Axes and Saws
Some people get a wood burning stove and never get an axe or saw.
The rest of us (the sensible ones) go down to the hardware store and buy a nice big axe.
This is needed to split logs for kindling (the small bits you use to get the fire going). Some people choose to spend a small fortune on pre-chopped bags of kindling. Quite frankly they are fools.
After a few months of log chopping I have come to the conclusion that there is no finer, more mentally restful, more aerobic and more gloriously worthwhile job that splitting logs with a gert big wood Axe.
Whether you get one with a Fibreglass Handle, a Hickory Handled Axe or a one piece Forge Steel Axe you will find you have bought a little piece of happiness.
However once it goes blunt, all the fun dies away. Splitting logs with a blunt axe is no good at all. It is miserably hard work, the axe will get stuck, you will get blisters and it will probably start raining too.
So the one other piece of kit you will need (aside from the checked lumberjack shirt and bar of milk chocolate) is a sharpening stone.
These cheap lumps of rock are invaluable to the woodman or woman. A few minutes grinding the blade against the stone produces a razor edge on your axe every time you split logs.
Axes are great for splitting logs and felling trees, but to cut logs up in the first place a saw is an easier option.
If you wanted to split log A above into three smaller pieces a saw would be
the easiest tool whereas if you want to split log B in two, where the arrow
marks the spot an axe will be easier. In short, when cutting across the grain
use a saw, when splitting with the grain, use an axe.
Amazon are doing good deals on Axes. Take a look at the Standard Axe which is a good 1.25lb all purpose hand axe. If you are going to be chopping lots of wood, get a big felling axe instead.
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