Hello I want show you which is the way I use to split wood with my 10cm long blade knife.
1.I split a branch of 5cm diamiter easily batoming with my knife and use it after like a wedge.
2.I dig the blade in another branch maximun 9 cm diamiter, only 1cm blade left to hit batoming, after I have digged 1cm batoming with my knife I put the first splitted piece of wood and use it like a wedge so my knife get free and no more hit to it is needed so you avoid a lot of hit in your blade becouse you use the wooden wedge.
If your edge is dry and hard wood better, even you can split branches bigger in diameter than blade lenght.
Take care of your blades.
Enjoy
1.I split a branch of 5cm diamiter easily batoming with my knife and use it after like a wedge.
2.I dig the blade in another branch maximun 9 cm diamiter, only 1cm blade left to hit batoming, after I have digged 1cm batoming with my knife I put the first splitted piece of wood and use it like a wedge so my knife get free and no more hit to it is needed so you avoid a lot of hit in your blade becouse you use the wooden wedge.
If your edge is dry and hard wood better, even you can split branches bigger in diameter than blade lenght.
Take care of your blades.
Enjoy