL look at the eye on that fucking axe come on man

“Just tap it in.” - Lumberjack Eddie Rabbitt 😎

Great video tried it this morning, It really works!!!

No shit. Is this for inner city youths who have never seen a tree?

AWESOME‼️ Love the high tech video and No expense spared Bollywood production 🥇 And I laughed and learnt‼️ Thanks mate, you actually took away the mystery of splitting wood and I will be cutting wood this winter to supplement my income (first time I will have used a chainsaw) because the colleague I was doing Design Projects with up n’ died this week after having the Jabbawokki 💉 🤨 Told him not to❗️😢

Brilliant, I'll try this if I ever get anything big like that lol

and away I go‼ thanks for letting me know I was right and shouldn't doubt myself👍 still good to be sure.

It really depends on the wood and also how long the big diameter piece is. Your wood is straight grained and looks very much like pine that I do not burn. Also when there are knots or branches it becomes very difficult. The fibers in live oak are woven together in a very resilient mass. i have some seasoned live oak saw up trunks that I am not going to try to split. It is about a ton of wood. Drive an ax in with blows from an 8 lb sledge hammer and the ax will pop out. One ends up breaking their tools. i will split the softer less woven oaks, but not live oak. It was the preferred wood for framing the old time sailing ships. A powerful hydraulic splitter might do the job if one started on the edges.

absolutely loved this - great education - you are a funny guy too! Thank you!

Great video, but old so I don't know I will get a reply. EDIT: it turns out I just need to use some muscle and technique. I think I was throwing the axe head at the wood rather than trying to drive it into the wood. It's still hard work, but when I really focus on driving the axe head through the wood, it splits. Eventually. :) TL;DR - do I need to leave a freshly felled oak to sit for a while before attempting to manually split it? Last week, we had a large oak taken down and the tree guys left about a dozen or so 16" rounds varying in diameter from 20" to 30" for me to split for firewood. I'm not the strongest guy, but my results are still kinda surprising. Everything just bounces off; the tool leaves an indentation/shallow cut, but then bounces right back out again. Everything I have read implies more power is needed, and that is how I found this "no power needed video". When I follow these instructions, when I strike the axe the first time after I have it set, it just bounces out. I've tried splitting wedges, and they bounce out too (with a little wisp of what looks like smoke). I took a smaller hatchet to see if I could start a spit at the side, and tons of sap/water/liquid was oozing out and the outer few rings peeled off a little. I've watched a bunch of YT videos and none of them show sap bubbling out. I tried something I saw in another video which was to cut some scores in the top with a chainsaw. I did that tried splitting with my star-shaped splitter. It bounces right back out the hole. It'e like one step forward, 4 steps back. Tools used: 8lb sledge hammer. 4lb hammer. Hatchet. Maul. Splitting axe. Wedges.

EARPLUGS REQUIRED. Impact noise is the worst because it happens so quick that pain doesn't warn you.

Excellent tips! Thought you were about to have chicken for dinner @ 2:59

You just made my day so much easier!! Thank you!!!!!!

That might work with Pine like the wood you're splitting. I would love to see you try that with Cotton Wood, Ash or Oak, you would beat your brains out and still not have it split. Get some real fire wood and then show me how easy that trick works.

Chillest chickens ever 😂

Thanks for the tips, awesome video!!

This type of wood chopping method so easily cut ✂ big wood. Thanku for making 🎥videos

Dude! You made me look like superman to my wife😂

you have got to be fucking kidding me

This is awesome, thanks Harry.

good way to ruin a HEIRLOOM axe

very useful! thank you :-) One question though, - can you hit steel (the hammer) on a steel axe, unless it is an axe made for it?

using splitting axe or wedge..stop torturing felling axe..

That was awesome. Worked well, but I think I need a bigger axe. Mine is the size of a hammer. Still works, but I think the big axe work work even better. Thanks again

Sorry mate, but axes aren't meant to be bashed on the pole with a Maul.

say goodbye to your axe head my advice is get a cheap crap axe at big box or home improvement store and do yourself a favor put on some safety glasses

Thanks man. You just saved me a bunch of work 💪🏻💪🏻

The Bob Ross of lumberjacks

Thanks for sharing, but honestly... That log would have been an easy split with any good splitting axe. Also, there's metal splitting wedge made for that specific job, I strongly suggest to use the right tool for the right job and save you axe head. With easy split like that, you won't damage your axe head, but I know for a fact that you will bend the head on harder jobs. Still, thanks for the video and have a great time working in the forest ! Best way of life =D

Clear cedar and wet alder are pretty easy to split but manually splitting wood is work

That is one balsy ass chicken!!! I just cut down 3x 75'+ oaks similar size logs as that, but I have 100+ of them! I'm renting a damn log splitter!!!

Thanks for the demonstration. How does it work with dry wood? I always battle with dry eucalyptus, but wet wood is quite easy.

Thats alot of effort for us non mountain people.

Yep, them chickens sure love them grubs a bunch!

WEAR EYE PROTECTION.

Title should be, "do this until your shoulder feels better grandma..."

It's interesting to me how close those chickens get to you without scurrying away.

Lol straight grain, I'll take my rugged split thank you

That chicken has a death wish 2:56

Brave chickens don't mind the hammer, the trick must be starting at the edge when the log is big the middle would be a lot harder. Not so necessary on the smaller chunks.

Pretty funny ho we used to noise is that chicken, love it!

That is easy straight grain. Would love to see that tried on a bit of aussie grey box

Those are some Dickensian clothes, literally rotting away. I have a hard time determining when my clothes are worn out- have about 10 pairs of camo work shorts/pants that are patched up- they always look vaguely dirty, but not filthy. That holey vest though, seems to be in need of being retired- hope you're not still wearing it in 2020. Looks like a good technique to split wood. Do you prefer it over wedges? I use wedges and a sledge hammer, the best wedge being a twisted spiral that splits a round into 3 or 4 pieces. That thing has split some gnarly, extremely wet oak rounds as large as the one in this video. They were literally dripping water when split. Impossible to split conventionally- the maul was just bouncing right off the top of them without making a mark. Thought the wedge was going to be buried, so deep was it in the rounds, but they did eventually crack.

this is the best of youtube

I lived in Truckee for 2 winters. No one tries to split rounds there with an axe. Sheech. Use a maul and a sledge and a wedge if you can't split it with a maul. If you have a lot rent a log splitter.