Cutting is getting tough, started splitting

Oh, I get what you are saying. I don't disagree. If I had a person helping, a push through would be the way to go with how I do things with my current equipment. I totally get the advantage of a push though.

I tried a hookaroon, I feel like it slows me down and is awkward for me to use while splitting.

 

You're not kidding about big saws. Is that your usual firewood saw?

 

Yup, if the wood is dirty the 395 and ported 288 with 404 semi chisel and hard nosed bars.

I've got a Dolmar 7900 that has been sitting on the shelf a few years, I did run it some this year and am thinking about changing sprockets and putting 404 on it with a 20" hardnosed bar.

If the wood is clean and I have to climb around on the pile or my trailer, the 357s and 562 work pretty decent.

 

What's the significance of a hardnose bar and chain sharpness/durability?

 

Look at the video I posted in #15.

When wood is really dirty, I plunge cut virtually every piece in order to minimize the dirt pulled towards the powerhead. Hard nosed bars plunge cut effortlessly as long as the rakers aren't too aggressive and don't have the tendency to kick back while doing so. Cutting in this manner also makes it almost impossible to get the bar pinched as there is still holding wood at the top of the cut preventing the cut from closing.

 

This particular technique works extremely well in dirty wood. I learned it here a find I can get 2-3 times the chain life in dirty logs. I too cut a fair amount of cable skidded logs and keep one saw set up for strictly this purpose. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

 

I’ve got 5 cord still to cut up that is loaded with dirt…

So yes, I’ll be trying it out.

 

A lot of what I have learned for technique is watching the guy on log landings who bucks logs all day long. Another thing that is a must, logs have to be cut cleanly off when bucking one stick from the next. If it isn't, the guy on the forwarder is going to get really pi$$ed and it will pull fiber when it breaks.