What do you guys and gals think is the best species for a splitting round that you set your rounds on top of to split? Hopefully, something that lasts a few years! Wonder how long one would last. Also needs to be pretty tough wood because the axe can bottom out piercing the top of the splitting round. And rot-resistant since it's sitting on the ground, which usually means it absorbs moisture. With that said, I wonder if osage orange or black locust would be good. And oaks come to mind. Hmmm... wonder if you need one that does not have sapwood. Or has anyone used anything other than wood, lol? A giant block of hard plastic, lol. That would certainly be tough and would not rot.
12” I beam Or yellow elm. Very twisted grain. Won’t split easy if you over swing and burry the splitting ax, wedge, maul... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We would always use the biggest round (usually the stump cut off) for a "chopping block" as we always called it. I have a huge maple stump in my old PA that i scrounged three Summers ago. Heavy as hell and still cant believe i got it on the truck by myself. Ive used it for noodling too. Now ill just grab a big round from a current load and use that. Oak or BL would make a good long term one IMO.
That's a good idea! I wonder about black gum. If it is resistant to rot. It's certainly resistant to being split! Sweetgum is too but I don't perceive it as rot resistant.
I’ve been using a cottonwood round for the past couple years. It’s held up great and when it goes, who cares it’s cottonwood.
I've had a couple huge Maple rounds to split on for years. Big enough to hold my 15" tire at just the correct height. I do tip it on edge to shed moisture when not in use.
Elm certainly doesn't rot quickly. I've heard stories about gum too in regard to splitting resistance.
Black locust or honey locust for rot resistance, or elm. But all I have is a chunk of maple that I've used since 2016 when I got my stove. I'd still say its dang near perfect, fungus growth and all.
I have to say elm is good wood for a chopping block. If you can find one that is a nice crotch piece that won't split easy you would have one that may last years.
I have used Cottonwood, Elm, and spruce. I usually change them out every year. I will take the old one and split it and then stack it with the rest.
I'll usually use a bigger round of whatever I'm cutting for a chopping block like buZZsaw BRAD mentioned. I've kept a few for a while before, usually crotch pieces that I dont want to split. If I plan to keep it then I try to put it on top of concrete blocks or some flat concrete pieces so it doesnt sit on the dirt and rot the bottom.
I have been using a large, knotted black cherry round that I will eventually have to noodle. Also a very large black locust round that refused to be split with the fiskars.
I use whatever is lying around. I made one more "permanent" by bolting a tire to it and coating it with used oil to preserve it more.
I have a big white pine round, like others said when it starts to rot either split it or throw it away, it is readily available. When you need to put your axe somewhere just it sticks in pine with little effort
Now that is a good idea if it works. How did you put the oil on? I have some used oil and I need a tire-on-a-block.
