New toy, kindling cracker XL

I been thinking of one of these for years and finally I thought heck with it, I am going to buy the dang thing, I don't care if it does cost a benjamin. I could make one if I still had welding equipment like we had on the farm but that was, uh, 50 years ago, lol. Anyway, I love this thing. I bought the XL so I could, hopefully, split some big splits into two smaller splits. But mainly for making kindling. It keeps me active, swinging a hammer, and a reason to be outside.

I have a boatload of sassafras splits and it makes excellent kindling, is super lightweight and beautiful to work with, it's a very pretty wood. It is so light, it is almost like balsa! Very straight-grained and you'd never guess it by looking at a young sassafras tree, those tall, young trees wind around like a big worm. But I had few large ones die as well as the young ones.

I've stated before... all of my sassafras, 100%, died. Every tree. I forget what did it, some kind of bug or fungus or pathogen, across large areas of the south.

I also have been splitting white oak and hickory and it's doing great.

The XL...

https://www.northerntool.com/products/kindling-cracker-king-firewood-kindling-splitter-xl-118995

 

I've seen a few of those on FB MP for cheap enough that I thought about trying one myself...

 

Please let us know how it works out

 

Is it easy to describe, Dennis? I have thought of trying that, myself.

 

Ive been considering one for my bundle assembly area when I sometimes have to custom size a split to fit. Ill have to check FBM as Dave mentioned. Tooooo cheap to pay full retail.

 

I have one of the original smaller ones,,,,,think it’s a six inch. I ended up cutting the ring off the top to split bigger stuff. Works good when making bundles in the basement.

 

I bought one last year and I love it! I collect scrap 2x4's from the various projects around the house and barn. The kindling cracker works great for splitting them into kindling.

 

One of these might be the ticket for small smoking wood splits. Hmmm...

 

Good thing y'all don't live too close, sounds like I may have given myself more competition on fbmp

 

"Then I'll pick up 3 or 4 slices and turn them. Once again take 1" slices all the way across."

I think you explained it well. Except not sure what "turn them" means. You mean just hold them in your hand together, lined up, flush edge for the wedge entry? That'll work.

I also think your red maple choice is great, it does split readily. My sassafras fits that bill, too. Most of it is straight grained and just pops split.

EDIT: Ok, I guess you mean turn them, orient them, for splitting the one inch pieces off. The only benefit of this new gizmo versus that is that it gives me some exercise!

 

When using our big vertical woodsplitter, it is easy to slice narrow slabs off a block and then turn them as Backwoods Savage said, and slice them again into small square pieces.

campinspecter bought a small electric woodsplitter for the basement so it is easy to slice the blocks down to kindling size. It is fun watching the pieces shoot across the room when the tension is released in the block.

 

I also cut off the ring, makes it much more versatile.

 

This may be a stupid question...but here goes.

Being this in my first full season burning, I'm not sure what the need is for all the kindling. I start the fire every evening when I get home from work. I put 2 splits on the bottom, light one homemade fire started (cardboard egg carton with dryer lint stuffed in each egg spot then old candles the wife doesn't want anymore melted and poured over the lint, broken into 12 separate starters) put that between the 2 splits, then pile some more splits perpendicular over the first two splits and over the fire starter. The fire is blazing in about 5 minutes. I don't use any kindling. I burn mostly ash (and a little maple - don't ask me what kind...new to this and have no idea).

Am I the odd man here?

 

I think several on here do similar to what you do. I think the type of chimney/height/etc are factors in the need for kindling, among other things. I have a source for free kindling, so I use lots of kindling. Whatever works.

 

I have one. Use it more than I thought I would.

 

This reminds me I need to bring in another feed bag of splitter leavins.

 

MHL68 That is the way I have been starting fires here. I pretty much stopped using kindling. I can even get oak splits going with just one of those firestarters.

 

If it works for you, all good.