I provide a major portion of my home heating with a wood stove, and have split my own firewood now for years. I typically buy my yearly firewood in rounds that are the correct length for easy use in my stove, and then split the rounds once or twice to get half- or quarter-rounds for burning. Manually splitting wood with an axe is one of the most relaxing and contemplative activities I have ever tried. It exercises the body, sharpens the aim and hand-eye coordination, calms the nerves, creates a useful end product and is, IMHO, as close to Zen fulfillment as I have come.
I have just over 100 acres that is at least 2/3 wooded, but I don't take much wood off it. The odd deadfall, a few storm-felled trees, sometimes a strategic tree here or there to create trails or whatever...but generally I like to leave my woods alone. When I do cut down a tree, or cut up one that fell by itself, I use a chainsaw. Efficient, fast...and noisy, stinky, intrusive and generally not the least bit fun. It's a chore, and not one I enjoy.
But a few weeks back, I tried something new: I felled a tree using only an axe. I didn't even own a chopper, just an assortment of splitting axes and mauls and a few smaller hatchets, but a friend gifted me with an old but very solid felling axe with the correct handle length for me so I had to try it. The experience was...sublime; totally unlike splitting, but with an incredible appeal.
It was obvious that I needed practice; there's much more to it than just flailing blindly around, so yesterday I put the new toy over my shoulder...viscerally satisfying in the same manner as slinging a rifle...and headed into the nearest wooded patch. I had a series of trees all marked for felling; they were starting to interfere with my internet signal from the nearby tower, so I wanted to clear an alleyway through the patch for an unobstructed clear reception.
A couple hours later I had five trees on the ground, was drenched in sweat...and was grinning from ear to ear. How on earth have I managed to miss out on this wonderful pastime all my life? Setting your feet, raising the axe and then swinging the weight forward as your hand slides into position...and then the indescribable satisfaction that accompanies the solid meaty
thunk! of a perfect hit, followed a moment later by the wonderful spray of chips as you follow up with the next angled cut to clear away the now-exposed wedges of wood. I had to waste a lot of time clearing enough underbrush around the base of each tree to allow for a swing, and I was very cautious about having a clear escape path in case the tree did something unexpected. These are not massive trees, mostly poplars in the 10-12-inch diameter range, but I didn't want one on my foot...or my head...
No surprises, though. The fall begins very slowly, with an ominous cracking and creaking as the topple begins and then builds speed. By the fourth tree I was already beginning to plumb the mysteries of aiming the tree so that it falls in the direction you desire. The fifth and final tree for the day fell pretty close to where I wanted it to, taking out a dead snag that was targeted for removal. When the two came down together, I was elated...and then almost saddened by the knowledge that I wouldn't get to chop that one down!
There's no rush, I have another 30 or so trees to go, and I will do them at a comfortable pace, in nice weather only. After that, I will have very little call for the felling axe, typically 5 or 6 trees in a year's time...but, wow, I can hardly wait for those!
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