I'm australian, I grew up splitting eucalyptus, when they are wet, this is absolutely the right way, however, if you drop the trees, cut them into lengths and leave them to dry out for a few years, you can absolutely split them down the middle. Those cracks through the centre, when properly dried (or seasoned, which is what we always said) they open up quite a bit. There is also a huge difference between the white gum and the red gum. White is way easier to split than red and burns way better. Red is super dense, takes a lot of heat to burn and turns to ash rather than coal.
@Grim712 Same was well, I grew up splitting firewood for my grandparents and I don’t think there was a single log that wasn’t collected from a fallen limb of 2+ years. It’s not even something I thought too hard about until you mentioned it, but you’d be hard pressed to find any farmers who don’t get their wood from limbs in scrubland.
Bro Thoren thank you for this video! I’ve been splitting a crap ton of eucalyptus and thought I was crazy that only the sides would split and not the middle. Thanks for confirming my sanity haha
Thank you so much for this! My elderly parents have a log burner, and I never would have thought this was possible if I hadn't seen your video. Now I'm giving them free fuel, letting off steam. And it's so gratifying!
Only found your channel by accident the other month, it’s mad how therapeutic watching you split logs is… even more so once I’ve had a banger too 😆 I live in a city so ain’t no trees for me to fell round here but useful info for once I emigrate in a couple years 👌🏻
I'm old. I'm done picking up the same piece of wood multiple times. once on to the splitter, and then it never goes below knee level unless it's going at the bottom of the woodpile.
That's exactly how I split eucalyptus too. We have a ton here in SoCal and if you try to go down the middle, it's not just the fact that you won't crack it, but that the recoil can hurt your shoulder (if right handed, the left, and v.v.) or wrists.
Good job thoren when I saw the eucalyptus video I made a comment about you not knowing to cut around the growth rings. Good video. This trick works for all hardwoods that are to hard to split down the middle woth the exception being pepperwood.
When I was much younger I use to do a lot of wood splitting and got pretty good at it after a while . I did for fun and just to help someone out and never asked for money
@@sasquatchrosefartsdid you watch the video? Cause he literally explains how the first clip was for testing and entertainment purposes, then goes on to show how you outta work hardwoods from the edges. I couldn’t imagine being as clownish as yourself mr Sasquatch man
As someone who has been splitting wood since the age of 11, Im pleasantly surprised by your content! And I appreciate you stating that about entertainment.
I am very glad you made this video. I have watched numerous shorts of you trying split these huge rounds down the middle. I learned to split the way you did in this video many years ago. I don’t ever attempt to split anything over 16 inches wide down the middle. Obviously your target audience very much enjoys seeing you bludgeon your way through something in a way more difficult manner than is efficient. I was hoping that you do this for entertainment reasons and not because you didn’t know any better. Competent axmen use their energy wisely. But in your case the viewership wins out.
A good way to relieve stress! Thanks for the idea! You can also stick a photo of the director on top of the log, then the first time the log will fly into pieces...
Thats why you use a wood spliting maul or a hydraulic log splitter. Spliting at the edges first is called slabing off the edges. I am so glad you are young and have all that energy and momentum to waist. Some day the time will come and it will When time,rust,and gravity will firce you to work smart. Have fun for now, and good luck in the future.
These trees are amazing. They burn so hot because of the oil in the leaves. All thats left is a burnt and charred stump. Look at this same black stump 6 weeks leter and it is covered in bright grren leaves of new growth. 2 years later, the stump will have returned to a healthy, thriving tree, ready for the next bushfire. Amazing and terrifying at the same time.
I have never split wood with an axe or maul. I did however have to split wood with a wedge and short handled sledge hammer when I was six years old though. I don't know if that is easier but, considering a six year old could do it I suspect it is more accessible because it doesn't require as much strength, just determination and sometimes more than one wedge.
what a specimen of a man. it's beautiful to witness your expertise at the pinnacle of your health. may God bless you with a good woman to accompany you, and may you have many offspring!
I’ve just bought some gransfors axes and a maul to go out and cut my firewood by hand. I’m in Australia and apparently our wood is very difficult to get though.
