Given the sheer number of splitting wedges that my brother and I snapped the handles off of while we were learning accuracy, I would disagree with the statement that it doesn’t take skill. It doesn’t take much skill, but it took us a season or two to become proficient at it.
Well, I never split a handle, but what I meant was that it was something you could start doing and make progress with very little practice. But, yes, to do it well takes skill - and that’s when I gets easier.
Splitting, with a wedge, is another matter entirely. That’s fairly brutal exercise, just from the weight of the wedge. I’d much rather chop smaller pieces with an axe than break up large pieces with a wedge. There’s no rhythm to using a wedge; a lot of good aim, and a lot of strength.
I don’t use a 20 pound maul any more. Just start the season out with the 2lb wedge, and work my way up to the 10lb wedge. The weight is doing most of the work. I find it very zen, but yeah it can be difficult to get a rhythm until your accuracy is dialed in.
Great help to me as a single mom.
Given the sheer number of splitting wedges that my brother and I snapped the handles off of while we were learning accuracy, I would disagree with the statement that it doesn’t take skill. It doesn’t take much skill, but it took us a season or two to become proficient at it.
He didn’t say it takes no skill overall, he was referring to it taking no skill to get started.
Well, I never split a handle, but what I meant was that it was something you could start doing and make progress with very little practice. But, yes, to do it well takes skill - and that’s when I gets easier.
Splitting, with a wedge, is another matter entirely. That’s fairly brutal exercise, just from the weight of the wedge. I’d much rather chop smaller pieces with an axe than break up large pieces with a wedge. There’s no rhythm to using a wedge; a lot of good aim, and a lot of strength.
I don’t use a 20 pound maul any more. Just start the season out with the 2lb wedge, and work my way up to the 10lb wedge. The weight is doing most of the work. I find it very zen, but yeah it can be difficult to get a rhythm until your accuracy is dialed in.