How to Split Wood without An Axe [5 Best Alternative Options to Axe]

Axe is something that is meant to be used in wood splitting, felling and similar works for a woodworker. But what if you have to split a plank of wood and you have got no axe or a dull axe in hand? 

Would you go and find another way to continue the job, or just sit alone until the next axe arrives in the spot? 

The good news is, you don’t have to go with the second option at all. There are several ways on how to split wood without an axe, and in this post, we will break down each of them. 

Below are 5 different methods that are effective in splitting wood, and none of them asks for any involvement of an axe. Take a moment to have a look- 

5 Ways on How to Split Wood without An Axe

Method 1 of 5: Using A Wedge and A Hammer

Let’s start with something that won’t break your bank to afford. And that is the way of splitting logs with a hammer and a wedge. 

The way of working with a set of a wedge and a hammer is to put the wedge on the end of the log. Then, take the hammer in your other hand and strike it with ample force on the wedge. If the wedge is placed properly, this will eventually break the log into parts. If you have to break the log into even smaller pieces, you can repeat the process over again on larger pieces. 

However, this method works best when you’re applying it on a dried up log. Because those logs contain cracks on the surface and working with that impact force of the hammer becomes just easier. 

Method 2 of 5: Hydraulic Log Splitter

In case you are a beginner, you might have heard of this tool for the first time. But it’s quite a familiar tool for carpenters who are working at an industrial level. They are of a number of size variation, and the splitting power varies accordingly. 

The formation of this tool is with a hydraulic cylinder majorly, which pushed a wedge into the wood that you are supposed to split. If you are aware of the force that the hydraulic system can exert, you might understand that this mechanism is strong enough for any kind of hardwood, plywood, and whatnot. 

A drawback with the hydraulic system of wood splitting is, it comes to be quite expensive. For a complete, full form hydraulic system, you have to spend more than a few thousand dollars or more. Therefore, this method is recommended for only commercial purposes. 

Method 3 of 5: Use A Table Saw

For logs and lumbers that are meant to be not for firewood purposes, using a table saw to split them is not a bad idea at all. Unless you’re dealing with massive log sizes, this will be quite handy for you. 

The use is to rip off the log into a few spots using the table saw. Afterward, you can cut the log across the length using the same table saw over again. Finally, to break down the split logs into smaller pieces, you can apply the first method(hammer and wedge). 

A great benefit of working in such a way is, you can get done with a handful of workloads within a quick span of time. As table saws are fast in action, it can deal with multiple heavy and hard logs within a quick span of time. 

Method 4 of 5: Use A Smart Splitter

A smart splitter is a device that applies mechanical pressure on a crack(that had been created with a wedge) and eventually splits the log into pieces. Sometimes, a weight is used to drive this power onto the log. 

The log that you want to be split, is placed on a plain surface, where the wedge of the smart splitter is put on. Once the weight is raised and dropped, the massive force driven from it breaks the wooden part into two. 

Method 1 of 5: Using A Log Splitter

The next and final method that we are focusing on is a budget-friendly one. It’s neither too hectic like our method, nor too expensive than a mechanical way of splitting logs. It involves a log splitter, which is quite a familiar tool to woodworkers. 

There are many sorts of log splitters starting from small to ultra heavy. The small ones take the role of splitting firewoods, and the heavy ones can cut even hardwood like butter. 

But either way, woodworkers who use log splitters, can not deny it’s the effectiveness and quick working ability. In case you are looking for a log splitter that gives you maximum efficiency in terms of power and working hours, we would suggest you go for electric powered log splitters. Evan a more powerful version of log splitter is gas-driven log splitters. 

Other Methods

The aforementioned five methods are just what we regularly use to split an wood without a splitting axe. But there are several other methods that you can choose from. Have a look- 

1. Splitting log with Auger splitter. 
2. Splitting log with Lever Axe. 
3. Splitting log with kindling cracker. 
4. Splitting log with a counterbalanced splitter.
5. Splitting log with splitting Maul 

Based on which situation you are in, and the workload, you can choose from any of these types. But each of these methods might ask for a different level of skills on using them. So, make sure that you are okay with that. 

Bottom Line

Thanks for being there till the very bottom of the content. So far, we’ve discussed 5 methods on how to split wood without an axe, with a few honor of mentions. Hopefully, you’d be able to choose the right method from the list, and the right wood cutting tools to get done with them. 

Best of luck!