Favorite set up for a Splitting Axe

T

thunderstick

Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
554
Splitting Axe = the one you prefer for splitting firewood when you do not need a maul or wedges
Your preference of:
1. head style
2. head weight
3. straight or curved handle
4. length of handle
 
4lb ATCO W. Germany axe my little bother got. It's on the best darn 36 inch curved haft I've modded. The palm swell is huge and the haft is slim, just like it should be.
 
I have several GOOD splitting axes.... and all of them are set up the same. 4 to 5 lb. single bit heads, most are rafting pattern, all are on 36" straight handles. Heads are Collins, Kelly, Plumb, Warren, Forest King, Council, Winchester, and a 4# Sater Banco.... The Sater may be the favorite - I been using it since the mid 1960's!
 
To date I have primarily used my Fiskars splitting axe or a maul with a sharp edge. But I have a hankering to set up dedicated traditional splitting axe. I was thinking a 4-6# head on a 36" straight handle. I'm thinking maybe a high center head would be better to prevent sticking and helping to get unstuck. Splitting with a twist is assumed when splitting with an axe.

My kindling axe is a 20" miner's axe with a 4# head and it works better than any other combo I have used.
 
I split mostly with my Plumb 5 lb. rafting axe on a 36" straight haft. I like curved hafts but it made sense to put the rafter on a straight haft to better utilize the poll.

But I have several other rafters in the pile. And I like the wide heavy poll of a rafter - it's like halfway between an axe and a maul. I suppose I should hang a rafter on a 36" curved haft and see how I like. But I also have Council's 6 lb. flat head fire axe on a 36" curved haft (same as David Martin's axe). I haven't had a chance to split with that one yet. I need to compare it with my rafter.
 
I like a rafting axe on a straight 36". Here's the one I use. Its drift pinned, and I tape it up to save some wear on the hickory. As said, its about half maul.

nwwMymO.jpg


7jRURVF.jpg
 
What I like about my rafting axe....the ability to cleave through a knot.

Knots_2.JPG



Square_peg said:
I had a little fun with this axe today out at the splitting stump. The thing is amazing. It has absolutely no respect for knots.

Knots_1.JPG



You can chop right through 'em. The combination of weight, sharpness and bit geometry is just devastating.

Knots_2.JPG



You can also set the piece of wood on its side and split the knot lengthwise.

You can see the waffle pattern on the poll in this image.

Knots_3.jpg



Or if you hit knots square on center you can split them with an end blow.

Knots_4.jpg



I had dueling brothers out at the wood pile today, the big 5--pound rafter and his little brother, a 3-1/2 pound Plumb single bit. The 3-1/2 pounder did fine on most stuff but on the big knotty stuff it was no contest.

Dueling_brothers.JPG



If you've ever framed houses then you might know the pleasure of driving a hardened 'teco nail' into a knot where you could never drive a sinker. That's kind of how it feels to bash the crap out a knot with this axe. It's like getting even with all the knots that ever got in your way.

Good fun!

Knots_5.jpg
Click to expand...
 
I think a rafting axe would work extremely well. Especially in difficult wood. It's a pattern i don't own yet so I've been using a pretty unique 5lb S&N my cousin gave me for xmas.
pAd3NId.jpg

The haft is pretty beat up at this point. This photo was taken just after I hung it. 36" lightly curved haft. It splits red oak like a demon...
 
thunder, it depends on your wood. Most everyone can get by with a 4-5 lb. rafting pattern that has a thin face. If sharpened right this will
likely split all your wood and cut right through knots. But not on my Emory oak. Even a 6 lb. (5 lb. 10 oz.) Council flat head won't cut through these knots. One has to work around them. Even your Fiskars splitting axe would have a hard time getting much of the rounds split. If you can find an ax with a harden poll that will help you in the long run. My Council is not so I have to baby it along. Your thinking
along the lines of a 36" handle is good. Still, some wood cutting season left here. So, get it and put it through the steps and let us know. DM
 
Oh yeah I have downed trees from wind to cut on my property--so it will be used. I have various mauls and wedges as well, so the tough stuff will get split in some fashion--but I like working with an axe when possible as long as I'm not repeatedly switching back and forth between an axe and a maul. If that happens the maul gets the nod. I'm hoping this weight and profile will do for most of my splitting.
 
I’m a fan of rafting patterns. There are some nice ones posted here as well.

I haven’t fallen a tree lately that needed wedges driven but for splitting, yes. I come across them frequently and will pick them up regardless of maker if they are in good condition.

Square_peg said:
I split mostly with my Plumb 5 lb. rafting axe on a 36" straight haft. I like curved hafts but it made sense to put the rafter on a straight haft to better utilize the poll.

But I have several other rafters in the pile. And I like the wide heavy poll of a rafter - it's like halfway between an axe and a maul. I suppose I should hang a rafter on a 36" curved haft and see how I like. But I also have Council's 6 lb. flat head fire axe on a 36" curved haft (same as David Martin's axe). I haven't had a chance to split with that one yet. I need to compare it with my rafter.
Click to expand...

As far as hanging them on curved handles, seems like a reasonable thing to do. Here is one I found set up on a curved handle - in Washington, of course :)
Gunuh5c.jpg
 
I'm planning a straight handle on my rafting axe so I can optimally use the poll as well. While a curved handle offers better control for chopping at various angles I'm not sure that a curved handle offers any advantages for the downward motion of splitting.
 
thunderstick said:
Thanks and may I ask how you brought the pic into the thread?
Click to expand...

I opened your link, right-clicked the picture, selected “copy image address”, returned to the forum, clicked the little “insert picture icon”(looks like a tiny photo above the text pane), and pasted in the link box.

If you are on a mobile device it varies but with iPhone you can tell it to share via email, email pops up and it is pasted in a draft, you copy that address, and do the insert picture icon routine.

I use Flickr but have yet to find a way to use a mobile device to do this.
 
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