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It looks like you find yourself in a rather tricky situation. You have logs that need to be split, but you have no axe to do the job. Perhaps you simply don’t own an axe. Then again, your axe may be broken beyond repair and you don’t have an opportunity to purchase a new one. But the biggest reason I have found that people want to know how to split logs without an axe is becasue using an axe is hard labor. Especially after many years of swinging an axe to provide firewood for the family. Splitting a cord of wood by axe can take a heck of a long time and cause much strain on the body. Even when you have one of the better splitting axes on the market, it still can take its toll on your health.
Whatever your particular reason happens to be, one thing is for sure; those logs aren’t going to split themselves so you are in need of a few ingenious ideas! Ready to get started? Great, here goes!
The Easiest Way To Split Logs
A Log Splitter For The Home
A log splitter is a fairly heavy duty industrial piece of machinery. These beasts tear through wood like it is butter. Say good by to sore backs and shoulders that you are use to receiving from the humble axe. Because a log splitter will be your godsend come this Winter.
But there’s just one problem with such a powerful piece of machinery. The cost. Unless you are planning to do several cords of split wood every season, a Gas Log Splitter can set you back over a thousand dollars. While a gas wood splitter is the ideal tool for quick and efficient log splitting, not everybody can afford to hand over that much money. If you can afford a gas splitter, then your life is about to change beyond belief. 
The alternative is to get a log splitter designed for home use that wont set you back a mortgage payment on your house. The answer is an electrical powered splitter. These things are not as powerful as the Gas variety, but are perfect for the home owner looking to split logs at a quicker rate.
An electric log splitter should only cost you in the hundreds compared to the thousands. Which is a welcome relief for the struggling family that relies on firewood to keep warm in Winter. A log splitter is rated in a measurement of Tons. The more tons of pressure applied, the bigger the log you can split. Gas splitters go over 20+ ton. But if you don’t need to split several yards a year, then a 7 ton electric splitter will do the task just fine. Some electric splitters can split over 10 inch thick rounds. So it is best to buy a high quality electric log splitter so that you can handle the decent size logs you need to cut. Don’t go too cheap with an electric model or you may regret it come Winter. A log splitter is very easy to use and will save you so many hours of stranous log splitting the once off investment will soon be seen as a top asset to own.
Get Your Wedge And Hammer At The Ready
Have you got a wedge and hammer lying around somewhere? Great, it’s time to dig them out and put them to use. So how should you go about the process? Actually, you will find that it’s pretty easy. Simply take the wedge and place it on the end of the log. Next take your hammer and drive the wedge into the wood. Finally, admire your ingenious handiwork. A simple process, but still a labor intensive one compared to using a powerful log splitter.
Of course, when you don’t have an axe at hand, other methods you may use can come with some disadvantages. Using this wedge and hammer method for instance can be rather time consuming. If you have 20 cubes of wood that need to be split by nightfall, opting for the wedge and hammer approach may not be your wisest move.
However, if you only have a small amount of wood to split, or simply need to split a little for firewood to keep you warm for the night, the wedge and hammer method should be ideal for you. Of course, as is the case when using an axe, be sure to take good care as you work.
Put Your Table Saw To Good Use
To get the above method moving a little quicker, it’s time to put your table saw to good use. This can make the log splitting a fair bit easier, especially if you have a substantial amount to split and no way of getting your hands on an axe or maul anytime soon.
The general idea here is to ‘rip’ the log in a few spots. Using the table saw cut along the length of the log in several spots. Now you have a log that is already partially split. Next take your wedge and hammer and follow the method above. You will find that the partial split by the saw gives you a great helping hand in almost reaching the center of the log (of course dependent on the size of the log). All you need your wedge to do is push on past the center and you’re splitting wood my friend!
That’s How To Split The Wood Without Owning An Axe
Certainly there is a lot to be said for having a lovely fire. Perhaps you rely on wood to heat your entire home. This normally requires a lot of wood to be split every year, finding yourself without an axe in such situations can certainly be a challenge! Of course, you may not be solely reliant on wood to keep your family warm, perhaps you simply split wood to enjoy a cozy open fire in your living space. Then again, maybe you are a lover of the outdoors and need to split wood for those exciting hiking and camping adventures that you can’t get enough of!
While splitting wood with an axe is certainly a convenient method, we hope that both our wedge and hammer, as well as our table saw method outlined above may be of good use to you, either now or at some other point in your wood splitting future!
