« Why complicate what is simple ? » This is the motto of the splitting country, where elfes develop the highest level of splitting art.
Elfes like least efforts solutions. So they have a long understanding of the benefits of relying on the aligned fibers of some materials to divide them along the fibers. Doing so, they avoid the unnecessary efforts required to destroy the fibers by sawing them. They also avoid the risks of deviation from the fibers direction, resulting from the use of blades (knives, cissors, etc).
Principle of splitting along the fibersA material has aligned fibers (1).A small split is made, by hand or with a blade (2).The two parts are split, so that the curve is the same for both sides (3a), and the split increases following the fibers (4a).
Principle of thinning splittingA material has aligned fibers (1).A small split is made, by hand or with a blade (2).One side is pulled with a greater curve than the other (3b).The white cross is a blocking point maintaining both sides together, so it helps getting a big curve (3b). Fibers will break where the curve is maximal, because their length cannot increase, so this side gets thinner (4b).
In practice, let’s begin with the case of splitting along the fibers. If the material is easy to split, like phormium, all the techniques work.
If the fibers tend to break, the gesture must be precise, as for carex.
The techniques are different to split wood. To get a long hazel splint, you’ll have to curb the branch, and it requires energy … or a good lever (photo) !Successive splittings will then producs a splint as flexible as thread … whereas it’s wood.
To split a chestnut branch to make a wild broom handle, a split can be made with a knife before the two parts are separated by pulling, with more strength when a knot makes bending more difficult.
Still more technical, getting slats from chestnut can be done when the sap flows, with a knife used to split, re-split, … until the slats are flexible enough.
Spltting a branch in three parts ? That’s what’s done for willow, with a splitter. In four parts ? It’s also possible ! And without any splitter ? It’s still possible, but the splitter makes it easier !
And thinning splitting ? It can be interesting to make handles for dust brooms: you’ll try to split straight along 7 ou 8 cm, before rapidly bending the piece to remove. On the photo, you see broken fibers on the left side.
You don’t have any of there materials ? Then try with leek leaves, to split to reduce their thickness and their width !