A friend of mine cut this down. Told me it was Japanese maple. It is incredibly dense and heavy... tried hand splitting and the Fiskars wasn’t even sticking. The splitter did the trick but it was tough stuff! He had just moved into a new house and by the time I got there this was stacked and ready for me to load in the truck. So I didn’t see so much as a leaf. Was he right? I’ve never burned Japanese maple... is it dense and heavy like this. Or was he mistaken?
Looks like it could be Japanese Maple. It is hard wood with smooth bark. Similar to Am Hornbeam to weight and density.
100% Japanese maple. I have a dozen of them or more on the property. Very dense, very unique. Love it. I split it just fine with the x27.
Some of it split easily and some was slightly twisted and just wouldn’t cooperate. Maybe I’m just spoiled since getting my splitter. Regardless it’s in with the rest of my sugar maple stacks.
I have a 34-ton splitter and I still enjoy using the maul more. I've been spoiling myself......by giving away all the knotty stuff and/or throwing it out at the dump in exchange for nice straight pieces. I just would rather use the maul over the splitter.
Splitting by hand is definitely satisfying and relaxing. You dont need much. An ax/maul and wood. All of my wood up to this past year was split by hand and it felt good knowing I did that. But that splitter has enabled me to get much more done than I could have without it.
I find it useful for sure but there's the time it takes to wheel it out and move everything else so I can do so, then the noise and the fuel......So if I can, I'll avoid using it....except I kind of have to use it soon on some nasty hard pieces of beech. Elm I was able to split with a little effort using the maul. The wedges are great though.