there's nothing new or innovative here. people have been doing this for years... it really depends on the KIND of wood you're chopping. this guy has it down to an art: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vThcK-idm0
New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
31–40 of 159 posts
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#32This 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.
This is a terrible survival/bushcraft tool. It is big and heavy which could be acceptable if it was not single purpose.
My fellow Americans please do not hold this post against Ray Mears. He is rather awesome. I am at a loss when it comes to thinking of his American equivalent. We do not have a nice guy survival expert. Anyone I can think of is not as famous and certainly not as kind spirited. The best way I can describe him is Roy Underhill from the Woodwright's Shop does bushcraft/survival skills in a Red coat.
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#33That 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…
It's a demo.
The point is that it applies the force more effectively to a splitting motion. I don't know why you would insist on using a heavier maul requiring much more effort by default. Use the maul for the really knotted stuff where you need more vertical force applied somewhere in the middle, but defaulting to it seems silly.
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#34This axe looks really awesome, physics for the win.
Also, instead of using an old rubber tire, I highly recommend building a variable length, tensioning chain, much like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrLiSMQGHvY Makes chopping wood so much more fun.
And then, there is also the stikkan: http://www.stikkan.com/ Perfect to hang it up next to your fireplace to do some more fine grained wood chopping, cutting larger pieces into smaller ones.
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#35This is the page you need to read!
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#36if you ever tried to use an axe, the video in the article will look like sorcery.
I never swung an axe (no need where I live, the only thing I did to prepare for this winter was... close the windows, I can still walk around the house with light clothes).
And to me the thing STILL looks like sorcery... I have no idea how to hit the wood like that (I mean, the aim), but seeing each hit split the log is like... HOW???? It looks like the log split by itself.
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#37This axe looks really awesome, physics for the win. Also, instead of using an old rubber tire, I highly recommend building a variable length, tensioning chain, much like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrLiSMQGHvY Makes chopping wood so much more fun. And then, there is also the stikkan: http://www.stikkan.com/ Perfect to hang it up next to your fireplace to do some more fine grained wood chopping, cutting l…
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Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#38That 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…
Indeed, and that looks like birch. In my experience that splits if you look at it sideways. Instead of a tyre I use a bungee & chain. That allows me to hold a wider range of log sizes upright. This design intriques me the most, seems effortless http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=111_1363524786
That is the first liveleak video I have ever seen where someone does not die. Is liveleak becoming a general purpose video site?
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#39This 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.
This is a terrible survival/bushcraft tool. It is big and heavy which could be acceptable if it was not single purpose. My fellow Americans please do not hold this post against Ray Mears. He is rather awesome. I am at a loss when it comes to thinking of his American equivalent. We do not have a nice guy survival expert. Anyone I can think of is not as famous and certainly not as kind spirited. The best way I can desc…
Correct me if i'm wrong, but wouldn't this allow for a smaller force lever, because the axe multiplies the forces and does not rely on the user to swing hard enough with the right technique?
Re: New axe design uses lever action to make splitting wood easier
#40This 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.
This is a terrible survival/bushcraft tool. It is big and heavy which could be acceptable if it was not single purpose. My fellow Americans please do not hold this post against Ray Mears. He is rather awesome. I am at a loss when it comes to thinking of his American equivalent. We do not have a nice guy survival expert. Anyone I can think of is not as famous and certainly not as kind spirited. The best way I can desc…
Haha, there are some funny ones though.
Like this one [1] where he brings his entire collection of wetstones to show us how to sharpen a knife @ camp.