The Girl shows how to split really resistant knotty logs - with rocks

[Toddy]

Eh? One tap of the knife with a batton to get the cut, and another tap and there's the wedge.
It's oooh all of maybe five seconds.

M

 

[susannewilliams]

Eh? One tap of the knife with a batton to get the cut, and another tap and there's the wedge.
It's oooh all of maybe five seconds.

M

Pick up a rock - one second...

If you can tap the wedge out so easily from the same piece of wood - (a wedge wide enough and thick enough that you can actually use it to split the knot, that is) - then I wager you did not need the wedge in the first place.

Like I said - I. Want. To. See. The. Video...

Nuff said...

Those who don't want to use the technique - well they won't
Those who find it useful - well they will

All very simple really.

Gnight...

S

 

[British Red]

Susanne I feel like you think Mary and I are having a pop. We aren't. We are just showing and offering alternatives. Most of the UK geology would not have flat rocks to hand in the numbers you used them - indeed I can think of only a few places that would. So for most of us here, whilst the technique is interesting, its probably not directly useful. That does NOT mean it is not valid - we were merely offering insights into other techniques that for US are more useful.

 

[susannewilliams]

Susanne I feel like you think Mary and I are having a pop. We aren't. We are just showing and offering alternatives. Most of the UK geology would not have flat rocks to hand in the numbers you used them - indeed I can think of only a few places that would. So for most of us here, whilst the technique is interesting, its probably not directly useful. That does NOT mean it is not valid - we were merely offering insights into other techniques that for US are more useful.

Not taking it as anyone having a pop at all... all good...

There are loads of techniques as you have mentioned....and I like using them all...

My point was that this technique is fast and easy and deals with the hardest and nastiest of knotty hardened wood....if you have the rocks...of course...

I lived in the UK and Wales for quite a time (Bala, Midlands and Peak district) and spent a lot of time in the Lakes, and North, Mid and South Wales - (Pembroke), Scotland (Torridon, Glencoe, Cairngorm, etc) and in fact I learned the rocks technique there.
Coz when I was there no one ever carried an axe at all. We were all rock climbers, fell runners (ran the KIMM a number of times) , and mountaineers.

Any burnside has these kind of rocks, as does any quarry, beach, any screefield, crag, or any mountainside. Honest...


Anyway... please be assured I did not take you or Mary as having a pop, and thank you for pointing out that you weren't.

I just respond to arguments that contradict what I am suggesting, if I consider those arguments not to pertain, or if they are not complete - picking up a rock simply is faster than carving a wedge. Period. etc...

What really is most important though, is that each person builds up his or her full repertoire of potential techniques to cover all sorts of situations....with or without all sorts of gear and in all kinds of terrain...

That is why it is so helpful to have lively debate...and I do appreciate it very much...


Best regards

Susanne

PS...

My kinda splitting wedge...

 

[Toddy]

But you carried a saw ?

I break up timber for kindling. Not great big chunks, that's what my laplander's for. If I'm at camp and have heavy kit along I'll use a froe. If I don't, I'll use a wedge. It keeps my fingers clear of what I'm hitting.
It's about control.

The burn out my back door runs over shale and coal and clay. Try hitting any of that with a big stick and all you get is shrapnel

Each to their own; and it's interesting to see other ideas.

M

 

[British Red]

...the burns (streams) in Hampshire are renowned as brilliant trout streams. That is because they are chalk streams. I promise that the statement

Any burnside has these kind of rocks

is wrong Again, not having a pop, but fen, chalk downland, and a lot of Devon granite (for example) would not yield small flat rocks in the streams - any more than Mary's Scots burn would.

Now in a slate area sure - although I'm not sure I would want to belt slate on the end. I can think of many a South West pebble beach that would lend itself to the technique too.

 

[Toddy]

Pick up a rock - one second...

First find the rock

If you can tap the wedge out so easily from the same piece of wood - (a wedge wide enough and thick enough that you can actually use it to split the knot, that is) - then I wager you did not need the wedge in the first place.

It's one slice off the outside; it's quick, it's effective. If you have the timber, you have the wedge.

Like I said - I. Want. To. See. The. Video...

Tough. I don't do video, and they prove nothing because they can be edited.

Nuff said...

Nah, it's a discussion forum We get out and do stuff, and we sit and have a blether here around the virtual campfire too.

Those who don't want to use the technique - well they won't
Those who find it useful - well they will

All very simple really.

Actually it looks a blooming good way to get a very sore hand, tbh. However, each to their own

Gnight...

S

While we're sort of on the topic; can anyone mind where the link was put to the log splitting for planks ? I was trying to find it for the fellow who's going to break out a Y shaped log to make the frame for a warp weighted loom.

atb,
Mary

 

[GGTBod]

You guys sure know how to made your point long ago to anyone reading the thread

 

[Toddy]

.......and your point was ?

It's a discussion forum.



Not the link I minded, but this one's pretty clear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwqRqRje1Bo

Anyone know of one where it shows how to split for a cruck frame or the Y frame ?

M

 

[Stew]

.......and your point was ?

It's a discussion forum.



Not the link I minded, but this one's pretty clear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwqRqRje1Bo

Anyone know of one where it shows how to split for a cruck frame or the Y frame ?

M

If the split is more critical on where it splits, I would suggest starting the wedging from the middle outwards. Its harder and take longer but seems to give a more controlled split n

 

[demographic]

Can't say I've ever used a flat stone as a wedge to split wood before but its one to remember and round here there's masses of skimming stones about to try it with. Pretty much any beck has a few kicking about and even the river through the sandstone areas often has stones from further up where its gabro or slate.
Not got much shale and chalk isn't common up here either. Plus we have a fair bit of glacial matter thats come down from the fells.
Mind, in a lot of chalk areas there's flint as well which is where the posh, advanced wedges with a cutting edge come in eh?

 

[John Fenna]

I tried it with our local rocks(shale and slate mainly with outcrops of quartz) but all I got was rockdust from the flat bits and nice white "sugar" from the quartz
I will stick to my wooden wedges around here but look for flat stones to have another try elsewhere

 

[susannewilliams]

Can't say I've ever used a flat stone as a wedge to split wood before but its one to remember and round here there's masses of skimming stones about to try it with. Pretty much any beck has a few kicking about and even the river through the sandstone areas often has stones from further up where its gabro or slate.
Not got much shale and chalk isn't common up here either. Plus we have a fair bit of glacial matter thats come down from the fells.
Mind, in a lot of chalk areas there's flint as well which is where the posh, advanced wedges with a cutting edge come in eh?

Yep. Flint works very well. So does chert.

Hitting the rocks with a log is good, if one uses a knife or another rock then the rocks are more likely to chip and or crumble.

 

[susannewilliams]

I tried it with our local rocks(shale and slate mainly with outcrops of quartz) but all I got was rockdust from the flat bits and nice white "sugar" from the quartz
I will stick to my wooden wedges around here but look for flat stones to have another try elsewhere

Cool. Love your sense of experimentation. That's what it's all about to me.

What were you hitting the rocks with? I've had some corking wedges from the slate. (Llanberis pass)

 

[John Fenna]

Cool. Love your sense of experimentation. That's what it's all about to me.

What were you hitting the rocks with? I've had some corking wedges from the slate. (Llanberis pass)

Just wood It is very shaley where I am ... and the wood I was splitting was hard

 

[susannewilliams]

Just wood It is very shaley where I am ... and the wood I was splitting was hard

Ah the opportunity will present itself just right one day. It'll make you smile. Yeah! Cracking a log with rocks. Toooo much fun.