Chopping Wood Safely
- Thread starter Bud
- Start date
Always use the full extension of the ax. Never lose your grip. Never use your foot to hold a piece of wood in place. When cleaning smaller branches off a log always cut from the underside. Never hand a kid a double-bitted axe. And, under no circumstances, let him or her use a hatchet.
ChadTower
Active Member
What nobody has mentioned thus far:
USE THE RIGHT AXE FOR THE JOB. Don't use a chopper to split your wood. Don't use a splitter to chop down a tree. Don't use a hatchet on something you have to hold with your hand. Learn what the different axes are for and use them properly. Using the wrong axe for the wrong task ups the risk substantially.
USE THE RIGHT AXE FOR THE JOB. Don't use a chopper to split your wood. Don't use a splitter to chop down a tree. Don't use a hatchet on something you have to hold with your hand. Learn what the different axes are for and use them properly. Using the wrong axe for the wrong task ups the risk substantially.
GPER
Member
I taught my daughter how to use a hatchet and the camp hand saw last year. It is more her size and if she needs to use an ax it will be about the same.
oldsarge
Well-Known Member
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I see folks trying to muscle their way through a piece of wood, swinging like a wild man thinking it's going to cut in one swipe. You have to let the tool do the work, use controlled strikes. The more you become accustomed to the tool the more control you will have and then you can apply more power.
twodogs
steven randall
Never use your hand to hold a piece of wood your chopping .!
CozInCowtown
Moderator
A sharp axe is safer.
le Metis
New Member
I no longer teach these skills to anyone under the age of 24.......
Bradsalex
New Member
Everyone has brought up some great tips that they use while cutting wood. I think OldSarge hit a very good tip also, "You have to let the tool do the work, use controlled strikes".
You can chop and chop at a piece of wood but if you don't know where to stike then your swing is wasted. I wouldn't say study a piece of log and KNOW the grain direction and all of that but at least know where the thicker, more condensed parts of the log are. Chopping through a knot or a spot where the tree once split will be very hard and waste a lot of energy.
As well as the time consumed trying to muscle your way past a hard spot there is the dangers of striking the log in a spot that can cause damage to you. If you strike the log on the outer portion then there is the potential that you could lose control of the axe, successfully burying it into your shin or foot. Using controlled swings and not trying to give it too much muscle will keep a more fluid motion and help to maintain better control of a (usually) dangerously sharp piece of metal making contact with an unfortunate piece of your body.
You can chop and chop at a piece of wood but if you don't know where to stike then your swing is wasted. I wouldn't say study a piece of log and KNOW the grain direction and all of that but at least know where the thicker, more condensed parts of the log are. Chopping through a knot or a spot where the tree once split will be very hard and waste a lot of energy.
As well as the time consumed trying to muscle your way past a hard spot there is the dangers of striking the log in a spot that can cause damage to you. If you strike the log on the outer portion then there is the potential that you could lose control of the axe, successfully burying it into your shin or foot. Using controlled swings and not trying to give it too much muscle will keep a more fluid motion and help to maintain better control of a (usually) dangerously sharp piece of metal making contact with an unfortunate piece of your body.
Not those of us that prefer saws. (;
ChadTower
Active Member
Takes an relatively awful long time to saw through a thick piece of hardwood.... and then do it again 25 times.
JollyRogers
New Member
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Use a knife!
Seriously, all you really need is some kind of saw (I have a favorite lightweight bow saw from Fiskars), and a good camp knife.
I am pretty handy with a hatchet, so yes, I do hold wood with 1 hand while splitting into tinder/kindling. However, using a good camp knife is much safer.
Cut logs with the bow saw and split them with the knife. One of my most used knives, although also my heaviest is and old Gerber Bowie knife given to me by a friend about 18 years ago. Big heavy blade with a good grip and full length tang.
Stand the log on end.
Place the blade against the end of the log and hammer the back side of the blade with another stick or log.
Very safe and it keeps both hands out of the way. After the first split, it is easy to use the knife to split it into smaller pieces. Just hold the log towards the bottom and use the knife to split. You are much less likely to miss the log with the long blade of the knife compared to the short head of a hatchet. Also the first split is the most dangerous as it requires the most force. So having both hands out of the way is a good idea. After the first split you hardly need to swing the blade to cut into the log. And again you can still use another stick/log as a baton to continue splitting smaller.
Seriously, all you really need is some kind of saw (I have a favorite lightweight bow saw from Fiskars), and a good camp knife.
I am pretty handy with a hatchet, so yes, I do hold wood with 1 hand while splitting into tinder/kindling. However, using a good camp knife is much safer.
Cut logs with the bow saw and split them with the knife. One of my most used knives, although also my heaviest is and old Gerber Bowie knife given to me by a friend about 18 years ago. Big heavy blade with a good grip and full length tang.
Stand the log on end.
Place the blade against the end of the log and hammer the back side of the blade with another stick or log.
Very safe and it keeps both hands out of the way. After the first split, it is easy to use the knife to split it into smaller pieces. Just hold the log towards the bottom and use the knife to split. You are much less likely to miss the log with the long blade of the knife compared to the short head of a hatchet. Also the first split is the most dangerous as it requires the most force. So having both hands out of the way is a good idea. After the first split you hardly need to swing the blade to cut into the log. And again you can still use another stick/log as a baton to continue splitting smaller.