Splitting fatigue.

[Lancstree]

I know what you mean Mark but I don't know the answer. My best guess is that you are using more energy on the second swing than on the first to try to ensure it splits. Upon failing to spit on the second swing you put even more effort in and on it goes. Then you have to do the sly check over the shoulder to make sure no one can see you are struggling! Getting the maul unstuck from a knotty piece is even more knackering.

[Mark Bolam]

My yard has become that angry pile!

[Robert_S]

second swing you are angry and gritting your teeth but without knowing it you are holding your breath third the same you then end up bent over with your hands on your knees knackered!! You have depleated the oxygene in your muscles, Always breath out as your body will always breath in, i see people do it all the time on the pads.

 

Or you are a big jessie poofter

[MattyF]

If it's fresh and green I can hit them all day long,mind you I feel like a day off the following!.... These massive sun baked knotty beech rings in my wood pile are a different storry,making you lose the will to live after an hour of trying to hand split them... Managed 3 full transits off a hi crack yesterday though

[muldonach]

I know what you mean Mark but I don't know the answer. My best guess is that you are using more energy on the second swing than on the first to try to ensure it splits. Upon failing to spit on the second swing you put even more effort in and on it goes. Then you have to do the sly check over the shoulder to make sure no one can see you are struggling! Getting the maul unstuck from a knotty piece is even more knackering.

 

As others have said if you find prolonged effort knackering it is probably a breathing issue.

 

Getting a stuck axe head out can be a real pain but over the years we have garnered the following tips:-

 

1. Don't use a maul on hardwoods - use a forged head axe with a profile halfway between maul and felling axe - Muller is the brand we use but I gues there are others.
    
   
2. If the head sticks throw the axe head up in the air with the block stuck on, at the top of the swing turn it over so that the axe head comes down on the chopping block with the stuck block on top, it will either split or fly off - bit difficult if you are using a tyre.
    
   
3. If that does not work or the block is too big to throw up on the axe head then pick up a split block and throw it on to the end of the shaft as if you were throwing it at the mother-in-laws head, the sudden shock will generally knock the axe out.
   

 

cheers

mac

[garth mc garth]

As others have said if you find prolonged effort knackering it is probably a breathing issue.

 

Getting a stuck axe head out can be a real pain but over the years we have garnered the following tips:-

 

1. Don't use a maul on hardwoods - use a forged head axe with a profile halfway between maul and felling axe - Muller is the brand we use but I gues there are others.
    
   
2. If the head sticks throw the axe head up in the air with the block stuck on, at the top of the swing turn it over so that the axe head comes down on the chopping block with the stuck block on top, it will either split or fly off - bit difficult if you are using a tyre.
    
   
3. If that does not work or the block is too big to throw up on the axe head then pick up a split block and throw it on to the end of the shaft as if you were throwing it at the mother-in-laws head, the sudden shock will generally knock the axe out.
   

 

cheers

mac

 

 

Number 2 has always worked well! Just dont do it near anything breakable!

[Farmer Tom]

As a variant of number 2) Swing as before, but aim so that the maul just misses the chopping block and the stuck log hits the side of it. The maul's momentum then carrries ot out of the log.......in theory

[Phil The Wood]

Hi, i'm a newbie...

 

Its a bit of a guess but I think it may be to do with the dissapation of energy. ie when you successfully split a log, the energy is absorbed by the relatively soft wood. However, when you hit a hard log, the energy is dissapeted by your relatively soft body, which is why you feel so knackered so quickly. As I say, it's just a guess and i've experienced and wondered the same thing!

[MattyF]

Easy way to get an stuck axe head out is hit the very end of the handle with the palm of your hand like a one inch bruce lee karate blow usually resulting in hardly ever having to use option 2.... Option two is also a great way of splitting axe handles straight down the middle... Did two this way a couple of weeks ago both £40 axes as well!

[Steve Bullman]

I'd put it down to mental frustration, drains energy quicker than anything