: In this case, it is a bit like cracking a walnut, only this walnut is 18
: inches wide!

: The size of the log is what will make the initial split difficult. A bigger
: tree would be even more difficult to split.

: Riving (a word I just learned -- I always called it "splitting it
: smaller") is certainly a good way to go once you get pieces of wood
: which are manageable, and you make or buy a froe. If you don't have a
: froe, it looks like a used (or new) lawn mower blade would work well if
: you welded, brazed or bolted a handle onto it.

: The manner in which you reduce the log to pieces which are small enough to be
: rived seems not to be a critical thing. The log can be reduced to a
: workable size by sawing it, or splitting it. If you have the tools to saw
: it, then you'll probably get more even pieces and less waste, with far
: less effort.

: Splitting, by the way, does not guarantee the grain will be the way you want
: it. Splitting can easily give you pieces which do not follow the growth
: rings, or any other reasonable pattern.

: If you are dedicated to following the grain, you can do so with a bandsaw,
: too. Just pick the grain line you want to follow and go slowly.

: PGJ

You can split wood tangentially (similar to plain saw) or radially (quarter saw.)
It is better to split the wood in the middle to creat 2 equal halves. If the split wander off couse (one side becomes thinner than the other side.) lever the handle to the opposite way. For example if you are pulling the handle towards your body and the wood on your side is getting thinner. Flip the handle to the other side away from you and push the handle away. The split will go the opposite direction.
It is harder to explain than to actually do it. After a short while you get the feel of the flow and split beatiful thin strips.

If the wood get a little wavy, all is not lost. Remember your wood is still green. You can bend the wood straight with a heating gun and a board with 2 nails sticking up (or you can screw 2 small wood blocks with curve sides on a board.) The space is a little wider than the thickness of the strip. Heat the wood where the wavy curve is, slip the strip betwwen the nails and bend the opposit way, hold until the strip cools and stay straight. You can repeat the heating and bending until you have a perfectly straight grain oak battern.