I just wanna meet this man to see his axe collection because I’ve seen a few different videos and some of them are like art😂😂 shout out to whoever is making them
I have little knowledge on lumbering but growing up in Australia thats how we always split the wood. I guess i know the reason why now😂 watching the last video i was wondering why it was so difficult, my dad is a fraction of your size and he still made it look easyish, but he used to do it this way too
I got not a lot experience in chopping. How do you split a log, that has a flat surface? (probably due to cutting it right in the middle of a knot i guess) You cant see the usual texture. The log isnt that big, but the axe just bounces off, with doing only minor scratches to the wood. It isnt eucalyptus. It was a tree of the neighbor that fell due to a storm. I dont know what tree it was, but some common one in Germany. Maybe oak or beek or something.
I take a regular hatchet and a standard carpenters framing hammer. Cuts like butter and don't wear myself out swing a 10+ lb hammer. I just sit and swing!
Yup... Learnt that in 1984 on the wood lots in Big Sur... Would hand split three cords a day, everyday for a couple of summers... Cept I use the monster maul, 15# acute wedge shape really pops em good... Reminds me I got some split...😂
I wonder why are you choosing to use this axe. The "nose" of the axe is short, so angle of the apex is wide. I wonder if the axes blade would be around 30% longer with the same thickness of the axes base. You could round the geometry towards the edge of the blade resulting in a more durable edge without compromising the biting of the blade. It seems that the edge does not cut in the wood enough. The polishing of the sides of the axe to mirror polish and oiling it up has a very functional effect on sliding through the wood instead of getting stuck in the wood. The geometry of the axe is more like a boat shape looking at the Colin Archer like boat from behing its like about this = () So the axe glides in the wood and throw it, what do you think about this idea of a ideal axe for big trunk chopping? Joey
That's more or less the idea with a traditional splitting axe, but these sledge head or maul splitters work differently, relying on the weight and energy transferred to blast the fibers apart down their natural weak points. The coarser edge profile prevents the blade trying to bite the walls of the split, and the extreme primary bevel angle and width of the head takes a significant portion of all that downward energy and redirects it into pushing the two sides apart.
I love and hate that axe. For $ 200 plus dollars I would think the fools at Helko could design a bit that would stay tight on the handle. When I purchase the most expensive axe on the market I expect it to be quality. Not garbage that will not stay together and continually falls apart at the highest price point. Also their customer service is a total joke I've reached out to them multiple times only to be left hung out to dry. F#CK Helko Werk!
Don't split the sides off all the way, stops the whole piece becoming unbalanced and falling off constantly. When all the sides are just hanging on give the centre a shot, will seperate everything.
great video's. have you seen this women Nicole Coenen? she does youtube video's just like yours. would be great to see yall do a video together with discussions on how yall learned and techniques
"I know what I'm doing, sometimes entertainment comes first" I hope you didn't include that because people were giving you a hard time. You're killing it.
That's exactly how I split hardwood when it's large pieces 28" and up. I hate sweet gums though, those suck especially when they're all knotted up. Have you done sweetgum yet on your channel?
Eucalyptus is a bitch to split as you demonstrated and doesn’t make good lumber. Not to mention messy as hell and ruins the soil beneath it. A few neighborhoods in SoCal where you can stay busy felling them for a good long career.
Pro your name is also cool , can you please teach how to chop and split a firewood taller in height than you upload on videos ,as we Asians We usually cut the trees and make it taller than you guys do 😊
I'm australian, I grew up splitting eucalyptus, when they are wet, this is absolutely the right way, however, if you drop the trees, cut them into lengths and leave them to dry out for a few years, you can absolutely split them down the middle.
Those cracks through the centre, when properly dried (or seasoned, which is what we always said) they open up quite a bit.
There is also a huge difference between the white gum and the red gum. White is way easier to split than red and burns way better. Red is super dense, takes a lot of heat to burn and turns to ash rather than coal.
You are truly damn good at what you do
@Grim712 Same was well, I grew up splitting firewood for my grandparents and I don’t think there was a single log that wasn’t collected from a fallen limb of 2+ years. It’s not even something I thought too hard about until you mentioned it, but you’d be hard pressed to find any farmers who don’t get their wood from limbs in scrubland.
Bro Thoren thank you for this video! I’ve been splitting a crap ton of eucalyptus and thought I was crazy that only the sides would split and not the middle. Thanks for confirming my sanity haha
Thank you so much for this!
