I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very efficient for
cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very sharp and I would like to
keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend a way of holding the log steady
whilst I take a swing at it with the axe?

Davy

Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very efficient
for cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very sharp and I
would like to keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend a way of
holding the log steady whilst I take a swing at it with the axe?

Davy

Seriously - if you can't do such a simple job, give it to someone who knows
what to do! That may save other body parts from injury as well as your
fingers.

"Davy" wrote in message
om...
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very efficient for
cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very sharp and I would like to
keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend a way of holding the log steady
whilst I take a swing at it with the axe?

Davy

Usual thing is to hold the axe against the log and bring them both down on
the block with 'moderate' force so the axe goes in a fraction and sticks to
the log. Then bring them both down with enough force to do the job.

Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very efficient for
cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very sharp and I would like to
keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend a way of holding the log steady
whilst I take a swing at it with the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece carefully...

Guy Dawson wrote:
Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very efficient
for cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very sharp and I
would like to keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend a way of
holding the log steady whilst I take a swing at it with the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece
carefully...

What he said. Hold it with another bit of wood. It's what I do now I'm bored
of skimming the ends off fingers...

"Guy Dawson" wrote in message
...
Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very efficient for
cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very sharp and I would like
to
keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend a way of holding the log steady
whilst I take a swing at it with the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece
carefully...

thanks guys, your suggestion does have the advantage that if I accidentally
hit the piece of kindling that I am using to steady the log then no harm is
done to the axe. Not true of my first attempt when I used bbq tongs!
I have just had a log burning stove installed so I'm suddenly needing to
learn new skills - including how to use a 6lb log-splitting maul. That is
some animal!

BRG's post does leaves a nasty taste in the mouth though. But I suppose
that if you ask questions on a newsgroup then you've got to expect
occasional replies/trolls like that.

thanks to everyone

Davy

On Feb 2, 6:53 pm, "Davy" wrote:

BRG's post does leaves a nasty taste in the mouth though. But I suppose
that if you ask questions on a newsgroup then you've got to expect
occasional replies/trolls like that.

He was right.

In message , Davy
writes

"Guy Dawson" wrote in message
...
Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very efficient for
cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very sharp and I would like
to
keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend a way of holding the log steady
whilst I take a swing at it with the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece
carefully...

thanks guys, your suggestion does have the advantage that if I accidentally
hit the piece of kindling that I am using to steady the log then no harm is
done to the axe. Not true of my first attempt when I used bbq tongs!
I have just had a log burning stove installed so I'm suddenly needing to
learn new skills - including how to use a 6lb log-splitting maul. That is
some animal!

BRG's post does leaves a nasty taste in the mouth though. But I suppose
that if you ask questions on a newsgroup then you've got to expect
occasional replies/trolls like that.

Sorry, but I completely agree with him

I can't believe anyone can be so clueless

--
geoff

In message , Davy
writes
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very efficient for
cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very sharp and I would like to
keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend a way of holding the log steady
whilst I take a swing at it with the axe?

For ****ing ****s sake

are you really so clueless ?

get a man in


--
geoff

In message , Davy
writes

"Guy Dawson" wrote in message
...
Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very efficient for
cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very sharp and I would like
to
keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend a way of holding the log steady
whilst I take a swing at it with the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece
carefully...

thanks guys, your suggestion does have the advantage that if I accidentally
hit the piece of kindling that I am using to steady the log then no harm is
done to the axe. Not true of my first attempt when I used bbq tongs!
I have just had a log burning stove installed so I'm suddenly needing to
learn new skills - including how to use a 6lb log-splitting maul. That is
some animal!

BRG's post does leaves a nasty taste in the mouth though. But I suppose
that if you ask questions on a newsgroup then you've got to expect
occasional replies/trolls like that.

shrug

It obviously makes some people feel better to make smart arse, or just
plain rude comments, rather than anything helpful, or just keeping their
mouth shut.

Forget them and move on, most people most of the time here are helpful.


