Splitting wood

[DavidDvorkin]

Why is that all rural or mountain or other countryish people do in movies or TV? When the protagonist tracks down someone with information, someone who lives in the country or in a mountain cabin, the person is always splitting wood. They never cut the wood or drag it back or clean the outhouse. All they do is split wood. With an axe.

[specimenfred1984]

1. As Someone Who Splits Wood During the Winter...

it's a good workout and not something you can do a lot of in one day unless you're in incredible shape. That leads to spliting only as much as you need at a time.

In the movies it makes people look macho.

[hfojvt]

3. Really? I must have been in incredible shape.

I used to bicycle 15 miles up to my property and split wood for a couple hours on the weekends. It bugged me that I had to do so much sawing and hauling and that I didn't have more to split. My favorite was the red elm that you had to smack half a dozen times before it would split. Of course, I only used an 8 pound sledge, so I was not running with the big guys. I did all of my sawing with a 36 inch bow saw too, which is why the sawing was more frustrating and slow.

I would love to do some splitting every day. Maybe swinging a hammer makes me feel like a stud.

[hfojvt]

2. good point

you have to do way more sawing, hauling, and re-sawing before you can split. Plus, it is better to split with a wedge unless you are doing oak or softwoods. Even then, the sharp end of a maul is better than any axe.

Splitting is just alot more fun and glamorous than those other activities. And who cleans an outhouse?

"Whew, I am glad I didn't let that one go in the kitchen."

[trof]

4. I had a Monster Wedge back in the day.

A house with 2 fireplaces in NH.
The Monster Wedge weighed a ton, but if you could manage to get it up over your shoulder, swing it down, and smack a log, that sucker SPLIT!

[hfojvt]

5. how much is a ton?

thirty pounds? Fifty pounds?

If it really was a ton, then I am in total awe. Still, I am not sure if a fifty pounder would work with the red elm that I had. After all, I was swinging the eight pounder with a fair amount of force. I was ready to move up to a heavier weight like a 12 or a 16, but I never actually bought anything since I was doing it for fun.

[ghostsofgiants]

6. Maybe they need lots of fire wood?