My elderly parents have a log burner, and I never would have thought this was possible if I hadn't seen your video.
Now I'm giving them free fuel, letting off steam. And it's so gratifying!
Only found your channel by accident the other month, it’s mad how therapeutic watching you split logs is… even more so once I’ve had a banger too 😆
I live in a city so ain’t no trees for me to fell round here but useful info for once I emigrate in a couple years 👌🏻
Aussie hardwood is really hard to split especially when waterlogged. The method you explained is exactly how I do it.
I literally just walked in the door after plitting firewood for the stove. The new maul handle from Beaver Tooth is awesome.
Will check it out!
You inspired me to leave the splitter in the shop this season. Feels good beating up on rounds.
It definitely does feel awesome!
How do you get the rounds? I've never owned property, are they felled trees that have been sliced with a chainsaw?
I'm old. I'm done picking up the same piece of wood multiple times. once on to the splitter, and then it never goes below knee level unless it's going at the bottom of the woodpile.
That's exactly how I split eucalyptus too. We have a ton here in SoCal and if you try to go down the middle, it's not just the fact that you won't crack it, but that the recoil can hurt your shoulder (if right handed, the left, and v.v.) or wrists.
I reckon it'd be weird to be in America and get the whiff and sight of home via gums
Good job thoren when I saw the eucalyptus video I made a comment about you not knowing to cut around the growth rings. Good video. This trick works for all hardwoods that are to hard to split down the middle woth the exception being pepperwood.
Thor you're a friggin beast bro. I think you should show people who don't split wood often how to get a busted ax head out of a chunk of wood.
Good call!
When I was much younger I use to do a lot of wood splitting and got pretty good at it after a while . I did for fun and just to help someone out and never asked for money
you hitting that sounds like a gun shot
Just a lifetime of mechanics. Not really strength related. (Not that you said it was)
@@ThorenBradley i wonder if anyone is walking in the woods and your there smashing woods like a shotgun
@@ThorenBradleyhit cracks, genius. Read the wood. You're terrible at this. Find edge cracks , and work on those.
@@sasquatchrosefartsthe cracks were in the middle?
@@sasquatchrosefartsdid you watch the video? Cause he literally explains how the first clip was for testing and entertainment purposes, then goes on to show how you outta work hardwoods from the edges. I couldn’t imagine being as clownish as yourself mr Sasquatch man
As someone who has been splitting wood since the age of 11, Im pleasantly surprised by your content! And I appreciate you stating that about entertainment.
Thoren: "Oooh, it's still wet"
Michael Scott: "That's what she said"
Meanwhile Aussie's casually splitting eucalyptus all day.
No we aren't...
Yea we don't split it down the middle we chip it so it's easier
Dude is jacked!
What's his problem? My sister's split eucalyptus every day like they are auditioning for a lumberjack reality show.
I am very glad you made this video. I have watched numerous shorts of you trying split these huge rounds down the middle. I learned to split the way you did in this video many years ago. I don’t ever attempt to split anything over 16 inches wide down the middle. Obviously your target audience very much enjoys seeing you bludgeon your way through something in a way more difficult manner than is efficient. I was hoping that you do this for entertainment reasons and not because you didn’t know any better. Competent axmen use their energy wisely. But in your case the viewership wins out.
Love the videos. They always make my day and Im a city guy 😂 I don’t even own an axe
Right on!
If you have a tire or a chain, it makes it alot easier to split the sides off faster and it's safer.
Always wild to see the Helko bounce right off with a big swing 🤯 that’s how you know you’re in for a tangle lol
A good way to relieve stress! Thanks for the idea! You can also stick a photo of the director on top of the log, then the first time the log will fly into pieces...
Thanks for the tutorial. Never know when it may come in handy to know this
I love how videos like this are uploaded as tutorials. As if anyone watching this video is ever going to be splitting any log, let alone eucalyptus
Thank you ! Got a ton of eucalyptus couldn’t even begin to split it . This method is genius
Turns out my grandpa been teaching me right the whole time. Thank god for em. Keep swinging briski
Would you consider doing a calendar with Lauren Coenen? Either for charity... or just for me... 😅
Not great with words, but I love the effort. Keep it up bud, you're great!
