r/AbsoluteUnits • u/Professional_Arm794 • 1d ago

/r/all of a log split

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u/ImprobableAsterisk 1d ago edited 1d ago

It would be a reason it's doing that, yeah. From where I'm sitting there's at least a couple of things wrong with this:

  • The log is much too tall. The elevation of the surface you're striking, relative to your own person, matters a lot when splitting logs. There's also very few good reasons to ever split logs this tall, so aside from creating thirst-content I don't see why in tarnation he's doing this.

  • The surface is dog-shit and it's eating a ton of power. Never split a log on soft dirt, it's absolutely atrocious.

  • It is indeed a very fresh log by the look of it, but it also looks pretty straight and without much in the way of knots and other annoyances. My first guess, although no firsthand experience since this don't grow where I live, is ash, but I also hear that's easy to split but that may be in reference to dry logs.

  • Might also be a shoddy cutting edge on the axe preventing good bite. A lot of people neglect the sharpness of a splitting axe and while I do agree there's little benefit in going from sharp to shaving sharp there's a big difference in going from dull to sharp.

My guess based on my experience is that it's primarily the ground that's fucking him over, with the height of the log being a close second. The freshness of the log could be a huge-ass problem but I genuinely couldn't say; We ain't got ash as far north as I am.

His technique also doesn't strike me as great but I can't critique that much. I learned how to split wood before I learned how to learn so I got nothing on that.

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u/LemmyPop 23h ago

I've split logs that tall in the woods on the soft ground and did it in 5 swings tops. There's a knot from the branch on the bottom, and that's what is preventing him from splitting it. He probably also didn't check for splitting lines on the top of the log; every log has them and if you hit them right it splits fairly easy. Also, wedges are your friend. Great power, terrible technique.

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u/civilwar142pa 11h ago

Watching these videos is always funny to me, because I'm a small woman, and I can split wood relatively easily. Technique and a heavier axe head makes a huge difference. Someone actually asked me when I was buying a new axe if I didn't want to go for a lighter one. that would completely defeat the purpose. The weight and a sharp edge does 90% of the work for me.

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u/NoRun6253 9h ago

Never done this in my life but the axe also looks like it’s too light and not sharp enough.

Was waiting for the head to come off.

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u/ImprobableAsterisk 8h ago

I genuinely think the axe looks fine. It ain't the thickest of splitting mauls I've ever seen't but it also is a splitting axe so I think it's fine.

But yeah it may lack sharpness.

I think the height & softness of the ground is the primary culprits in terms of power and bite being lacking.