How to Split a Yellow Birch
- 1). Put on work gloves, protective goggles and boots.
- 2). Cut the log of yellow birch into short lengths or "rounds" with a hand saw. Rounds should be between 12 and 20 inches or the length of your fireplace or wood stove.
- 3). Find a chopping block that is 2 feet high and wider than the width of the yellow birch rounds. Stand each round on the chopping block.
- 4). Stand facing the round on the chopping block. Place the blade of an ax perpendicular on the face of the round. Step back until your arms are fully extended and you need to lean a little forward to reach the round with the ax. Grip the ax with one hand wrapped around its neck and the other near its butt.
- 5). Swing the ax up quickly, straightening up and rising a little on your toes. Let the grip wrapped around the neck of the ax fall next to the grip on the butt of the ax. Keep your eye on the face of the yellow birch round on the chopping block. Swing the ax down to hit the wood with the sharp edge.
- 6). Repeat Step 4 until the round splits in half. Repeat Step 3 and Step 4 for the other rounds of yellow birch.