--
Chris French

On Feb 2, 8:41 pm, chris French
wrote:

It obviously makes some people feel better to make smart arse, or just
plain rude comments, rather than anything helpful, or just keeping their
mouth shut.

Forget them and move on, most people most of the time here are helpful.

I agree with that too. But blimey! Where do you start? I dare say
someone will pop a great idea up for patenting, hollow logs or
something.

Still, this is a help group. But, blimey!

You can make kindling from newspaper by rolling it into strips and
twisting it tight enough to hold its shape. Then there is the subtle
art of collecting dead twigs from trees.

geoff wrote:
In message , Davy
writes

"Guy Dawson" wrote in message
...
Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very
efficient for cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very
sharp and I would like to keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend
a way of holding the log steady whilst I take a swing at it with
the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece
carefully...

thanks guys, your suggestion does have the advantage that if I
accidentally hit the piece of kindling that I am using to steady the
log then no harm is done to the axe. Not true of my first attempt
when I used bbq tongs! I have just had a log burning stove installed so
I'm suddenly
needing to learn new skills - including how to use a 6lb
log-splitting maul. That is some animal!

BRG's post does leaves a nasty taste in the mouth though. But I
suppose that if you ask questions on a newsgroup then you've got to
expect occasional replies/trolls like that.

Sorry, but I completely agree with him

I can't believe anyone can be so clueless

I sometimes think along those lines, but some people just don't have the
benefit of having seen someone else do it. I'm happy to tackle most jobs on
a car, but I know people who wouldn't know how to start checking the oil,
simply because they've had parents who've never done it, or their father
wasn't around to show them. A lot of "common sense" is stuff you learn
through observation without realising it IMO.

Davy wrote:
"Guy Dawson" wrote in message
...
Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very efficient
for cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very sharp and I
would like to keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend a way of
holding the log steady whilst I take a swing at it with the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece
carefully...

thanks guys, your suggestion does have the advantage that if I
accidentally hit the piece of kindling that I am using to steady the
log then no harm is done to the axe. Not true of my first attempt
when I used bbq tongs!
I have just had a log burning stove installed so I'm suddenly needing
to learn new skills - including how to use a 6lb log-splitting maul.
That is some animal!

Easy peasy. Get a big wide bit of log to use as a block, and swing it like a
sledgehammer.

On Sat, 2 Feb 2008 14:55:47 -0000, Davy wrote:

I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very efficient for
cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very sharp and I would like
to keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend a way of holding the log
steady whilst I take a swing at it with the axe?

Carefully.

2kg (4lb) seems a bit heavy to me for a hand axe. Indeed looking at what
Screwfix have on offer, 4lb is of heavy felling axe size. This is not the
tool for spliting kindling. A hand axe has a shaft about 15" long and a
head weight of about 0.5kg...

--
Cheers
Dave.

In message , Doki
writes
geoff wrote:
In message , Davy
writes

"Guy Dawson" wrote in message
...
Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very
efficient for cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very
sharp and I would like to keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend
a way of holding the log steady whilst I take a swing at it with
the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece
carefully...

thanks guys, your suggestion does have the advantage that if I
accidentally hit the piece of kindling that I am using to steady the
log then no harm is done to the axe. Not true of my first attempt
when I used bbq tongs! I have just had a log burning stove installed
so I'm suddenly
needing to learn new skills - including how to use a 6lb
log-splitting maul. That is some animal!

BRG's post does leaves a nasty taste in the mouth though. But I
suppose that if you ask questions on a newsgroup then you've got to
expect occasional replies/trolls like that.

Sorry, but I completely agree with him

I can't believe anyone can be so clueless

I sometimes think along those lines, but some people just don't have
the benefit of having seen someone else do it. I'm happy to tackle most
jobs on a car, but I know people who wouldn't know how to start
checking the oil, simply because they've had parents who've never done
it, or their father wasn't around to show them. A lot of "common sense"
is stuff you learn through observation without realising it IMO.

