I was suprisingly good at it - 28 on first try, 34 on second and 42 on third try. Here's a tip: Slash vertically first, then blast away with horizontal. To get the most cuts, I ended up staring with a vertical slash (cuts the stalk in two so you get two slices with one hit) and did a few horizontal chops, then vertical and repeat. It may take awhile for you all to master (it's a timing thing), but the results are awesome. If you care to get "valuable" items like a blue bird feather.