Miserable splitting

Busted my but splitting oak rounds from last year. When you you have a place where a big limb grew out of the trunk you expect that, but I had 3 different 20”-24” rounds today that were as bad or worse than elm. Anybody ever see grain like this? These were the better ones, the bad just tore apart into jagged tears every direction. No visible knots inside or outside.

 

Those would look killer quartersawn.

 

Wow, that is some figured grain there.

Those would be worthy of a woodworking project.

Some sweet knife handles there.

 

Anybody wants any for knife scales just pay the shipping but it would take a long time to dry, unless you have a kiln.

 

This was the chestnut from last year. No idea what pile it’s in now.

 

That oak sure has a curly grain to it. It would look nice finished.
I had some wood here that I had scrounged from a compost with some grain like that.

 

I'd bet money that tree grew out in the open in a windy area. Makes for horrible splitting, but real great character in the grain. It'll burn hot too.

 

I usually only see that way down on the base of the tree. Nice stuff. Pistol grips too

 

Wasn’t the base, this thing was 40” at the base. Seems this may have been the first branch. Just guessing.

 

My grandson came over yesterday to learn and help me split wood.I showed him how to use the axe,sledge,and wedges.He caught on pretty quickly.We were flying through some maple and he came upon some Elm.It was kicking his "A".He said Pop Rich this is some hard wood here.Ya welcome to the world of Elm.Use two wedges on that one.Of course I gave him the twenty pound sledge while I worked the ten pounder.He didn't know the difference but afterwards he said he got a great work out and I agreed.

 

Just cut some Bur Oak that looked like that, run into it once in awhile, excess moisture seems to be the cause IMHO.

 

I had some beech splits with rippled/wavy grain similar that i recently stacked. It wouldve made some cool handles/grips etc as stated above.
Im a hand splitter so ease of splitting my main MO when i scrounge wood.
If i run into tough logs/knots its put aside for noodling/ I dont mind splitting, but not killing myself in the process.

 

I googled at one time what might cause the grain to be so curly and what I found was no one really knows for sure. A lot of different theories.