Few methods of home heating are as iconic and rewarding as burning wood—especially if you cut and split it yourself. The hard physical work of splitting firewood is missing from most other heating ...

Wetherbee prefers a splitting maul to an axe, on account of its heavier, less tapered head — it’s less likely to get stuck in knotty wood, she says. Also: a chopping block, and she recommends eye ...

Well-seasoned oak is one of the best hardwoods for fires, says Steve Bowers, a forester with Oregon State University Extension Service. (Richard J. Payette) Conscientious Oregonians have been storing ...

Splitting wood by hand is not exotic or efficient, easy or cost-efficient. One could label it anachronistic, something from nostalgic days of yesteryear. It’s not easy labor, even as it has largely ...

How to chop logs like a lumberjack. Excerpted from The Wicked Good Book: A Guide to Maine Living, By Stephen Gleasner, illustrated by Patrick Corrigan, Down East Books, Camden, Maine; hardcover; 120 ...

The right axe for you is the one you feel most comfortable with. A good starting point for the size of your axe starts with the handle. Ideally you want the length of the handle to go from the ground ...

⚠️ Before cutting with a chainsaw, familiarize yourself with chainsaw safety rules and always wear safety gear. Heating with wood is a study in stubborn self-sufficiency. It’s hard work, but as with ...

A splitting block is more than just for convenience sake – it is also a safer way to split wood and is better on sensitive backs. The Woodland Homestead (Storey Publishing, 2015) by Brett McLeod is ...