When a Laplander just won't do

[Kadushu]

Bit of an update that I thought might amuse some here

Needed to clear the dropping part of the wood yard because there may be another lorry load inbound so decided to split some of the rounds today.

Scots pine wood yard by English Countrylife, on Flickr

I favour a sledge hammer & steel wedges for this as the rounds are too heavy to lift onto a splitter

Wedge splitting by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Wedge splitting by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Sledge and wedge splitting by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Now the big rounds are Scots pine & man are they heavy. Only felled this week. Literally dripping with sap

Pine sap by English Countrylife, on Flickr


Split pine sap by English Countrylife, on Flickr

The other thing that was startling was the amount of "fatwood" veins

Fatwood pine knot by English Countrylife, on Flickr

This particular tree was loaded with resin packed pine knots. I recall reading how these, knocked out with the back of an axe, mad bright "candles" when thrown on the fire in poorer houses

Pine knot fatwood by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Axe and fatwood pine knot by English Countrylife, on Flickr

I've knocked out a few pine knots and pieces of fatwood for lighting the stove

Hugh

The sound of those rounds cracking open must be glorious!!

 

[British Red]

The sound of those rounds cracking open must be glorious!!

Actually with wedges there's a better sound. With big thick rounds once you've driven one or two ten inch wedges in and the crack begins to run, if you stop, the round can be heard creaking & groaning! Another wedge in the run will give the satisfying "crack!", but I love the groan as the fibres resist.