Best axe/maul to split rounds to haul out of woods

I don't have an Isocore but do have an x27 Fiskars. In the woods, splitting big rounds so I can reduce their size so I can lift them! The x27 on this big red oak, it often takes 8 to 10 whacks to get a crack in the wood. Would the Isocore crack it faster? And if it cracks, would it be more likely to go all the way, making a total split, instead of just a few inch crack, where I'd have to whack it again to go through? Or, I'm open to whatever brand works.

I noodled yesterday, and that worked great, but just wondering about using something to split. I also still need to try noodling down a few inches and then put a wedge in and see if it will split from there.

FWIW, the red oak I am working on is windblown but off the ground, and fell probably 5-6 years ago! Great wood, just a little bit of punk under the bark on some pieces. Other pieces all good.

 

Did you ever try working the outside of the round, usually when you start whacking off the sides it seems to weaken the whole round. X27 is a great tool and i have one. I love hand splitting at night when i get anxious which is like every night lol. Iv used heavier mauls and all different kinds but i cant see the Isocore being that much of a difference but im sure buZZsaw BRAD will have some input about it being different.

 

Something that's at least 8 pounds. I've never even tried using any kind of ax to split wood. The extra mass/weight pd a maul makes a big difference, as well as the thicker shape. But like woodwhore said, try slabbing off the outer edges (no matter what you're swinging), might still take a few whacks but sometimes that's the only way to get certain trees/rounds down to manageable size.

 

I use two methods, depending on the species, size and apparent grain of the round. Most of the time I just noodle big rounds into quarters and then load them. If it's something easy to split, I will bring a sledge and a couple of wedges with me, and simply tap the wedge into a check until the round splits. Very successful with this method with red oak and beech. I don't bother trying to swing a splitting maul in the woods, I save that for the processing area by the house.

 

The maul in the woods is just to get to loading size pieces. In the past i used a sledge and wedges some, but that's more to keep up with than a maul in the woods. I have never noodled a piece of wood...had never heard of it till on here. When i could get my 5x8 trailer with ramp to the wood, i have just rolled bigguns (30+ inches) on there to get home.

 

I have x27 and Isocore. I only handsplit.
Depends on the wood. I've already swung the x27 a few times on a round and seen minimal progress. I break the Isocore out and one strike, it's split through or close to it. Than I'll take X27 to the halves.

Had it work the other way too, where Isocore wasn't getting it done. Than I do what Woodwhore says, and work the edges. Im to the point where most times I can look at the round and see what's going to work best.

When both methods fail, I give the round a wedgie.

 

Yes, that is what I do, I whack it towards a side to take off a side chunk. (Problem being even THAT is taking several whacks.) I know one thing, splitting these big chunks wears my butt out, lol. I am 66, still very active, but heck, seems I can't get enough air, lol. I just get spent quicker than I wish! Using something to split the rounds would just be easier sometimes than hauling out the ms362, sharpen the chain, gas it up, etc. But... noodling sure is much easier than whacking 'em with that x27. It does work, just taking me too many whacks. Next time I find a recently downed oak, I will try again and see how fresh cut does with x27.

 

Sledge and wedge for anything too big to move. Just cut a groove an inch or so deep in the top of the round, set a big wedge (9 inches long will do it), and bang away. MikeInMa likes to split them sideways, through the bark. It is a challenge to keep track of your wedges, but if you can train yourself to put them down on top of a round...

 

I've just been using a cheap 10 lb fiberglass handle maul from Ace Hardware. I can usually crack open 20"-24" rounds in four or five good whacks to halve them. Sometimes less. Quartering is usually one swing. Unless there's knots of course. I did put a better edge on the maul though. I think it's all in the mass and the wide wedge.

 

My advice...get the Isocore...you will love it! It can double as a sledge if you use a wedge too. I will half/quarter big rounds with it and the X27 breezes though the rest. Out of every maul ive used be it fiberglass/wood handle the Isocore is much better.
I was "pizza slicing" these 36" ash rounds (36" bar on saw) on Sunday with the Isocore. They had a good sized check and I hit that with the maul as its the weakest part. 2-3 whacks to half, then usually one whack after that. Knot free trunk and ash so easier of course. I buck my rounds to 16". In your case the oak should be a breeze too.
Im cheeeeep so that made me not get one right away.
I have halved 30"+ red oak with the X27 with 2-3 whacks. Pic from the late Spring. Quartered with X27
Ive always split "right down the middle" on rounds for the most part. Ive seen chunks sectioned off a round, but i guess a lifelong habit is hard to break.
IMO and im sure a lot of other FHC members, the Isocore and X27 are a perfect hand splitting pairing.
I base my hoarding on ease of splitting first. Hard to split wood i dont touch for the most part.

 

For my wedges, I've sprayed them with blaze orange spray paint. Easy to see laying on the forest floor. I'm OK with covering up the steel's patina.

 

I chopped about 1/2 a cord of red oak a month or two ago using Fiskar Isocore. It was freshly cut, super wet, super heavy rounds 24-36". What I did was circle the round hitting the very edge about 8 places. Each hit would crack the edge a couple inches. Then I went round again hitting the cracks and split all the way through. This technique worked pretty good and went from a full pickup load to split and stacked in about an hour.

 

Oh ya shes a bigun, nice job

 

Some green Fir butts are so large (28" and up) and stubborn and fibrous that I tried a different approach. I cut the groove like Midwinter then set 3 and sometimes 4 spaced wedges in depending on the dia. of the round. Then, instead of swinging an 8 lb maul, I use a 3.5 lb short handled sledge and keep giving each wedge a whack in succession. Energy expended and wracking of your body, is minimal compared to a large maul and even the large butts will usually pop open without too much effort. Of course you still run into a nasty one occasionally and have to turn it over and use the 8 lb maul anyway. I usually have 6 wedges on hand in the truck. This method is not infallible but is definitely another trick in the bag!

 

Yes, when in trouble, add more wedges!

 

Wow, I'll have to try that!

 

Yawner at 66 You might want to rethink the 8 pound Isocore. I’m 44 and in good shape and the Isocore wares me out pretty good. If the x27 is giving all that you can handle that’s probably enough weight. If I were you I’d see if you could borrow an Isocore to see if you can handle the weight. If not try the wedge and sledge technique.

Like others said working your way around the outside is the best way to split big rounds with the least effort. Except buZZsaw BRAD of course he just splits right down the middle!

 

Its a life long splitting habit. I just look for the check and aim for that.

 

Recycling some pics.
I had an hour of daylight left today. Rather than fuel a saw and lug it to the back of the field. I grabbed the X27.
Blocked some rounds for easy carrying into the field. Took my time and enjoyed the late afternoon.
And for the big rounds, I wittle from the outside in unless there is a strong check there.

 

As a hand splitter, i love strong checks!