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Wood splitting technique

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Badger:
   Not sure if people are already doing this or not. Maybe I just haven't seen it. Anyway if you run a thin line down a stave where you want it to split, just remove the bark with a draw knife maybe about 1/2" wide. It will split itself almost perfectly. Never tried this on a big log but I know it works up to about 4".

Del the cat:
Never tried that... I find some logs splits well despite knots and some just doesn't want to run straight. I can't remember if its better to start at the thick end or thin end either. Maybe that's why I try and saw if possible  ::)
Del

Hamish:
 Are you referring to kerfing with a circular saw before splitting? If so it works well, even on large sections. Dean Torges book mentions it. Even so he splits the log into 1/4's, with wedges first. If the log isn't straight grained,  the staves won't be following the grain.

If you have a straight grained log, but no bandsaw big enough to break it down, then kerfing is a good way to maximise the amount of staves you can harvest.

Aksel:
Thatīs a good trick Iīve heard of but never tried.

I usually start splitting logs from the smaller end on smaller diameter logs, think it helps guiding the split where itīs most critical.

I often harvest my elm in august/ september, but I recently cut a bunch of elm in March while it was still frozen outside. And I was amazed how clean it split compared to summer. Like the wood wasnīt interlocked in winter and I was able to split several really small elm saplings, 2-3 inches in perfect halves, with axes.

Pat B:
So, Steve, does it encourage a controlled check where the bark is removed? Interesting idea.

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