Thanks Tim- It does seem like people have a few different takes on getting the job done. In the competitions I'm in I have to cut footholds to stand on for the underhand chop. I end up making a small scoring V on the top of the block with my axe and then slab the piece off. I've seen some pictures of people working down the the top of a log in a similar fashion. In that case I would want the log on my right, up off the ground a bit (to save my back) and use a left bent broad axe?