Thanks to both you and Max for your responses. Yes, I figured that dry pine would probably be a lot easier to split than most woods. Otoh, dead pine is not exactly scarce in the woods around these parts <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> so if push came to shove, I'd probably hope to start a fire with pine wood and then use the other woods to feed the fire. I may buy some different species of logs later, once I feel a bit more proficient. <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

And now that I have an outdoor location where I can go to indulge my pyromania on weekends, I will make a genuine effort to get out and practice a lot more.

I'd rather not end up like the CAP survival instructor who was written up elsewhere on this site, who died of hypothermia because he left his survival kit in the trunk of his car to go flying <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> It's bad enough ending up dead; I don't want to end up looking stoopid on top of it <img src="images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />