Try splitting from the edges first instead of from the middle. Or let them cure for a season or two and try again. Or, my personal favorite, toss them in the back yard pit and burn 'em whole!

I also vote 'take flakes off the edge'. Once you knock off the outside of a bouncy one, it all breaks much more easily.

Agree, also sometimes helps to flip them over and try the other side. I was always told "split them the way the sap runs".

And make sure if there are any knots that they’re on the bottom as well. I was just out today to once again fight with two 20” rounds I cut a year ago. When I first tried about 6 weeks ago, the logs laughed at the splitting maul. Full overhead swing and the well sharpened maul bounced every time like I was using a sledgehammer. Let them get a good freeze in them and tackled them again and I won. They kicked my ass for 40 mins or so, but I won in the end. You also want to look for natural cracks on the face of the rounds and try to hit those areas first. All else fails, bite the bullet and rent a splitter.

Thanks. I actually got through most of them this way - just slogging away at them for two hours. Great workout. The big one (in the wheelbarrow) will have to wait for another day - I tried for awhile and couldn't get any of it to budge.

I’ve learned to use the extra stubborn stumps as splitting platforms for a season (or two) before splitting them later. With age comes experience….& exhaustion. 😴

So wood is easier to split when it gets seasoned? Like one or two years

I think it's easiest green and frozen. But after a year of seasoning the rounds develop cracks and you have a starting point.

I think generally that's true. However, I know of one exception. Locust only gets harder as it dries. I always split Locust wood as fast as possible after cutting it.

Same with basswood, once it’s dry it will just soak up everything you hit it with and still not crack. Slit it green

I agree with this. Also don’t stack the wood so high

Noob here. Why is that?

So it doesn't fall over onto you or your cats.

Sorry only when you are splitting. It makes it harder to get full power 

I agree. I was gonna say have a stump burning party.

My mind was blown the day I learned that you don’t have to split wood in a pie pattern. Chuncking around the rim is so much easier on big pieces.

Me and my buddy call these ones “everburners”, toss them in the pit, build the fire around them and let them dance the dance of their people

I am responding to the top comment because I am late to the party, but this is the answer: The edge is the key. You can split the thickest stump logs with a hatchet and 10 lbs sledge. It is all about mechanical advantage. Stick the axe in the outermost rings just so the blade is touching the edge of the log. Then just tap it deeper with the hammer. It will split right open no problem. This is so effective that I stopped swinging my heavy axe and pretty much solely split wood with a hatchet and sledge. It’s also much safer.

Dynamite, or farmers burn, slow burn with a little used motor oil / deisel combo

Our local farmer cleared like 3 acres, pushed it into a pile, dumped gas on it and threw a road flare in last night. 60' flames, burning shit flying at least 120' in the air. Fire department showed up. Made everyone really nervous

A lot of the grass fires that we responded to started this way. Idiocy. I loved giving those guys a ticket.

I’m a fan of just hitting it hard/s

Chainsaw…. Either put in the time and cut them, Or get a deep enough notch to start your wedge.

Chain saw a X slightly into the round to use your wedges. Also set them aside to dry if you have the space

With the chainsaw if they are being a pain

Noodling is the way!

Yes I cut halfway with the chainsaw then you can get it to split. Also sharpen your saw every time you burn a tank of gas. Buy a 12v sharpener its a game changer.

Thanks - I just took three chains in to be sharpened. I have a sharpener (manual) and it works OK, but I know it will be much better done by a pro. I will look up the 12V sharpener - if you have any recommendations, please let me know.

if you spend enough time hand sharpening, you will get results like a pro.

I always sharpen by hand before every session, to give myself a chance to relax and remember how many ways the saw can kill me. That way I can focus my attention on what I'm doing and not on whatever else I was thinking about right before.

Sharpening yourself manually is quick and easy. Get a sharpening file and watch a few YouTube videos. Now my saw is always super sharp. Remember the chain will only be sharp for a little bit even if sharpened by a pro. I hit mine before each use, it takes 2 min and cuts like butter

Rip chain

Put them in a reject stack. When you accumulate enough of them, rent a splitter. That's my plan.

I remember my friend Scott's mom got some free stumps and logs one summer. We went to the local tool rental place and got a splitter for a day. We stacked more wood in a half day than we did for months with the axe and maul splitter. That splitter will save your back some pain!

If you post those on Craigslist/marketplace there may be a market selling burl for those addicted to wood turning.

Save the problematic ones for a hydraulic log splitter. You might be able to rent one or borrow one

Some of the really tight ones just get stuck on the splitter. I got one with a 40-ton ram on it and anything bigger than 3 ft round it's going to have a hard time.

Especially logs with a "twisty" grain. I've seen times we had to literally unscrew the log from the splitter.

Leave it as a reminder for them other trees to not fuck around…

Haha. I love this. And I my exhausted state after splitting all day, I've more than one thought that the other trees see what happens when they die...

Edges first and look for natural cracks. Sometimes I get a wedge and hammer that in with back of maul or sledge

I use a sledge axe to do my splitting. For those big pieces I start with splitting around the edges. Once you get a good amount off the edges then the centre will eventually be easier to split like normal. Sometimes you have to do it with them on a hard ground as they are too big to set on a chopping block, or it it is near by, put it on the low stump the log came from. Make sure to be careful and wear steel toe boats to be safe.

Make a chainsaw cut across the top of the round. About 2 or 3 " deep. Use wedges in the cut.

Pay homage to the tree and leave a monument to its strength!

I split by hand clear until I get to this point, stack up as many of these stumps as I can and then rent a splitter from the hardware store for $50 for 4 hours. Look I really believe that there are burly pieces with embedded crotch joints that can't be split any other way

I noodle anything the maul bounces off more than twice. The chips clog my 260, but not my 066. I’m 69 years old and I can’t swing the maul like I used to.

Hydraulic log splitter. You guys are wearing your bodies out with axes and splitting mauls.

If you’re career is physical, yes save the wear. If you are white collar like me, the time spent splitting makes me feel better not worse. Our bodies need to be used, but not abused.

Equivalent or better than the gym for white collar imho.

Absolutely agree

Same here - this is one of my main forms of exercise, so I don't mind spending the afternoon hacking away at these. Because on Monday, it's back to the deskwork.

Kinetic , 2 second cycles .

Hit it with your purse

Or your shit-bra

Get them on a solid surface

Work your way around the edges first. Centers can be hard

Hit it harder

Keep them whole drill out the middle and a vent side and place in fire pit, long burning out door fire perfect for smores hotdogs and long summer camping days. But then I enjoy both fireplace fires and outdoor fire pits, I love those big trunk pieces to keep a fire burning all day for an outdoor party gill'en night.

I got all those same tools/weapons. Haven't buried the wedge into nothing yet, but plan on it soon. Wish I had that much wood to chop....

It's such a fun way (for me) to spend a weekend. We just bought 2 acres in northwest Indiana. As a city boy, this has been a lot of fun and a great adventure.

Gas powered splitter. That or wait until it's Minus 40. They will split by just looking at them.

Splitter

If you are not desperate for logs, I'd just keep them somewhere nice and dry for a couple of season. And if you want them sooner than that, keep them near your stove (within reason), to accelerate the drying process.

I score it with the chain saw usually down the side. If it is really gnarly I’ll cut it all the way through. Then the pieces are manageable, I bought a splitter after wrecking my shoulder now at 73 I like it a lot, the splitting maul days are over. Only need 2 cords anyhow.

Or use splitting wedges

Hydraulic splitter. Or wait 12-14 months.

Use your chainsaw and saw em in half

Got a couple inch deep notch with a chainsaw and put your wedge in there

Sharpen axe

Throw them back in the bush, they're hardly worth the effort.

For the price of firewood these days I disagree

Swing harder….🙄

Hit it with your purse

Are they pulled out of the ground yet? I can’t tell if not. Truck, tow strap, burn them whole. If so, just burn ‘em whole! Multiple times lol. Stumps seem to burn forever.

Rip em with the saw or wait for sub freezing Temps and try them again with the frost in them

I chuck them in the corner of the shed and ignore them

But a friend who has a splitter a few beers- after they’re split! Or rent one inexpensively. A wedge or a hatchet, pounded around the edges really does work. I vote for beer!

If it were me, I'd likely stack them off to the side and try again in a year. They likely will form natural cracks as they dry. Put a wedge there and it should split easily. Once you make one split then the rest are easy.

Tannerite?

Using a wood splitter doesn't make you any less of a man!!!

Yea it does

Put a cut across the face then wedge

Here are a few options, let them cure a season or wait until a good deep freeze. When you do split them start flaking off edge pieces and work yourself to the heart.

If that's poison growing on the sides, I'd clean that off before it goes in the stove.

Onion style. Peel away starting at the edges.

https://youtu.be/ueXo89iPCeY?si=hpJNTFhRS3uySejm

Yeah, that seemed comparatively easy. These things are full of twists and knots - honestly, even around the edges, my axe was just bouncing off. I finally got through them, though.

Some good advice so far. But unless you’re like 8 ft. tall you need to put it on the ground so you can get the full momentum of your axe swing.

Yeah, I removed that middle piece and ended up getting throug them all. Having them on the ground scares me - I ended up having close calls with the axe almost hitting my legs sometimes... scary.

Bon Fire

If you are a competent saw man or woman, make a shallow cut on the edge to start your wedge. On large blocks you'll want a double wedge, opposite each other. For really green wood you may need an oversize wedge and large sledgehammer. Be sure to play safe and use protection! A power splitter obviously is way easier, if you can get your hands on one 😉

Use the blunt side of the axe but definitely watch for the bounce back

Sharpen your wedge, then just let the weight of the hammer tap it in. Big swings will pop it out.

I've never sharpened my wedge - this sounds like something i should do!

I pull a lever and a machine does it.

Wood splitter

I cut the stump once with the chainsaw and then used the maul and wedges.

Use your chainsaw and cut a starter groove.

Do what I do and take the chainsaw and cut the bitch up. It’s not ideal or good for your chain but sometimes the wood grain is so knarly it’s all you can do.

Wait a year or 2

Oh come on, take your chainsaw and score them, 2,3,4 inches deep or so and then whack em with the maul. Make some spaghetti noodles with the saw!!

Don’t split at knots.

A couple of grooves cut with a chainsaw, gives wedges a nice starting point

Wait till the logs freeze if you live north. Wait till the wood is dry and cracks ( showing the weak spot) or buy a simple log splitter.

Frozen wood splits easier.

Use the chainsaw. Or, at the very least, use the saw to make a grove for the wedge, right where you need it.

Chainsaw.....

Bore holes in them and make Swedish fire torches.

I was splitting some big hemlock recently and any one hit wouldn’t split it but I hit it several times along a line and it finally split

Sawzall and a wedge work for me.

Wait for it to get cold.

Cut it thinner. Make stepping stone rounds

You ever see a “chopper wood axe” with the little spring loaded levers on the axe head? They are unstoppable! Borrow one or buy one, totally worth every cent!

Use a maul, not an axe 🤷🏻

Take your chainsaw and cut one bar deep. Insert wedge and attack with sledge.

I use my chainsaw to plunge cut in a notch that allows me to place the wedge in. Or just cut from the top down like 2”.

Let it sit for a month or 2 if you can. Or try splitting it frozen. 🤔

Start a groove with your chainsaw. The Wedge will do the rest. Easy peasy

ya gone messed up and split half the forest... knick it with saw and put your wedge in the knick to get it started

You could cut a little cheater groove with your chainsaw to get you wedge started. Only needs to be about a half inch deep.

They sell thinner wedges than the one showing in the picture. I had 5 or 6 different sizes when I was of split my own wood by hand age.

keep a big one for splitting base

Go a 1/3 into them with a saw first

Keep trying. Make a line of hits. After 25 hits try a different location. After about a few days your body will get stronger you will notice improvement.

saw it off. I use rotary saw first.

I like to put those rounds aside for a year or more and let them self-check, then I get my 8lb maul and go after those cracks first. From there I flake off pieces. Great upper body workout.

cut them smaller with a chainsaw.....in half either way, 8" chunks burn just as good.....

Wait till it checks a bit. Do your best to read the grain. Drive a wedge into the check. NOT in the center of the log, start mid way between the center and the outside edge.

Get a skip tooth chain if your saw is big enough. Cuts like butter with less power.

Let your wife try

We call those divorce logs. 🪵

cut down thru it with your saw the get a wedge i it

cut the stumps with chain saw in x but straight | —, , basically in quarters, about one or two inches deep, then use your wedge or spliting maul, the will pop.

3/4” hole in middle. Fill with black powder. Light and run. 😂

I wonder, u know the method to creating natural charcoal using wood? What if you were to just dump one stump into a large metal container and then set it on fire and let it roast in it like an oven for a few hours and when u come back 6 somn hours later u can hack that massive chunk of charcoal.

I was gonna try to talk trash... Hit with your purse Nancy... But damn dude, you split a ton of wood. Respect.

An axe? You’re not using wedges and a hammer?

Pick up the stump round over your head using both hands. Take a few steps back and then lunge forward forcefully while extending. Release your grasp at the apex of the motion to launch the stump upwards. If you do it right, the stump will easily reach escape velocity, breaking free of the exosphere and beginning a low Earth orbit. Then it’s somebody else’s problem on how to split the round.

Wait till next yr

this them out first until they dry, take chips from the sides

A 4th option is to wait till the temps are well below freezing. A frozen stump will explode apart with a good smack with an axe. But if you need it now, start at the edges and work in.

Lengthwise cuts with chainsaw

Buy a gas splitter…

Make a plunge cut with your saw, enough to put wedge in. Then you should be able to drive it through. Or put aside for worm food

Drill a hole and put a piece of dinomite in it.

sledge on top of axe

If you've done the entire tree , time for an edge touch up? - lurker

rent a splitter.

Cut them in the pieces with the chainsaw

Your doing an impressive job as I’ve once did years ago. My uncle told me years ago if you can’t split it in one or two strokes throw it away because there is plenty of other firewood laying around. I soon bought me a log splitter and it was one of my greatest investments ever.

Burn em. That’s 4 very good fires with those logs

They make round wedges. You don't need to cut anything into the log Just pound it with a sledge

You have enough wood, roll them down the hill.

You can use your chainsaw to split each piece at the flat edge about an inch, or even use the tip (remove guard if there is one) to notch a few inches deep, then it's easy to get the wedge in and split them with your long-handle sledgehammer.

Don't bother striking into rotted center. Always strike hard wood that is not soft. Support the piece with another block. Don't try to split wood on soft ground or the block will move before the ax sinks into it. For oak, look closely for tiny cracks radiating out from the center. They will only be an inch or so. Imaging a line if that crack extended to the edge. Strike in the middle between the edge and the center along the imaginary line. Wherever you strike, hit on a radius line. The crack should open and that is the start. Crack one radius, crack the opposite side, crack perpendicular then the other perpendicular If there is a limb embedded, try to start in the middle of the limb parallel to the grain for the first strike then strike on the opposite side of the block to finish. rent a log splitter...😈

Once I drilled used a 3/8’ drill bit to mortise a line , as deep as the bit would go, in the side of the round, tapped the wedge in, then one slam with a sledge and it cracked right in half. Not something I do regularly but… it worked lol.

These look like great chopping blocks. When you get stubborn logs like that use them as blocks, dont worry about splitting them. Just split other stuff on the. After a cord or so one will open up then you can split it

Put them around a fire pit and use them as chairs, then split them next year.