But there are limits

I think that this one crossed the line


--
geoff

chris French wrote:
In message , Davy
writes

"Guy Dawson" wrote in message
...
Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very
efficient for cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very
sharp and I would like to keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend
a way of holding the log steady whilst I take a swing at it with
the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece
carefully...

thanks guys, your suggestion does have the advantage that if I
accidentally hit the piece of kindling that I am using to steady the
log then no harm is done to the axe. Not true of my first attempt
when I used bbq tongs! I have just had a log burning stove installed so
I'm suddenly
needing to learn new skills - including how to use a 6lb
log-splitting maul. That is some animal!

BRG's post does leaves a nasty taste in the mouth though. But I
suppose that if you ask questions on a newsgroup then you've got to
expect occasional replies/trolls like that.

shrug

It obviously makes some people feel better to make smart arse, or just
plain rude comments, rather than anything helpful, or just keeping
their mouth shut.

Forget them and move on, most people most of the time here are
helpful.

Not intended as "smart arse or rude" simply factual - if a question like
that has to be asked in a public group for a task that is so simple that it
was being done by ten year olds in my day, then the competence of the OP
must be doubted for his own safety - remember, you can easily cut the
fingers off your hand, but it's a damn site harder to replace them.

So the moral here was simply to either get someone who knows how to do the
job, or get that person to show him how it is done - a million words typed
in this group does not count for the experience of being shown.

Especially with -- "Easy peasy. Get a big wide bit of log to use as a block,
and swing it like a sledgehammer."

In this case, using that method can cause a large lump of the block to fly
and either hit the OP in the face or an innocent bystander such as a child -
doing rather a lot of damage to soft tissue. Again. someone giving advice
without really knowing what to do himself.

BTW, I could have been far more acerbic, abusive and foul-mouthed in my
reply but that was not my intention.

I gave my opinion of the matter as simply as I could and if that has caused
offence, then my response to that is simply to get a thicker skin as very
often the truth hurts far worse than bull****!

BRG

In message
,
Weatherlawyer writes
On Feb 2, 8:41 pm, chris French
wrote:

It obviously makes some people feel better to make smart arse, or just
plain rude comments, rather than anything helpful, or just keeping their
mouth shut.

Forget them and move on, most people most of the time here are helpful.

I agree with that too. But blimey! Where do you start? I dare say
someone will pop a great idea up for patenting, hollow logs or
something.

Still, this is a help group. But, blimey!

Yep, sometimes I see questions that I think, 'what, that's so obvious as
to not need a question. but I'd suggest that if someone isn't able to
post a helpful reply to genuine question - even if the think the
question is stupid question they just move on to the next thread.
--
Chris French

chris French wrote:
In message
,
Weatherlawyer writes
On Feb 2, 8:41 pm, chris French
wrote:

It obviously makes some people feel better to make smart arse, or
just plain rude comments, rather than anything helpful, or just
keeping their mouth shut.

Forget them and move on, most people most of the time here are
helpful.

I agree with that too. But blimey! Where do you start? I dare say
someone will pop a great idea up for patenting, hollow logs or
something.

Still, this is a help group. But, blimey!

Yep, sometimes I see questions that I think, 'what, that's so obvious
as to not need a question. but I'd suggest that if someone isn't able
to post a helpful reply to genuine question - even if the think the
question is stupid question they just move on to the next thread.

Firstly, I never consider any question a stupid one.

Would you then rather the advice not be given, even if it is actually true -
surely it's not the purpose of this group to give just the advice that
someone wants to hear - even if it is said rather plainly (which seems to be
the problem with one or two here)?

Or would rather me have made some rather inane statement (like some in this
thread) that really would not ease the ignorance of the OP and perhaps cause
injury - it's too late when the fingers are gone.


