How To Use A Wood Splitting Wedge

Although I do rate the Anaconda manual log splitter highly there is no doubt that it is not suitable for some woods and some jobs. And this is when I fall back on my very trusty wood splitting wedge. These are a totally invaluable tool for anyone that wants to split wood easily without the annoyance of using an axe, and the back strain. See my wood splitting wedge post for the options that are available and some more info.

Using A Wood Splitting Wedge

It is very simple actually, we just need to keep a few things in mind.

Safety is always a concern so ensure that you have sturdy footwear on at least.

Here is what you need:

A wedge and a sledgehammer. Then:

• Use a solid and flat surface
• Place the log so that it is vertical
• Find a split or seam if possible
• Hold the wedge totally vertically
• Give a few relatively light taps to get the wedge fixed in the wood
• Give a few hard hits with the sledgehammer
• And you are done

It really is that simple an operation.

The main thing to bear in mind is that you want the wedge for splitting wood such as logs to be perfectly vertical or as near to perfect as possible. This ensures that you get a nice clean split right down the log and is important as far as safety is concerned as well.

If you follow this simple set of rules then you will find that the wood splitting wedge is a great investment, they last forever, and it is a lot easier to use than an axe in many instances.

Oh, and as a reminder, NEVER use the back of the axe head in place of a sledgehammer. This is not what it is designed for and you may well end up ruining it.