Interesting cross between an axe and a froe. Gives you the levering action of a froe in one motion.
New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
121–130 of 159 posts
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#122Earlier quoted context omitted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_to_roam edit: It isn't the same, but in Michigan, all navigable water is a public right of way. I would assume similar rules exist in other states.
There was a neat corner case with easements/rights-of-way and water from property class that I would constantly screw up in hypos. I obviously bombed it on the final but whenever I hear it I always think it is interesting. I think it is something to do with waterfront access to property that is otherwise inaccessible.
Possibly the situation where a public resource or right of way (eg. a lake) is completely enclosed by private properties (eg. a developer or HOA acquiring all lots which have any of the lake's shoreline)?
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#123 Leveraxe is faster than a hydraulic splitter.
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#124First question of the FAQ... "Question 1: Can VIPUKIRVES™ be used by a woman?"
"In practice, everybody who has tried splitting wood with a traditional axe knows that it takes a lot of power to penetrate and split the wood. Consequently, women and children may have serious trouble operating the traditional axe." As a physically weak male specimen this amuses me very much.
This statement and the faq entry seems so out of touch with reality...
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#125This is really cool. I've never split more than a couple dozen logs in my life but Ray Mears teached me to wedge the blade to the side on impact. This seems to emulate these physics. I'm not a big guy, and it's a pretty hard motion to get in to when you're swinging down as hard as possible. This seems like a very capable survival/bushcrafting tool for less accomplished wood cutters. tl;dr I wood buy.
My trick to avoid getting an axe stuck is to aim for the outside edge of the log furthest away from you. Not sure why it works, but it does. The closer to the middle of the log an axe lands the more likely it gets stuck.
Also dry wood will have natural cracks. Aim for the cracks and the wood will just fall apart.
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#126[deleted]
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#127I, as well as others, have a history of strained wrists when splitting wood with a traditional axe. Clicking through to their website they recommend a loose grip when the head is about to strike, allowing for the rotation to take place. This makes sense because before you'd need a strong grip to hold onto your axe to make sure it doesn't slip out of your hands when giving a swing strong enough to split. Since you are…
Losening your grip just as the axe hits the wood also works for normal axes. Makes chopping a lot easier on the wrist.
Aren't there materials that become semi-fluid when a shock is applied to them? (The opposite of your non-Newtonian cornstarch fluid.) How about steel handled mauls covered with something like that?
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#128This is really cool. I've never split more than a couple dozen logs in my life but Ray Mears teached me to wedge the blade to the side on impact. This seems to emulate these physics. I'm not a big guy, and it's a pretty hard motion to get in to when you're swinging down as hard as possible. This seems like a very capable survival/bushcrafting tool for less accomplished wood cutters. tl;dr I wood buy.
My trick to avoid getting an axe stuck is to aim for the outside edge of the log furthest away from you. Not sure why it works, but it does. The closer to the middle of the log an axe lands the more likely it gets stuck. Also dry wood will have natural cracks. Aim for the cracks and the wood will just fall apart.
Maybe the wood acts as a lever arm to apply more force to the center, where more force is needed.
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#129That has to be some of most seasoned knot free wood ever split. I wonder how many logs he had to go through to find stuff that split that well - 20 logs for every one that did that? Sledge Hammer, Splitting Maul gets the job done 95% of the time. "Eccentric Axe" the other 5%. Well - maybe, 85% Splitting Maul 12% Eccentric Axe, and 3% splitting wedge (which typically has a torsion in it to create a turning effect to s…
+1 for mauls. Why people use axes to split wood I don't know. I have a 10lb maul which _usually_ will split logs (even large rounds) on first strike assuming the wood is reasonably well seasoned. I used to use an axe + sledgehammer/wedge for the tricky stuff, but it's a ton more work that way.
Yet another way of storing human muscle power, then releasing it all at once.
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#130Earlier quoted context omitted.
I do not know if it is going to be an unpopular reply but it could be a naive reply. Firewood can also be used in wood burning stoves. Furthermore what do you and Prof. Harris recommend for camping trips?
I simply commented on the evidence of dangers from smoke on open fires. I haven't anything else to say. If the comment doesn't apply to you feel free to ignore it.
> I simply commented on the evidence of dangers from smoke on open fires.
But you haven't quantified the danger. Sunlight is hazardous to your health along with internal combustion engines. Neither of those links quantify the danger, so it doesn't really provide any information. Maybe the danger is so low that the stress relief a fire provides is less than the danger the smoke creates? The net sum could be negative.