Our Hand-Splitting Process

Each log at Leatherstocking Hand-Split Billet Co. is hand-split to follow the natural grain of the wood, guaranteeing straight tangential grain. This process enhances the bat’s strength and significantly reduces the risk of tangential slope of grain failure across all grades. The slope-of-grain, which measures how parallel a piece of wood is to the longitudinal axis of tree cells, is crucial to the bat’s strength. Wood processed perfectly parallel to the grain direction is strongest, while any deviation weakens the wood and increases the risk of dangerous fractures. Hand-splitting is the only method that consistently produces near-perfect straight tangential grain.

Our Vacuum-Kiln Drying Process

Traditional kiln drying often results in a browner wood billet due to oxidation. Our vacuum-kiln drying process at Leatherstocking Hand-Split Billet Co. prevents oxidation by removing air from the drying chamber, resulting in the brightest white wood billets available. We were pioneers in vacuum drying hand-split billets, combining the best methods to produce an unparalleled product.