Choosing a Splitting Axe

I'll get pics up soon.

Most way through my first (well second) hang now. The first one was crude and I had the wrong tools and a beat axe head. This time around I used the wood rasp and saw for the kerf.

After I install the soft wedge do I need to drill a pilot for the metal step wedges so the wood doesn't crack or is that not an issue????
 
This is my 5 pound axe-eye splitting maul on a 34" house handle.

(36" prior to trimming top excess shorter for the maul head opposed to axe height through eye.) The maul head is much shorter up and down.
 
Where/what diameter para cord should I get???

Is that something tractor supply or home depot/lowes stocks?
 
I got the maul built!!!!

Can't post pics today, no time for camera to laptop......

So far the splitting maul is a very different experience than the axe. It's more gentle on the hands and hits the wood with a hard thud. It's not bouncing on the oak except for the round I have just off the stump that is close to un splittable by hand. I may save it as a splitting block (even though I prefer splitting off the ground.) But it's not sticking in the wood either which is nice. I think I like it so far. It seems like it's a little more work/weight to throw around but might be better overall on my hands. I try to run stuff that doesn't hurt my hands. I'm young and they hurt all the time already.
 
I DO really like that I haven't had to wrestle it out of the wood, the box store axe is constantly sticking in wood, never unmanageable to remove BUT it's taking time and energy away from being productive.
 
Excellent! looking forward to pictures.
You'll end up with a lot less damage to your axe/maul bits if you use a chopping block.
 
I still been too busy for pics but I did receive my axe today.

I had the oak butt/stump round here that I beat on with the 5# maul about 12 to 18 hard hits with only bouncing. The maul wasn't splitting it unless I really beat myself up maybe I could get it to go. I had tried on this with my box store 4# michigan axe and I can't remember what happened there but I think I hit it a dozen times and KNEW there was no way so saved it for the maul......

I had to try the new plumb axe on this same wood FIRST to verify the handle was tight and see how my first high centerline axe performed. I hit it like 2 or 3 times and on the 3rd hit I stuck the axe halfway down the head and it was STUCK GOOD. But this was the first axe to penetrate it and I was able to get it out with some effort. Pretty difficult to get out. However after that I split that round up in short time, sticking the axe a few times but pleased with how it come out when I give it a pry. Not like my flat sided wedge axe which I wrestled out each time.

Now I gotta fall another tree and put some time on both the maul and Plumb axe. I'm really not sure which one will better, or if they are equally as good and shine where the other does not work.......which would be sweet. I'd have most all scenerios covered now!
 
While it is easy to imagine the ideal splitter on paper, it’s another thing to enjoy using it for its intended purpose.

I have a maul, but hate using it and would rather keep hacking away with a nice axe.

I think the Fiskars is probably the most well liked for people who only want results and don’t put as much stock in enjoying the task of splitting wood.
I have one, it’s indestructible and effective, but lacks warmth and I don’t enjoy using it for hours like I do my other axes.

I grew a fondness for most hand tools at an early age and appreciate being in nature doing manual labor whenever possible, so splitting piles of wood all day suits me just fine, I enjoy it more than shooting and riding atvs.
Having preferred an old double bit Michigan pattern most of my life, I wanted to try a nice single bit for variety, of course doing research beforehand being a knife and tool nut, I was particularly drawn to the Jersey and Rockaway Patterns, I have used Michigan singles and Dayton’s before and while effective I didn’t love them over my double.
I consider @FortyTwoBlades my go to authority on classic edged tools and respect and value his opinion, so I asked him how the council took Jersey would do as a splitter, in particular the model with phantom bevels.
He suggested other options that make more sense for a splitter, but my want for one persisted anyway and I got one for Christmas.
While on paper it’s not the best splitter, and no argument a heavier Dayton would be more effective, but I love this Jersey and enjoy using it more than I would a “better” splitter. The head is beautiful and I enjoy the feel of swinging such a nicely crafted piece of steel.
I have already split somewhere between 1.5-2 cords of wood since Christmas Day with it, mostly Ash, a little pine, some Cherry, and a good bit of Osage Orange.

She cuts folks, I reprofiled the factory edge thinning it out considerably, steel feels pretty hard, a file skates, and it takes a mean edge and holds it well.
I treated the handle with Teak oil and it’s been great, I did split the handle in two pieces last week hacking apart knotty piece of Cherry, Split the handle almost perfectly in the middle clean in two pieces.
I was a bit upset at that since I really liked the profile of the handle as it came from Council, but I found a new 36” Link handle at a Rural King and rehafted it. It had a 32” from Council.

All of that just to say that although it’s not perfect on paper, my current favorite axe for splitting is just the one that I enjoy using the most.
 
348win said:
Pretty difficult to get out. However after that I split that round up in short time, sticking the axe a few times but pleased with how it come out when I give it a pry.
Click to expand...

You might want to use sharp downward raps on the handle instead of prying it out. Sometimes prying can loosen the head.
 
I do the raps downward on the handle first then up and down.

I have also been stomping the round like a gas pedal off the axe holding the handle out in front of me with axe head at your feet. Keeping in mind not to pry to hard in a direction that could snap the handle.
 
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