Wedges work best for knotty pieces of wood or especially hard or large-diameter pieces of wood. Because it's possible to drive a wedge deep into a thick log without necessarily splitting it, it's good to have back-up wedges available to save your initial wedge and complete the job, if it should get in over its "head". If you're commonly splitting with wedges, a good combination would be a sharp starter wedge that you can use to really bite into the wood and get it started, and another blunter but wider wedge that you can use to continue splitting once you've gotten it started. A short-handled sledge should work just fine for the job, depending on the size of the log and what's available. Holding the wedge like you would a very-large nail, tap it in until it can stand on its own. Using solid and straight blows, hammer the wedge into the log along the grain until it splits. If you hammer it all the way in and the log still hasn't split, start your other wedge along the same crack, but closer to the edge of the wood so the force will make the split longer, freeing both wedges and splitting the log. Be sure to stand clear of the line of the cracking, so the wedge won't pop out at your feet, dangerously. As you hammer, stand perpendicular to the splitting of the log and the wedge itself. There might be some remaining connected wood fiber that you can finish with an axe, and you can likely use a maul or an axe to split the sections into smaller, more manageable pieces. Don't use wedges to split smaller sections of wood, as the likelihood of them popping through and flailing loose is more probable.

Summary: Have several wedges on hand. Tap the wedge into the grain with a sledge. Hammer with the sledge. Finish the job.


At the beginning of the ceremony, you will want to light a fire big enough to completely destroy all of the flags you will be burning. You can use a natural gas burner or light a traditional fire using wood. You may also want to consider setting up some kind of stand to hold the fire and catch the ashes.  Before you begin your flag disposal ceremony, you will want to make sure that you have properly folded your flag. You can ensure that it is properly folded by incorporating a flag folding ceremony into your larger disposal ceremony.  Make sure that you are following the local fire codes and ordinances. Lay the individually folded flags in the fire. Do not let them touch the ground. Avoid stacking the flags on top of each other. If the fire is small, only burn as many flags as you can lay in it without stacking them.  Because many modern flags are treated with chemicals that can burn explosively and give off toxic fumes, burning your flag may cause an accident. Be sure to contact your local fire department to ensure that you are meeting all safety codes. You may want to consider a placing a grate in the flames that will hold the flags. This will keep them from sliding off the fire and onto the ground. Depending on style of ceremony you are holding, you may want to ask those in attendance to come to attention or salute as you burn the flags. If you are burning multiple flags, this may be a long process and standing for a long period of time might be difficult for older people. Consider letting everyone sit again after a few moments or when the first flag has burned. If you are leading the ceremony, you might say something like “will those in attendance please rise and honor the flag.” As the flag burns, you may also state the Pledge of Allegiance. This is a highly patriotic and symbolic gesture. However, because it references “God,” this might make those who adhere to different religious views feel uncomfortable. Try creating a ceremony that is inclusive and accommodating of the beliefs of the diverse groups that call the United States home. A period of silent reflection might be the best option if you are disposing of a flag and want to be respectful of everyone involved. A moment of silence allows the participants the opportunity to reflect on and honor the flag in their own way. This is a more inclusive way of conducting the ceremony. Before you begin the moment of silence, say something like “please join me in a moment of silent reflection.” You will want to allow the flag to burn completely in the flames. There should be not remnants of fabric left, only ashes. If you are using a wood fire, you may need to add more wood to keep the flame hot. If it is a gas flame and the flags are not burning properly, you may want to turn up the gas flow. Because of the chemicals they are treated with, different flags will burn at different speeds. Some are treated with flame resistant materials to prevent people from burning the flags in protest. These types of flags may require some lighter fluid to thoroughly burn. Once you have fully destroyed all of the flags, you will want to extinguish the fire and collect the ashes. To kill the fire, turn off the fuel supply or let the fire burn out on its own. Once you have collected the ashes, place them in a container and bury them in an appropriate place. The ashes can also be scattered over the grounds of important places, such as military parade grounds or battlefields.

Summary: Light a large and intense fire. Place the flag on the fire. Come to attention or salute. State the Pledge of Allegiance. Have a period of silent reflection. Let the flag burn completely. Extinguish the fire and bury the ashes.


Part of developing a sixth sense is learning how to pay close attention to your surroundings, particularly to small or minute details.  The more attention you pay to your surroundings, the more aware you become of slight changes and variations, and the more attuned you become with the world around you.  Enhancing your perception this way helps you to notice subtle shifts and changes in your environment and eventually to anticipate certain things before they happen. For example, imagine a street you travel frequently. Try to imagine it in as close and as much precise detail as you can. Where are the various shops located? Which traffic signs are posted? What are the parking regulations? What kind of landscaping does the street have? Write down as many details as you’re able to remember, then go visit that street and carefully fill in the blanks in your memory. Write down a detailed description of what you see. Later, test yourself to see how accurately you remembered the details you wrote down. Learn to notice and absorb this level of detail wherever you go. Teach yourself to focus your attention outward rather than inward. Doing so will help you develop sensitivity to what goes on around you and will teach you to quiet your own thoughts and preoccupations when necessary. Take a notebook with you when you go places. Note what you see and sense in as much detail as possible. Make this a regular practice until you find yourself doing it automatically, with or without the notebook. When talking with someone, train yourself to put your full attention on them. When you learn to observe someone closely and attentively, you often learn to pick up on small, nearly imperceptible cues that will indicate what the person is truly feeling or thinking. Note small variations in their tone and inflection, watch the movement of their eyes and the contraction or dilation of their pupils, pay attention to the words they choose, and notice the pauses and silences between their words. We tend to rely on our sight to interpret the world around us, so much so that sight can come to predominate over our other senses. But if you consciously work on prioritizing senses other than sight, you can begin to perceive more subtle variations in the environment of which you were previously unaware.  Try closing your eyes and using your other senses to perceive people as they walk by. Note the sound of their clothing, footfalls, and breathing. Note their smell. Note the subtle changes in the air around them as they move. Note any temperature changes that occur as they pass. See if you can detect where their attention is directed and if you can tell when their attention falls on you. As you become more sensitive to people and the energy they give off, see if you can notice the particular type of energy of each person who passes. Can you pick up on any tension or on any negative or positive energy? Try to assess the energy of rooms you walk into. Can you sense any positive or negative energy?
Summary: Learn to notice small things. Record what you see. Learn to watch and listen closely. Exercise your non-visual senses.