Splitting axe suggestion(s)???

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atomicjoe23

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Mar 1, 2011
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I live in the Pacific Northwest (recently moved up here) and my primary means of heat is a wood stove. . .the last two years I have been getting pre-split firewood, but it's cheaper to buy the wood un-split and I find that I actually enjoy splitting the wood.

Up until now when I did need to split my wood into smaller chunks I just used a fiberglass/polymer-handled non-name axe that came with the place, but the handle has a crack in it and the head isn't as tight as I would like it to be. . .so I'm in the market for a new splitting axe. Seeing as how I've kind of gotten into the whole knife-making/blacksmithing thing and have started an apprenticeship as a toolmaker I have a new-found appreciation for quality tools. . .go figure. . .

. . .so here's my question. . .what axe(s) would you guys suggest for splitting firewood?

I would like a quality axe, but I'm not looking to spend $300 on an axe either. . .I generally don't overstrike, but it has happened on occasion so I would like an axe that the handle is gonna explode on me the first time I accidentally overstrike.

I could just re-handle the axe head I have and I may consider doing that just for the heck of it and having a utility axe that I don't care about hurting, but if I can buy a quality splitting axe at a reasonable price I would rather go that route.

Thanks!
 
I'm also interested in a good splitting Axe. I am aware of gb and wetterlings. Are there any other quality Axe makers out there? I'd prefer a nice wooden handle and american made for under $100.
 
bearhunter said:
you should also check out the gransfors bruks line. i have their splitting maul and its nice;)
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I saw that one in Lee Valley and thought it might be a good one. . .

Chris Pierce said:
I'm also interested in a good splitting Axe. I am aware of gb and wetterlings. Are there any other quality Axe makers out there? I'd prefer a nice wooden handle and american made for under $100.
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. . .you know I would be partial to an American made axe as well. . .I know that European products also have a high-quality and the old-world craftsmanship carries it's own appeal, but in the current economic environment I prefer to support the American worker as much as possible.
 
I use a GB maul for splitting rounds in two or slicing into plates. I then move to an axe to finish splitting pieces. The GB maul is nice. It has a metal collar on the handle and I use an extra rubber handle guard. The maul is a bit on the short end (length-wise) but still good.

The GB splitting axes are a little cheaper but are without a hardened poll for hammering wedges.

I've used fiberglass mauls and splitting axes to good success as well. Benefit is they are cheap.
 
When splitting, you don't want to be swinging a heavier axe than necessary so it's good to have at least two. Fiskars makes a series of splitters that are very effective and reasonably priced. For a typical splitting session I'll bring my 2 1/4 lb Fiskars, 4 1/2 lb Fiskars and a wood handled maul in the 5 1/2 to 7 lb range.
 
I love custom made, quality stuff.. and I hope to make my own splitting axe someday. But I've been heating with wood for 8 years now and if the whole process isn't optimized for economy and minimal motion.. it will burn you out real fast. That's about the time you start thinking about having a couple brawny lads and lasses to share the labor.

I have yet to find something that will split better and more consistently that this:

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The first thing you do when you get it is grind off that crap neoprene and wrap some leather around it. It ain't pretty.. and it's damn heavy.. but that weight and that shape usually guarantees a split (oak and maple) every time and it saves you all the fuss of using wedges, etc. With the weight of this thing, I rarely have to actually swing it. I just lift it over my head and let it drop.. much easier on your body than hard splitting axe swinging.

Having said that.. I still drool over a GB splitting axe.
 
sort of depends on what kind of wood you're working on........if it's truly hard hardwoods, the big heavy beast scottroush pictured is probably the way to go.

I have both a GB splitting maul and a (husky-branded) Wetterlings splitting axe. I use the maul for harder stuff, and the splitting axe for aspen. I really like both of them, when I'm using them appropriately. It is, indeed, nice to also have a splitter that isn't as heavy as a maul. As much as I like the Wetterlings (esp. for the low price paid!), I'd have to recommend the GB splitting axe, just because of the metal collar. I've had to replace the handle on my Wetterlings twice (once my fault, and once was my wife's). I've beat the tar out of the GB, and you just can't tell.

FWIW, both the GB and Wetterlings are way better splitters than the fiberglass-handled-maul that the previous owners of my house left behind.


-ben
 
I honestly really like the Gerber/Fiskars splitting axe. Works great and doesn't cost a lot.
 
Even when coal had replaced wood as the primary fuel for heating buildings, split wood was needed to start the coal fires. The public knew more about axes and axe use. Lots of good axes were in commerce made by companies like Kelly, Plumb, Collins, and Vaughn. Those axes, or their heads, sell pretty cheap on eBay. Pay attention. Avoid heads that are all beat up, and the worst that you have to do is install a new handle. If you can install a new handle (opportunity!), try to find a straight handle as they work better.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/fspubs/99232823/index.htm
 
The Fiskars Super Splitter has my attention right now because it's on sale for $40 and I haven't heard anyone say a bad thing about it yet. . .

. . .I also know of a garage with over a dozen axes in it that I wasn't interested in before, but now I may have to check them out, pretty sure I can get them for no more than $10 apiece, but the old man was a toolmaker so I'm sure he would have had quality tools.
 
I've had good luck splitting some really gnarly doug fir and larch using a large axe with a wide bit. In my case it was a 6 pound True Temper Baltimore pattern, but even a 5 pounder should work just fine. It would actually plow through some stuff that a normal splitting maul would just bounce right off of. That was splitting rounds between 24 and 30 inches most of the time. Maybe you can score something awesome in that garage.
 
atomicjoe23 said:
The Fiskars Super Splitter has my attention right now because it's on sale for $40 and I haven't heard anyone say a bad thing about it yet. . .

. . .I also know of a garage with over a dozen axes in it that I wasn't interested in before, but now I may have to check them out, pretty sure I can get them for no more than $10 apiece, but the old man was a toolmaker so I'm sure he would have had quality tools.
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I probably have about 15 splitters and if I could keep just one it would probably be the Super Splitter. The Super Splitter has been replaced by the X25 but the SS has superior head geometry in my opinion. Both of these axes are 28 inches in length which is inherently more dangerous than the longer axe you have been using. You'll really have to be careful especially in the beginning while you're getting used to the new axe. Another option is the Fiskars X27 which is 36inches. All of the Fiskars splitters rely heavily on a sharp edge so you need to keep your swings out of the dirt.

An old toolmaker with a garage full of axes is Nirvana, post some pics if you get a chance!
 
Will do on the pic's. . .

. . .I was gonna measure the axe that I'm using now because I was thinking of going with the X27 since I'm pretty sure it would be closer to the length that I'm used to.

I always use a round below the wood to be split so no worries about burying the head in the dirt here.

Thanks again!
 
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