I saw a video of a guy comparing a Fiskars x27 to a Fiskars Isocore and he maneuvered this large oak round on top of another round to do the splitting. Splitting rounds in the woods, do you think that's necessary or helpful or just split them on the ground? If I have to lift a big round to another, that's more work that has to be factored in!
I like splitting on another round especially if the ground is a total sponge or zero rigidity. I’ve pounded rounds into the dirt and split hardly a third of the way but another big block really helps that dynamic.
I think it depends on A: your height and B: the handle length of your splitting tool. If your 6'4" and have a X25, or even an X27, it may be much more comfortable to swing higher up onto a block. I also think stacking on another block reduces the ground absorbing a lot of the impact. So the energy you exerted is directed more to splitting the wood.
When i was splitting by hand, I would leave everything on the ground, if I had a huge amount. Less bending and loading into my tire on the splitting block.
If I cant pick a round up onto the splitting block or splitter by myself and no one is around I use a sledge and wedge on the ground to 1/4 it. I don't like splitting of the ground.
Big stuff i will split on the ground into halves/quarters etc them use another round as a chopping block. If i have a bunch of rounds to split away from my stacking area i will let the splits mound up around the block so it gets tall enough to stop resplits from falling to the ground. I dont have a tire. Maybe 1/3 of the time i CS in the same area as harvested and seem to prefer doing it that way as i dont have to move/load/unload the PU with rounds. My main PA i have a 12" long 30" diameter block stump cut off i used to use to noodle and split.
I use a pin oak round as my chopping block. My swing is not the most powerful to begin with, and I find I lose a lot of impact when a round is on soft ground. Splitting on pavement works great, but there is the risk of damaging your axe that way.
I split by hand for many, many moons. Tried it both ways. Always went back to just setting the log on the ground to split. It's just easier and no lifting involved other than the splitting maul or axe.
I still enjoy splitting by hand. If their large ill leave em on the ground, if i get antsy on the couch at night ill go blast rounds in the tire
What about using a cookie. You would have something solid to put the round on and less chance of doing damage to the axe.
That might work, what does everyone think? Or do you need the mass of the ground round, not just another solid surface to sit your round on?
When I split to lift and load in the trailer, the rounds are on the ground. Same for sledge and wedge. When I actually start processing I use hydraulics. Any re-splits from the wood shed or any smaller stuff, it is all done on one of a couple of chopping blocks that I have, I split as little on the ground as possible to protect my mauls and axes edges! Kindling is also all done on the blocks. Never could stand to see an edged tool strike the earth. How many here like it when the chainsaw kisses the ground while bucking a log?
My favorite scenario is a stump cut near-flush to the ground, and I'll go to some effort to get the pieces to it, to split on. If it's too big to lift, I wack at it until I can lift it onto a block, and if that stump I mentioned earlier isn't available, any round will do, but a short gnarly piece is best. Often the block will get split along with the piece I'm aiming at. That's a bonus, and then we just move to another round to use as the block. All the added lifting and bending counts as exercise, and helps keep me on the same belt hole. I also hate scraping dirt off my axes.
I'm with you.I just came in from splitting and now I'm cooling off with a couple of oranges.The after hand splitting feeling is a great feeling after cooling off.So relaxing.However I use a splitting block to split unless the rounds are to big to lift.Then they get split on the ground.Then the halves or quarters go to the chopping block.
I use a block almost all of the time. 12"-16" tall. It actually feels awkward for me to split rounds on the ground. I feel like my follow through gets off and just feels more natural for me if its on a block.
