Advice needed on the finer points of splitting a log. (and gransfours rant)

[Caveman_Sam]

Hello all!

Ive got a 6'4, roughly 9 or 10 inch diameter log of ash that I need to split to turn into staves. 

Do I start with the fat end or the skinny end?

I have a big cheepy axe that I dont mind banging on the pole.. they metal is pretty light for how big it is (Roughly American felling axe.. but with a longer bit) The only problem is that then whole bit is angled off to the side, its consistent.. its not bent just the angle is off.. not so much that you can see it right away.. but if you look down it properly you can clearly see the alignment is notably off.   Will this effect the Split?

The other option is my brand new small forest axe that arrived in the post this morning.  I thought I could bang on the pole but the book tells me not to.  Also the grind is slightly off.. its steeper on the left than on the right.. I was initially off put by this but then I thought that it might be a lucky twist of the randomness that comes with hand crafting.. I got the SFA because it allows you flexibility.. carving reasonably well, as well as being able to handle firewood duties.. and being easily portable.   This imbalanced grind is how carving axes are set up.. right?

[Granite Mtn]

I was taught never to use an axe for a hammer or a wedge!  That's why god made hammers and wedges then dad would whack me upside the head.  Apparently you did not have the benifits of a loving father like I did!  Go buy some wedges and a sledge at least three you can cut wooden ones on site using a three inch sapling.  It will only set you back about 70 bucks.  Every man ought to have a sledge anyhow.  Ps beating on a good axe is not an option!

[dwardo]

Ash will split very easy just take yor time.
I use two axes and two wedges usually. I never hit my axes with anything other than a lump of wood.
You can make a wooden mallet with a hand saw and an axe in a few minutes. Same with wedges.
Metal on metal is never a good idea, at best will ruin your tools at worse ruin you.
Wish I could find it but used to have a great pic of a guy who split a 3ft log with only a tiny pocket hatchet and wooden wedges he carved.

Edit, my axes are GB hatchet and a GB scandi forest axe. You wont hurt your axe unless you start bashing it we metal

[hatcha]

I split an ash log several years ago with a sledge hammer and 2 splitting wedges.  Definitely wouldn't use the Gransfors SFA for splitting - it's not designed for that kind of work.  I own a Gransfors Hunters Axe - the grind was/is very even and it has a burnished, elongated poll to help with skinning animals.  Roughly the same size as the SFA too.  It could well be that the SFA's grind is biased due to carving etc but I think Gransfors make/sell left and right-hand specific carving axes.  Might be no harm to sling them an email asking about the anomaly...

It's probably a good idea to remove the bark after you've parted the log into staves.  I didn't with mine and the bark was a real bitch to take off when I started work on a stave 

[vyadha]

I have the Gransfors Hunter as well. I wouldnt use it for splitting either, or any nice axe. Wish I told that to the teens I work with. Came back from the bathroom to the sight of my Hunter in the middle of a yew log and a 14 year old smacked the poll with a 12 lb sledge! Axe is fine, save for some dings.

[wildman]

I start my splits with an old cheap ax head tapped into the butt end mith a mallet. After the split starts I hopscotch wedges down the log driving one pulling the one before chasing the split.It works well and follows the grain. Did these last week. You can use that super sweet ax to cut any stingy wood out of the split.

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Start the split with an axe, then pound a wedge(about $15) into a log with a sledge(about 25-30 bucks). You really only need one or two wedges. I have 1 and I can split a 8 inch elm log with it and a smithy hammer(5 pounds, 12 inch haft).

[adb]

It it's a Grans carving axe, it's supposed to have an offset blade.