And I appreciate the entertainment value you bring me... in this and every video 💕
I hope nobody was actually questioning your knowledge there.
Every day. 😂 it’s because of how I look though, I get it.
Just like my uncle taught me 55 years ago. Personally I've progressed to a hydraulic log splitter. It even lifts the rounds up for me.
Also cutting along the grain will make a difference along with cutting along the edge.
I remember you hated that axe you broke cause bolts kept breaking.
Thats why you use a wood spliting maul or a hydraulic log splitter. Spliting at the edges first is called slabing off the edges. I am so glad you are young and have all that energy and momentum to waist. Some day the time will come and it will
When time,rust,and gravity will firce you to work smart. Have fun for now, and good luck in the future.
These trees are amazing. They burn so hot because of the oil in the leaves. All thats left is a burnt and charred stump. Look at this same black stump 6 weeks leter and it is covered in bright grren leaves of new growth. 2 years later, the stump will have returned to a healthy, thriving tree, ready for the next bushfire.
Amazing and terrifying at the same time.
Not to get too personal but what do you do for your primary source of income/job?
You’re good! I’ll make a video about that!
@@ThorenBradley thanks brother!
I have never split wood with an axe or maul. I did however have to split wood with a wedge and short handled sledge hammer when I was six years old though. I don't know if that is easier but, considering a six year old could do it I suspect it is more accessible because it doesn't require as much strength, just determination and sometimes more than one wedge.
what a specimen of a man. it's beautiful to witness your expertise at the pinnacle of your health.
may God bless you with a good woman to accompany you, and may you have many offspring!
Bro only found this out now…
You learn something new every day dude ;-)
Great video as always!!
I didn't doubt that you know what you're doing, and I love the entertainment to!
I split iron bark a lot and it's tough. What is the name of the maul you are using
I’ve just bought some gransfors axes and a maul to go out and cut my firewood by hand. I’m in Australia and apparently our wood is very difficult to get though.
Hardest in the world. Ironbark and Wandoo
I just wanna meet this man to see his axe collection because I’ve seen a few different videos and some of them are like art😂😂 shout out to whoever is making them
Did you make that axe yourself, or perched it? It’s a beautiful axe
Red gum is hard. People love it here in Australia, burns clean and long.
Would it split easier hitting it on the edge rather than the middle?
I have little knowledge on lumbering but growing up in Australia thats how we always split the wood. I guess i know the reason why now😂
watching the last video i was wondering why it was so difficult, my dad is a fraction of your size and he still made it look easyish, but he used to do it this way too
If you were to pick 1 splitting axe which one would it be?
Obligatory "EUCALYPTUS!!!"
Pretty sure nobody doubted you buddy. You're the primary reason why my wife wonders why I'm so into splitting wood lately.
Jesus christ that sounds hard.
We don't have eucalyptus here in the uk, but it's on par with well seasoned old English oak
❤ I love your style thank you so much
You should sell bear hugs starting at $5 a minute... 😍🥰🤩 I fell in love with this guy's arms months ago!
What axe is that?
Great job redeeming your broken axe. Keep up the great work bud.
I got not a lot experience in chopping.
How do you split a log, that has a flat surface? (probably due to cutting it right in the middle of a knot i guess)
You cant see the usual texture.
The log isnt that big, but the axe just bounces off, with doing only minor scratches to the wood.
It isnt eucalyptus. It was a tree of the neighbor that fell due to a storm. I dont know what tree it was, but some common one in Germany. Maybe oak or beek or something.
I take a regular hatchet and a standard carpenters framing hammer. Cuts like butter and don't wear myself out swing a 10+ lb hammer.
I just sit and swing!
That swing is mighty healthy
Man’s suspenders are getting a nice loose break with that fit
Next time you're in Florida, i have an eucalyptus you can try to split.
I finally got through one log by using a saw to cut my wedges out.
This is the way I split all my big rounds, because it just saves me more time and energy. I also desperately need to sharpen my maul...
Yup... Learnt that in 1984 on the wood lots in Big Sur... Would hand split three cords a day, everyday for a couple of summers... Cept I use the monster maul, 15# acute wedge shape really pops em good... Reminds me I got some split...😂
Tell me more. Not many people use a monster maul
Thor,
You still recommend that axe despite it breaking in that vid you shot before?
