Cutting Up a Slab of Ice Using an Ice Pick or Bread Knife

Years ago I learned how to cut up slabs of ice using only an ice pick, but boy have I improved my technique since then. 

But the method is the same: 

• Fill a cooler with water and put it in the freezer with the top off.
• After a couple days pull it out and dump out the unfrozen water. You'll have just a clear slab.
• Wait for it to temper before cutting.
• With a bread knife or an ice pick, score a line across the surface.
• Set the knife across the surface in the groove, or put the ice pick in the center of the line.
• With a mallet or muddler or hammer or (in my case the back of another ice pick) whack the knife or ice pick.
• The ice should split into two.
• Repeat, cutting the block in half each time – I think it's easier/less prone to splitting unevenly than trying to cut a cube off the side. 

Here are some new pictures I took: 

All of the ice posts can be found at the Index of Ice Experiments.