As people smarter than me say, wood warms you in two different ways… When you chop it and split it, and when you burn it. In this weather I actually really like chopping wood because it’s so warming burning all those calories. Feel cold? Chop wood, you’ll be warm in a few seconds. Worked well for me. Plus with an axe I can chop and split a lot more wood quickly then with a hatchet and saw.

Now, I get a $25 basic 3 1/2 lb axe from Tractor Supply with a synthetic aka plastic handle isn’t the greatest axe in the world but it works pretty good for camping purposes. I’m sure it was no more than a $20 mark up. Lol. It’s what I could get though quickly as I wanted something more efficient then my hatchet for a week mid December camping. That said I think I’d want something maybe a little heavier with a good wood handle if we’re chopping wood for heating a house or a cabin but this is just occasional use here.

That said when I own land and a house I’d probably seriously consider getting a hydraulic splitter just because it would make quick work out of firewood processing. All things considered they aren’t that expensive. But I’d also look to having a modern, efficient EPA stove even if they aren’t perfect, they do burn a lot less wood. And have a house that is small and well insulated as that would further conserve wood. Insulation is really an important thing that saves a lot of energy.

It’s not to say that the woods doesn’t produce a lot of dead and down wood but you know it’s not unlimited and no sense wasting a limited resource or producing unnecessary carbon dioxide and unnecessary work.