Looking For A Quality Splitting Axe.

Man I'm sure some people will disagree with me, I don't know what kind of splitting axe my grandpa left behind that I have acquired it's good on some stuff, but the one I paid for that I love to death, is the 36 in Fiskars splitting axe from their X Series that has the fiberglass or carbon fiber handle whatever, I'm 5 9 and it seems a little long until you get used to it but I've split some incredibly big logs in one swipe with that thing that I would have had to work with other axes to do the same thing, I know some people will disagree with me on that but that, but for me I think that was one of the best purchases I've ever made in my life because I split my own wood, kindle it, and then charcoal it for my forge... I use that thing a shitload and I have over Struck it on logs extremely hard multiple times before getting the hang of the length of the handle and now I hardly ever over strike it but I haven't been able to damage that carbon fiber or whatever the f*** is made out of its some tough s*** and I think I only paid 45 bucks for mine and I loved it so much I bought the short handle take it to 21 inch handle splitting axe for my backpack and I use that thing everyday because of what I use them for I'm running through Charcoal like crazy but I figured I'd take a chance on those when I bought them and they come with a lifetime warranty to so for the price I paid it was definitely worth it the geometry of the head I don't know it's just crazy how well it splits for me I know a couple of my buddies don't like them but you know it's just personal preference I'd say buy one from Walmart go try it out for a couple days and if you don't like it take it back and get your money back that's what I had planned on doing if I didn't like them but I love them and I got there chopping axes for felling trees from the x-series to and man those things are badass I have probably 30 different axes but those x-series ones are the ones I use the most for one because they're the only non antique ones I own but for two they just work I use the antique ones sometimes like my old Norlunds and old Collins's but thats when I feel like having fun but I use those Fiskars ones for when I want to get the s*** done this is my thoughts on it I hope my comment helps you I mean worst comes to worst you may not like them but for lifetime warranty and a pretty damn tough facts that you don't have to re-hang every time you over strike it hard as hell and Splinter your handle that was worth it to me I've rehandled every axe I own including all my old antiques and the new ones that I don't really enjoy that much I've rehandled every one of my axes at least three times a piece its a lot of damn handles LOL if I can make it up to North Oklahoma where my dad lives I'm going to grab me a bunch of Hedge Apple limbs or some saplings so I can get some nice straight grain handles out of them I'm sure those will last a lot longer that wood is extremely tough
 
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IBurnedMyselfLOL said:
Man I'm sure some people will disagree with me, I don't know what kind of splitting axe my grandpa left behind that I have acquired it's good on some stuff, but the one I paid for that I love to death, is the 36 in Fiskars splitting axe from their X Series that has the fiberglass or carbon fiber handle whatever, I'm 5 9 and it seems a little long until you get used to it but I've split some incredibly big logs in one swipe with that thing that I would have had to work with other axes to do the same thing, I know some people will disagree with me on that but that, but for me I think that was one of the best purchases I've ever made in my life because I split my own wood, kindle it, and then charcoal it for my forge... I use that thing a shitload and I have over Struck it on logs extremely hard multiple times before getting the hang of the length of the handle and now I hardly ever over strike it but I haven't been able to damage that carbon fiber or whatever the f*** is made out of its some tough s*** and I think I only paid 45 bucks for mine and I loved it so much I bought the short handle take it to 21 inch handle splitting axe for my backpack and I use that thing everyday because of what I use them for I'm running through Charcoal like crazy but I figured I'd take a chance on those when I bought them and they come with a lifetime warranty to so for the price I paid it was definitely worth it the geometry of the head I don't know it's just crazy how well it splits for me I know a couple of my buddies don't like them but you know it's just personal preference I'd say buy one from Walmart go try it out for a couple days and if you don't like it take it back and get your money back that's what I had planned on doing if I didn't like them but I love them and I got there chopping axes for felling trees from the x-series to and man those things are badass I have probably 30 different axes but those x-series ones are the ones I use the most for one because they're the only non antique ones I own but for two they just work I use the antique ones sometimes like my old Norlunds and old Collins's but thats when I feel like having fun but I use those Fiskars ones for when I want to get the s*** done this is my thoughts on it I hope my comment helps you I mean worst comes to worst you may not like them but for lifetime warranty and a pretty damn tough facts that you don't have to re-hang every time you over strike it hard as hell and Splinter your handle that was worth it to me I've rehandled every axe I own including all my old antiques and the new ones that I don't really enjoy that much I've rehandled every one of my axes at least three times a piece its a lot of damn handles LOL if I can make it up to North Oklahoma where my dad lives I'm going to grab me a bunch of Hedge Apple limbs or some saplings so I can get some nice straight grain handles out of them I'm sure those will last a lot longer that wood is extremely tough
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No question Fiskars can split some wood, and fast!
 