BRG

BRG wrote:
chris French wrote:
In message , Davy
writes

"Guy Dawson" wrote in message
...
Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very
efficient for cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very
sharp and I would like to keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend
a way of holding the log steady whilst I take a swing at it with
the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece
carefully...

thanks guys, your suggestion does have the advantage that if I
accidentally hit the piece of kindling that I am using to steady the
log then no harm is done to the axe. Not true of my first attempt
when I used bbq tongs! I have just had a log burning stove
installed so I'm suddenly
needing to learn new skills - including how to use a 6lb
log-splitting maul. That is some animal!

BRG's post does leaves a nasty taste in the mouth though. But I
suppose that if you ask questions on a newsgroup then you've got to
expect occasional replies/trolls like that.

shrug

It obviously makes some people feel better to make smart arse, or
just plain rude comments, rather than anything helpful, or just
keeping their mouth shut.

Forget them and move on, most people most of the time here are
helpful.

Not intended as "smart arse or rude" simply factual - if a question
like that has to be asked in a public group for a task that is so
simple that it was being done by ten year olds in my day, then the
competence of the OP must be doubted for his own safety - remember,
you can easily cut the fingers off your hand, but it's a damn site
harder to replace them.
So the moral here was simply to either get someone who knows how to
do the job, or get that person to show him how it is done - a million
words typed in this group does not count for the experience of being
shown.
Especially with -- "Easy peasy. Get a big wide bit of log to use as a
block, and swing it like a sledgehammer."

In this case, using that method can cause a large lump of the block
to fly and either hit the OP in the face or an innocent bystander
such as a child - doing rather a lot of damage to soft tissue. Again.
someone giving advice without really knowing what to do
himself.

I'd like you to explain how. Hit a log square on with a splitting maul and
you'd be doing very well to make anything fly upwards at you. IMO there's no
room for innocent bystanders when you're splitting logs as stuff will fly
out to the sides, but not up into your face.

"BRG" wrote in message
...
chris French wrote:
In message
,
Weatherlawyer writes
On Feb 2, 8:41 pm, chris French
wrote:

It obviously makes some people feel better to make smart arse, or
just plain rude comments, rather than anything helpful, or just
keeping their mouth shut.

Forget them and move on, most people most of the time here are
helpful.

I agree with that too. But blimey! Where do you start? I dare say
someone will pop a great idea up for patenting, hollow logs or
something.

Still, this is a help group. But, blimey!

Yep, sometimes I see questions that I think, 'what, that's so obvious
as to not need a question. but I'd suggest that if someone isn't able
to post a helpful reply to genuine question - even if the think the
question is stupid question they just move on to the next thread.

Firstly, I never consider any question a stupid one.

Would you then rather the advice not be given, even if it is actually
true - surely it's not the purpose of this group to give just the advice
that someone wants to hear - even if it is said rather plainly (which
seems to be the problem with one or two here)?

Or would rather me have made some rather inane statement (like some in
this thread) that really would not ease the ignorance of the OP and
perhaps cause injury - it's too late when the fingers are gone.

I didn't think it was stupid, inane or troll-like.

Not that my opinion matters :-)

Mary


BRG

"AJH" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 2 Feb 2008 14:14:16 -0800 (PST), Weatherlawyer
wrote:

Then there is the subtle
art of collecting dead twigs from trees.

By hook or by crook? :-)

If there's a local rookery or magpie nesting area there'll be plenty on the
ground, dropped by said birds.

Mary

AJH

"Doki" wrote in message
...

... IMO there's no room for innocent bystanders when you're splitting logs
as stuff will fly out to the sides, but not up into your face.

Guaranteed?

Course not.

There's always the unusual, inexplicable event.

I always wonder what's meant by 'innocent bystander' though, is there a
'guilty bystander'?

Mary

Davy wrote:
I have just had a log burning stove installed so I'm suddenly needing to
learn new skills - including how to use a 6lb log-splitting maul. That is
some animal!

I use one. I'm 65 and not particularly large. You have to remember that
some logs simply won't split. If at first you don't succeed - quit!

Another Dave

Mary Fisher wrote:
"Doki" wrote in message
...
... IMO there's no room for innocent bystanders when you're splitting logs
as stuff will fly out to the sides, but not up into your face.