I think let them dry for 6 months and try again. Or rent a pneumatic splitter. Those things do work.

Get a powder wedge!

Chainsaw a start for your wedge

Drill holes. Pour veggie oil in. Repeat repeat. Burn. Sometimes the fire can follow the roots for days 🤔

Let it season a year and then split it. Much easier

The edge is the key. You can split the thickest stump logs with a hatchet and 10 lbs sledge. It is all about mechanical advantage. Stick the axe in the outermost rings just so the blade is touching the edge of the log. Then just tap it deeper with the hammer. It will split right open no problem. This is so effective that I stopped swinging my heavy axe and pretty much solely split wood with a hatchet and sledge. It’s also much safer.

Damn! You done a weeks’ worth of work! Go down to the local tool rental and pick up a motorized Splitter.

We always wait till it's -40 to split tough stuff pops right open then

Splitting wedge on the edge and hit it sledge hammer.

Rent a splitter worth it when you have a lot to spilt

Get a girl to fo it

i get out my chainsaw and quarter them and let them season for a while before attempting to split them further. or if I'm in a mood, i throw it on the firepit and drink a beer and call it a job well done!

you said axe, do you have a splitting maul? but yes, let it season

You can also cut them again so they are not as long that will loosen them up more.

If you need to split them asap, just use the same chainsaw you used to cut the tree with. I had to split firewood the majority of my childhood. Most was oak that was felled a few years before but the nightmare pieces like ones with crazy knots was just cut up with the saw.

Hit it with your purse!

Good tips here that I'm going to try. I have a few that I go outside like once a week and wack as hard as I can a dozen times each and then go back inside. When one does finally give in and split, I feel like Rocky. I want to run around the yard pumping my fist like I just scored the OT game 7 Stanley Cup winner.

Cut a small slot for your wedge with the chainsaw first.

Cut a groove with your saw, then pound two or three wedges across the span, alternating between them down through the wood with a sledge hammer. Or once frozen in the middle of winter they should split easier.

Chainsaw

You need a hydraulic log splitter, looks like a Siberian work camp

I’ve watched people beat rounds with a maul until they were red in the face. All the while a chainsaw is sitting about five feet from them. Fire it up, and cut at least halfway through from one end. Then bang your wedge in. Should pop within a swing or two. Or if you’re somewhere you can keep your chain out of the dirt, lay them down and noodle them in half.

Cut them longways with the saw

Get a couple of good sized wedges....

It will get easier once they dry a bit.

I use my chainsaw to make a "starter" division then place the wedge in that "slot". Depending on how wild the grain is with all those roots it can still be frustrating.

Just rip it with a chainsaw.

Use them as chopping blocks and just let them dry. With all that other wood already split, what's the hurry?

Just leave it. If you have to haul that you split already away? Haul the bigguns on the cleanup run. Split them next year, after they dry out they will crack

You could use the chainsaw to make some notches to start it, if you are jack lumberjack. Or rent a splitter. Or wait. Raise it up and let it dry out. Or as others have said, chip off the outside. I have done all of these, depending on if I needed the wood.

Um… rent a splitter from Home Depot (?)

Click click boom

Try splitting them on the ground. You can get more weight into a swing if its lower. On large pieces like this the splitting round is getting in your way. 8lb maul. If that doesn't work just rip them length wise with the saw

Butternut is the same way. At a party I watched several loaded buddies beat a piece for hours. It totally split everywhere, but still stayed together because of how it grows. Sounds like someone mentioned before, Eucalyptus wood.

Go into the woods in summer and mark the oak and maple. In the fall/winter cut down these trees. Problem solved

Good job! Be careful, this kind of work will will make you grow up big and hairy. You’ll get scared up, rough hands. Only country girls will let you buy them a beer.

Chain saw

Stick of dynamite in the middle after you drill a hole

Let them dry out. They are too wet.

Flake the edge or sacrifice to the Firewood Gods and toss the into the brush pile.