When it comes to splitting those nasty twisted grain rounds, I also depart from tradition and prefer to use a synthetic handled Fiskars or maul rather than possibly damaging a nice wood handle even though I prefer to split with a traditional maul or axe where its more feasible.
 
David Martin said:
garry3, I watched that some time back. His ax is at 5 lbs. and he only splits pine or spruce. Which looks good on videos. Try those same casual swings & hits on oak and the results won't look as good. DM
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And it's pretty straight grained stuff that he's splitting. Any heavy axe or sharp maul would split that stuff fine.

One thing I've learned when sawing rounds, always saw through or close to the largest knots. This puts them on the surface of your round where they are easiest to cleave through. Even a knot just close to the end of round can still be split down the center with a sharp axe. A dull axe or maul won't do this.

Knots_4.jpg
 
How hard your wood is to split has nothing to do with the post I made. His information is good and could be of value, especially to those that didn't grow up with wood stoves. We all deal with what we have on hand and it varies regionally. Heck we burned western juniper, a soft gnarly wood full of knots and twist because it's all we had.
 
You can find nice old splitting mauls for pocket-change and the steel is better than Fiskars and the handle feels better over a long day, and it will out-split any axe. I have been using the same maul the last fifty years to split thousands upon thousands of pieces of firewood and have only had to put one new handle on it in that time due to rot. There is nothing that can beat a maul when every parameter is considered.
 
Hello. Weight matters. Agree with David Martin, 6(probably 5)lbs will be fine. As already said above, try Huskvarna(6 lbs) or Fiskars(5,85 lbs). To my mind, they have perfect geometry for splitting. Also, don't forget about the handle's straight - however it's comfortable for you.
 
The best "splitting axe" is a small maul. There is a reason they started making splitting mauls, and there is a reason they are called splitting mauls, and there is a reason they still make splitting mauls, because a splitting maul will do the same work a heavier axe will with less work for the user. Unless all you are splitting is small diameter straight-grained sticks then get a maul of about 4 pounds, the ones shaped like a splitting wedge on a stick are best. You can look up the physics and see that a light maul that a user can swing with more speed will have more energy than a heavier axe or maul swung at a lower speed. Anyone splitting large logs with knots or wavy grain using a heavy axe, a trendy fashionable axe, a fireman's axe etc. is simply more interested in having jewelry for their ego than in doing practical work.
 
If you play around with formulas for foot-pounds of energy it is interesting that a five-pound maul will have the same energy as a ten pound maul if it is swung with only 30% more speed, and that is rounded up, it actually is a bit less speed than 30%.

I have used different weight mauls and with a five-pound maul I have split a lot of knotty, wavy-grained wood. A ten pound maul will do the job too, but you will only be able to swing it a tenth the amount of time as the lighter tool, and unless you can swing it at 70% of the speed of the maul weighing half as much you will not be able to as much with it either.

All a five pound axe will do in comparison to a five-pound maul is get stuck in the wood more because it is not as wide and does not have the wedging action of an axe. And if an "axe" does have the same wedging action and weight as a maul, then it is not an axe it is a maul.
 
A standard 6# maul splits to a whole new level if you get a good sharp/thinned profile on the bit edge so that it penetrates rather than bounces. The wide angle will typically keep it from sticking when you open a split just a much as a dull maul.
 
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