> I had to ruin one perfectly good axe handle before I learned how to swing.

Is it really that difficult? Maybe my memory is vague, but chopping wood in autumn/fall for the winter just took a bunch of time, and wasn't very fun, but wasn't that bad, especially compared to other things like harvesting veggies stuff where you have to be on the ground. I'm not sure how you'd manage to ruin a axe handle before understanding how to do it well-enough, takes a couple of swings at max.

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Daub 35 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

My experience was a year spent working as a forester. One of our duties was to keep the wood burning stoves supplied. I remember learning that ash got its name from the fact that it burned so well, and willow left perfect charcoal.

As for the axe handle… I was told off by my boss for mashing up the handle by my constant missing. Even now, I am the same with hammers and nails - not nearly as sure with my aim as I should be. On the plus side That was also the time I learned how to replace an axe handle. also the time that

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JackFr 5 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I spent a summer chopping a whole bunch of wood with a steel handled 10 lb maul. Many was the evening where my hand was numb until the morning, but by the end of the summer my shoulders were ripped.

You quickly learn the differences between locust, pine, maple, oak or, god forbid, cherry.

	▲	Enginerrrd 5 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Splitting Eucalyptus and big madrone by hand will test a man.

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roarcher 6 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Same. I've only done it a couple times but it takes minutes to learn and you just get into a rhythm and keep going. It's like peeling potatoes.

I wonder if there's a name for the psychological phenomenon of people doing some trivial blue-collar-ish task and then dramatizing it to make themselves sound like a grizzled old hand.

	▲	notduncansmith 6 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Have heard this called blue-washing (eg Mike Rowe) when done publicly

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MatthiasWandel 5 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I once took a sledgehammer to work so everyone could take a turn taking a whack at some old prototypes outside. I came to the sad realization that even hitting a particular spot with a sledgehammer is not an inate skill. If you've never done it, you miss!

	▲	lbreakjai 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I've seen people miss the tractor wheel with a hammer at my gym. I didn't even know if was physically possible.

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david422 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Depends on the wood. Perfectly dry, seasoned hardwood is going to be easy. Wood with knots, soft wood etc. is going to take a while to figure out.

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mikestew 6 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Is it really that difficult?

It’s not, 12 year olds can do it. Ruining an axe handle is not a requirement. I’m not saying humans are born knowing how to swing an axe, but c’mon.

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MatthiasWandel 5 hours ago | parent [-]

A 12 year old can indeed acquire that skill, but that doesn't mean any adult can do it.

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roarcher 5 hours ago | parent [-]

Some adults indeed can't do it, but that doesn't mean it's difficult.

And it is certainly not "wear out a whole axe handle just to learn to swing" difficult.

	▲	mauvehaus 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		You don't wear it out. You land the head long of your aim point, and splinter the handle on whatever you were trying to hit. It's certainly not hard to ruin a handle if you're learning to swing a sledge by driving steel splitting wedges.

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aqrit 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

>Is it really that difficult?

Fiberglass handles are now standard on splitting mauls (for this reason). Rotten hearts, or driving wedges. It is easy to miss a swing by an inch or two when fatigued.

Edit: I also broke my first axe handle. The sibling comments here are wild.

	▲	lstodd 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Yeah, tell me about fiberglass. It slips out too. And that was Fiskars, not some noname crap. When it does, you put it back and hammer some big screws and nails into it, this way it holds some more time.