Guaranteed?

Course not.

There's always the unusual, inexplicable event.

I always wonder what's meant by 'innocent bystander' though, is there a
'guilty bystander'?


Many, many years ago I lived in Berlin. My parents told me that in any
traffic accident everyone present shouldered a part of the blame 'for
being there' - I think 10%. So, in that sense, German law appeared to
say there are guilty bystanders. (I have no idea of the actual truth of
this 'blame percentage', but it was passed on to me and I always thought
it an interesting concept.)

--
Rod

BRG wrote:

Not intended as "smart arse or rude" simply factual - if a question like
that has to be asked in a public group for a task that is so simple that it
was being done by ten year olds in my day,

There you have it. I was doing it when I was 10. My kids weren't,
because we've never had an open fire and we live in a smokeless zone
where garden bonfires are forbidden. It's just a skill that most people
never need any more; the OP has presumably moved somewhere where it is.

Andy

In message , Rod
writes
Mary Fisher wrote:
"Doki" wrote in message
...
... IMO there's no room for innocent bystanders when you're
splitting logs as stuff will fly out to the sides, but not up into
your face.
Guaranteed?
Course not.
There's always the unusual, inexplicable event.
I always wonder what's meant by 'innocent bystander' though, is
there a 'guilty bystander'?


Many, many years ago I lived in Berlin. My parents told me that in any
traffic accident everyone present shouldered a part of the blame 'for
being there' - I think 10%. So, in that sense, German law appeared to
say there are guilty bystanders. (I have no idea of the actual truth of
this 'blame percentage', but it was passed on to me and I always
thought it an interesting concept.)


Schmarrrrrrren

--
geoff

In message , Andy Champ
writes
BRG wrote:
Not intended as "smart arse or rude" simply factual - if a question
like that has to be asked in a public group for a task that is so
simple that it was being done by ten year olds in my day,

There you have it. I was doing it when I was 10. My kids weren't,
because we've never had an open fire and we live in a smokeless zone
where garden bonfires are forbidden. It's just a skill that most
people never need any more; the OP has presumably moved somewhere
where it is.

And a problem which could be solved quite easily by rubbing two neurons
together


--
geoff

Doki wrote:
BRG wrote:
chris French wrote:
In message , Davy
writes

"Guy Dawson" wrote in message
...
Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very
efficient for cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very
sharp and I would like to keep all my fingers. Anybody recommend
a way of holding the log steady whilst I take a swing at it with
the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece
carefully...

thanks guys, your suggestion does have the advantage that if I
accidentally hit the piece of kindling that I am using to steady
the log then no harm is done to the axe. Not true of my first
attempt when I used bbq tongs! I have just had a log burning stove
installed so I'm suddenly
needing to learn new skills - including how to use a 6lb
log-splitting maul. That is some animal!

BRG's post does leaves a nasty taste in the mouth though. But I
suppose that if you ask questions on a newsgroup then you've got to
expect occasional replies/trolls like that.

shrug

It obviously makes some people feel better to make smart arse, or
just plain rude comments, rather than anything helpful, or just
keeping their mouth shut.

Forget them and move on, most people most of the time here are
helpful.

Not intended as "smart arse or rude" simply factual - if a question
like that has to be asked in a public group for a task that is so
simple that it was being done by ten year olds in my day, then the
competence of the OP must be doubted for his own safety - remember,
you can easily cut the fingers off your hand, but it's a damn site
harder to replace them.
So the moral here was simply to either get someone who knows how to
do the job, or get that person to show him how it is done - a million
words typed in this group does not count for the experience of being
shown.
Especially with -- "Easy peasy. Get a big wide bit of log to use as a
block, and swing it like a sledgehammer."

In this case, using that method can cause a large lump of the block
to fly and either hit the OP in the face or an innocent bystander
such as a child - doing rather a lot of damage to soft tissue. Again.
someone giving advice without really knowing what to do
himself.