I bet that smells like heaven!
I appreciate your informative videos but I appreciate just how handsome your are thanks for sharing
You should show people how to make a makeshift wooden wedge and use it to split
Good to see you Legend
Am curious what is the weight and make of that axe?
I wonder why are you choosing to use this axe. The "nose" of the axe is short, so angle of the apex is wide. I wonder if the axes blade would be around 30% longer with the same thickness of the axes base. You could round the geometry towards the edge of the blade resulting in a more durable edge without compromising the biting of the blade.
It seems that the edge does not cut in the wood enough. The polishing of the sides of the axe to mirror polish and oiling it up has a very functional effect on sliding through the wood instead of getting stuck in the wood.
The geometry of the axe is more like a boat shape looking at the Colin Archer like boat from behing its like about this = ()
So the axe glides in the wood and throw it, what do you think about this idea of a ideal axe for big trunk chopping?
Joey
That's more or less the idea with a traditional splitting axe, but these sledge head or maul splitters work differently, relying on the weight and energy transferred to blast the fibers apart down their natural weak points. The coarser edge profile prevents the blade trying to bite the walls of the split, and the extreme primary bevel angle and width of the head takes a significant portion of all that downward energy and redirects it into pushing the two sides apart.
@@thepewplace1370 Yeah, thanks for youre information ✌️👌
If he swings on your head, you be tomato 🍅
Que grande Raul Garcia, no sabia de esta faceta suya
guessing eucalyptus is 1 of the hardest to spit eh never knew this up in Canada we dont have this here
I love and hate that axe. For $ 200 plus dollars I would think the fools at Helko could design a bit that would stay tight on the handle. When I purchase the most expensive axe on the market I expect it to be quality. Not garbage that will not stay together and continually falls apart at the highest price point. Also their customer service is a total joke I've reached out to them multiple times only to be left hung out to dry.
F#CK Helko Werk!
Bro never shies away from a sexual innuendo 😂
Hello. Damn, that's a really hard wood to split, but u did it, nice. Did you buy a new axe?
Don't split the sides off all the way, stops the whole piece becoming unbalanced and falling off constantly. When all the sides are just hanging on give the centre a shot, will seperate everything.
HI Thoren, I thought you hated the Helko 2000. Change of heart?
What are the point of the suspenders?
You know the shit is gonna get real when the suspenders come off.
Where are you getting eucalyptus from my guy?
I'd be luck to hit the entire log, let alone a specific point _on_ the log.
Brother what name brand work pants do you wear ?
I hope that ax made a full recovery.
Luckily it was just the bolts I broke.....LMAO
Which is why the head should never be attached to the handle this way!
great video's. have you seen this women Nicole Coenen? she does youtube video's just like yours. would be great to see yall do a video together with discussions on how yall learned and techniques
"I know what I'm doing, sometimes entertainment comes first"
I hope you didn't include that because people were giving you a hard time. You're killing it.
I wouldn't dare critique a guy named Thoren who looks like he could chop harder than 99.99% of people.
Did you change the name to your app?
What kind of axe is that homie
That's exactly how I split hardwood when it's large pieces 28" and up. I hate sweet gums though, those suck especially when they're all knotted up. Have you done sweetgum yet on your channel?
Brother, sweet gum trees are nightmares to split! Smell good though
Eucalyptus is a bitch to split as you demonstrated and doesn’t make good lumber. Not to mention messy as hell and ruins the soil beneath it. A few neighborhoods in SoCal where you can stay busy felling them for a good long career.
Buy a Tassie axe.
What axe do you use?
🪓🧔🏻♂ Buen trabajo.
Is that wood one of the hardest. I dont know owt about wood just asking
It’s very hard. But nowhere near the hardest. What makes it difficult is that the grain has a bunch of funky stoppages throughout
Pro your name is also cool , can you please teach how to chop and split a firewood taller in height than you upload on videos ,as we Asians We usually cut the trees and make it taller than you guys do 😊
Could you do a video on proper technique?
I think I made one awhile back!
Interesing how much you eat calories
It works for me on them really hard woods. The big ones anyway.
I dunno, this gnarly oak bounces mauls off like bb's hitting a tank. Even on the perimeter.
I cant stop drooling
Where I can buy axe like yours one? Look like for grandson, perfect