Ran across this picture of Dad at 90 years of age, helping to split…
I had to make him stop…
He’d sit and work the valve… and bark orders… (the bark pun was totally unavoidable.)
He was a professional forester, who never got wood out of his system…
I’d love to see the pile of wood that man split with two double bit axes… I built the splitter in the late 1970’s… I think I finished it about 1977/78…. The axes were retired then…
Love te fact both of you wear a trapper hat. I wear one often when in the woods this time of year, mine is old school camo though. Wish I could find som of the older ones that were made better. Mine was made in the 80's, got it from my dad as a kid and had to grow into it.
Very cool memory. I buy firewood now but still split my fair share from trees on the property. I still enjoy harvesting firewood, just something about it. Having a fire tonight, getting ready for extreme temps and snow. Also a bit of Crown Royal with a hint of sweet vermouth and a dash of bitters for a cold winter evening.
My wood splitting days are behind me. I helped my dad split two logging trailers of hickory back in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s using a hydraulic splitter before I went into the military. When I was in high school my friend and I would split cut logs using axes just for the bell of it. Those were the good ol’ days, in a manner of speaking.
What angle did he run on the splitting side? Every time I try to split with anything other than a maul or wedge and sledge, I get all bound up. Would be nice to have one tool to bring to campsite when a trip home at night isn't feasable
texastweeter He used normal double-bit axes…. He didn’t even swing hard…. And it was red, white or water oak…
He would drop the bit and stick it in the near edge of the block…
Then walk around and do the same in the opposite side…
Walk back to the first side and dislodge the axe… and drop it right back in the same slot a little deeper…
Back to the other side and repeat…
After a few strikes, when the second axe hits, the first axe would fall loose…
It would split soon after that…
Last edited by Washblue; December 24, 2022, 10:18 AM.
The old boys knew how to use axes, its an art form in itself.
My old man was magic with a sledge, my brother and I would grab the sledge and go to town.
Few mins later, exhausted and panting on the floor, he'd pick it up and methodically start pounding.
Down everything came.
He was an old steam era railway man, pounding rivets into boiler plates most of the day, his secret a flick of the wrists just at impact to generate power.
Good for him ! That photo is an advertising poster for one of the greatest inventions ever . . . . . the hydraulic wood splitter. Should be on that show Modern Marvels along with the snowblower IMHO.
My 40 year old splitting maul has its place of honor in the garage. We did our time together
Good on ya' texastweeter ! My overused shoulder finally gave out and I have to say I do miss splitting wood by hand. I do use a camp axe for a wedge and a 4# hammer to split smaller stuff occasionally though. Just a reminder I'm not completely broke down yet I guess
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