I'd like you to explain how. Hit a log square on with a splitting
maul and you'd be doing very well to make anything fly upwards at
you. IMO there's no room for innocent bystanders when you're
splitting logs as stuff will fly out to the sides, but not up into
your face.

Doki,

Let's get the thing straight, you made the statement "Easy peasy. Get a big
wide bit of log to use as a block, and swing it like a sledgehammer" - no
mention of any splitting maul or other implement - as I said "someone giving
advice without really knowing what to do himself".

Besides, as the OP was actually asking how to cut *kindling* then you would
hardly go to the trouble of using a 'maul' (as you put it) on a block of
wood around a foot long - you would simply use a sharp hatchet.

BRG

Mary Fisher wrote:
"Doki" wrote in message
...

... IMO there's no room for innocent bystanders when you're
splitting logs as stuff will fly out to the sides, but not up into
your face.

Guaranteed?

Course not.

There's always the unusual, inexplicable event.

I always wonder what's meant by 'innocent bystander' though, is there
a 'guilty bystander'?

Mary

Very often Mary, there are people who raise arson and then stand and watch
the fire-brigade fight the fire!

BRG

Andy Champ wrote:
BRG wrote:

Not intended as "smart arse or rude" simply factual - if a question
like that has to be asked in a public group for a task that is so
simple that it was being done by ten year olds in my day,

There you have it. I was doing it when I was 10. My kids weren't,
because we've never had an open fire and we live in a smokeless zone
where garden bonfires are forbidden. It's just a skill that most
people never need any more; the OP has presumably moved somewhere
where it is.
Andy

Where I lived there was nothing but coal fires and along with many others of
the time, at the age of 10 it was my job to cut the kindling from 'blocks'
that my father got from the local pit - and my two kids (boy and girl) were
brought up in a house with gas c/h, but they were still taught how to use
basic tools such as hammer, saw, axe, spanners, screwdrivers, checking oil
etc on vehicles - along with how to prepare and cook a meal with ingredients
that came from the garden and butchers and not the supermarket chill cabinet
or freezer (kids usually grow up into adults and will need these skills at
some time or other).

But lets face the true facts here - if the OP is intelligent (sigh, more
comments I suppose) then it really wouldn't take long to work out how to
safely cut *KINDLING* from a log around a foot long with a sharp hatchet
(you don't need a two handed felling axe for this) - it's all down to Mr
Common Sense really!

BRG

On Feb 3, 5:43 pm, "BRG" wrote:

But lets face the true facts here - if the OP is intelligent (sigh, more
comments I suppose) then it really wouldn't take long to work out how to
safely cut *KINDLING* from a log around a foot long with a sharp hatchet
(you don't need a two handed felling axe for this) - it's all down to Mr
Common Sense really!

No, I don't think it is. It's pretty much all down to experience. My
son (now at University) cuts kindling by balancing the target between
two pieces of wood, and hitting the side with the axe - yes, I've
tried to teach him to do it properly, but he just won't hold a piece
of wood anywhere near where he is aiming the axe.

To the OP. Start out by practising with short pieces of thick wood
that have been sawn square - that way they will stand up on their
own. When you have got more comfortable that you know where the blade
will end up, you can hold the piece in one hand, and cut with the
other. It isn't as dangerous as it seems - you "know" where your
fingers are (even with your eyes shut), and you quite soon learn where
the axe head is going (because your hand is on the shaft)

geoff wrote:
In message , Rod
writes
Mary Fisher wrote:
"Doki" wrote in message
...
... IMO there's no room for innocent bystanders when you're
splitting logs as stuff will fly out to the sides, but not up into
your face.
Guaranteed?
Course not.
There's always the unusual, inexplicable event.
I always wonder what's meant by 'innocent bystander' though, is
there a 'guilty bystander'?


Many, many years ago I lived in Berlin. My parents told me that in any
traffic accident everyone present shouldered a part of the blame 'for
being there' - I think 10%. So, in that sense, German law appeared to
say there are guilty bystanders. (I have no idea of the actual truth
of this 'blame percentage', but it was passed on to me and I always
thought it an interesting concept.)


Schmarrrrrrren

Just in time for Shrove Tuesday?

http://www.downloadtopc.com/recipe/0/62169/schmarren.html

--
Rod

BRG wrote:
Doki wrote:
BRG wrote:
chris French wrote:
In message , Davy
writes

"Guy Dawson" wrote in message
...
Davy wrote:
I've just bought a rather nice 2kg hand axe which is very
efficient for cutting small logs for kindling. But it is very
sharp and I would like to keep all my fingers. Anybody
recommend a way of holding the log steady whilst I take a swing
at it with the axe?

With a piece of kindling. You just have to cut the first piece
carefully...

thanks guys, your suggestion does have the advantage that if I
accidentally hit the piece of kindling that I am using to steady
the log then no harm is done to the axe. Not true of my first
attempt when I used bbq tongs! I have just had a log burning stove
installed so I'm suddenly
needing to learn new skills - including how to use a 6lb
log-splitting maul. That is some animal!

BRG's post does leaves a nasty taste in the mouth though. But I
suppose that if you ask questions on a newsgroup then you've got
to expect occasional replies/trolls like that.

shrug

It obviously makes some people feel better to make smart arse, or
just plain rude comments, rather than anything helpful, or just
keeping their mouth shut.

Forget them and move on, most people most of the time here are
helpful.

Not intended as "smart arse or rude" simply factual - if a question
like that has to be asked in a public group for a task that is so
simple that it was being done by ten year olds in my day, then the
competence of the OP must be doubted for his own safety - remember,
you can easily cut the fingers off your hand, but it's a damn site
harder to replace them.
So the moral here was simply to either get someone who knows how to
do the job, or get that person to show him how it is done - a
million words typed in this group does not count for the experience
of being shown.
Especially with -- "Easy peasy. Get a big wide bit of log to use as
a block, and swing it like a sledgehammer."

In this case, using that method can cause a large lump of the block
to fly and either hit the OP in the face or an innocent bystander
such as a child - doing rather a lot of damage to soft tissue.
Again. someone giving advice without really knowing what to do
himself.

I'd like you to explain how. Hit a log square on with a splitting
maul and you'd be doing very well to make anything fly upwards at
you. IMO there's no room for innocent bystanders when you're
splitting logs as stuff will fly out to the sides, but not up into
your face.

Doki,

Let's get the thing straight, you made the statement "Easy peasy. Get
a big wide bit of log to use as a block, and swing it like a
sledgehammer" - no mention of any splitting maul or other implement -
as I said "someone giving advice without really knowing what to do
himself".
Besides, as the OP was actually asking how to cut *kindling* then you
would hardly go to the trouble of using a 'maul' (as you put it) on a
block of wood around a foot long - you would simply use a sharp
hatchet.

The OP (as in original post) was about cutting kindling, the post I replied
to was about how to use a splitting maul. The point of quoting replies is
that you don't have to restate everything the last person said to make it
clear what you're on about.

What other name is there for a splitting maul by the way? And I for one
would like to see you split slices of branches or trunk with a hatchet for
more than 10 minutes at a time...

Mary Fisher wrote:
"Doki" wrote in message
...
... IMO there's no room for innocent bystanders when you're splitting logs
as stuff will fly out to the sides, but not up into your face.

Guaranteed?

Course not.

There's always the unusual, inexplicable event.

I always wonder what's meant by 'innocent bystander' though, is there a
'guilty bystander'?

Mary


Course there is.

Loitering within tent.

Mary Fisher wrote:
"AJH" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 2 Feb 2008 14:14:16 -0800 (PST), Weatherlawyer
wrote:

Then there is the subtle
art of collecting dead twigs from trees.

By hook or by crook? :-)

If there's a local rookery or magpie nesting area there'll be plenty
on the ground, dropped by said birds.

Absolutely tons in our garden at present. Many magpies which now appear to
be considering nesting material.