Best Splitting Axe - Opinions?

[SawTroll]

Used two of them a medium one and a larger one, the larger one was ok i think, don't remember the weight on them
they are good axes but i just don't think as nice to work with as the gränsfors and the steel in the fiskars seems to be more brittle !?
I was a bit disappointed by them, i now allot of people think they are top notch i might have bad pair ,,,,,

What annoys me with wooden handle axes is that you need to set them in water for some time now and then, to make the head stay on - and then they rust. If you haven't used them in a while, you don't really know if they are ready to be used, or not.

I had a smaller (2lbs head) "Husky" branded Granfors (as a "woods" axe), but I didn't like it, for that reason (I have no idea where it is today and don't care).

 

[Taxmantoo]

Glad to see that you know that SawTroll. Because I'm sure nobody else is going to try and split wood with a little hachet like that.

I use them to split stove wood into kindling.
Thinking of buying a leather handled Estwing E24A, too bad the Fireside Friend is plastic handled now.




Or, alternately, I could get something to match my Super Splitter, probably the 14", the 8" just seems too tiny:

 

[shovelhead11]

I have always wanted a Gransfors maul. But just couldn't bring myself to pay that much for one. So I got a Helko Vario heavy splitting axe. It works better than anything I have ever used. Of course I have never used a Gransfors or oxehead. Maybe someday.

 

[lmalterna]

True that wooden handles can dry and shrink but please do not soak in water. Instead use something like linseed oil and thin with acetone or a flo additive for oil based paints.... it will soak in the end grain and seal the handle...

I also use binding tape on my splitting maul handle just below the head. Prevents splinters from gouging the handle over time.

For hollow handle tools, I fill with Great Stuff expanding foam to deaden vibrations a little.

2Door

 

[Gypo Logger]

What annoys me with wooden handle axes is that you need to set them in water for some time now and then, to make the head stay on - and then they rust. If you haven't used them in a while, you don't really know if they are ready to be used, or not.

I had a smaller (2lbs head) "Husky" branded Granfors (as a "woods" axe), but I didn't like it, for that reason (I have no idea where it is today and don't care).

I found a good solution to prevent the handle becoming loose. The best wooden handles are the ones that aren't split to recieve the wedge as these seem to split and break alot sooner. I drive a small wedge into the solid wood.
Fibreglass handles seem the way to go although the wooden ones have a better feel about them.
John

 

[teatersroad]

Er, yes. One of these would probably count:

http://www.vipukirves.fi/

nice Finnish

 

[teatersroad]

pasted from the link earlier in this thread:

Use a six-pound maul rather than the eight or ten-pound models. A lighter maul can be swung much FASTER. Velocity is more important than mass in producing results. Perhaps this is related to the laws of physics, which state that energy is proportional to the SQUARE of velocity, but only DIRECTLY proportional to mass. Thus, the maul head should be traveling as fast as possible when it strikes the wood. It takes a very strong person to properly accelerate a large maul.

********

You are going to get more velocity with the longer handle though, so even without a wrist snap on 8#, well... it's a different tool for a different job. like hammers and nails.

my shed, my wood: Wedges, maul, splitting maul, and one fss (to be had)

 

[Finland]

Problem solved

What annoys me with wooden handle axes is that you need to set them in water for some time now and then, to make the head stay on - and then they rust. If you haven't used them in a while, you don't really know if they are ready to be used, or not.

I had a smaller (2lbs head) "Husky" branded Granfors (as a "woods" axe), but I didn't like it, for that reason (I have no idea where it is today and don't care).

Hello
I know your problem.
It has been solved in my invention.
Below some advice from my websites.

* Thanks to the special method of fastening the blade to the handle, the blade of theVIPUKIRVES™
does not come off the handle even if the handle dries out.

* Do not place your VIPUKIRVES™ into a container of water to make its handle swell.

VIPUKIRVES STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS:
The physical properties of wood include that it becomes drier in dry surroundings, and then it also shrinks. This may cause the blade to become slightly loose on the handle and show some movements with respect to the handle. however, thanks to the way it is attachedto the handle, the blade will not come off.

You can prevent this loosening by storing your VIPUKIRVES in the woodshed or other such non-heated facility. If this is not possible, keep the axe in some other facility where the air is naturally damp, e.g. bathroom, outdoor storage room.

However, if there is looseness between the handle and the blade, proceed as follows: Wrap the blade end of your VIPUKIRVES in a damp towel and then place a plastic bag over it. Close the bag. Leave for a few days. The handle will then swell back and the blade will again grip tightly.

* VIPUKIRVES is well painted to prevent the rust*

A lot of information can be found about VIPUKIRVES / LEVERAXE from GOOGLE, You Tube , and http://www.vipukirves.fi/english/index.htm Best regards from Finland
Heikki, the inventor

 

[procarbine2k1]

I love my Ludell splitting axe. I painted the head white/ red instead of black, because I have a habit of laying it down in the woods. The Fiskars looks nice though, may have to give one of those a shot sometime.

 

[SawTroll]

True that wooden handles can dry and shrink but please do not soak in water. Instead use something like linseed oil and thin with acetone or a flo additive for oil based paints.... it will soak in the end grain and seal the handle...

I also use binding tape on my splitting maul handle just below the head. Prevents splinters from gouging the handle over time.

For hollow handle tools, I fill with Great Stuff expanding foam to deaden vibrations a little.

2Door

I have actually thought of linseed oil, but never got around to try it.

Staying with Fiskars was an easy way to get around the issue!

 

[SawTroll]

Hello
I know your problem.
It has been solved in my invention.
Below some advice from my websites.

* Thanks to the special method of fastening the blade to the handle, the blade of theVIPUKIRVES™
does not come off the handle even if the handle dries out.

* Do not place your VIPUKIRVES™ into a container of water to make its handle swell.

VIPUKIRVES STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS:
The physical properties of wood include that it becomes drier in dry surroundings, and then it also shrinks. This may cause the blade to become slightly loose on the handle and show some movements with respect to the handle. however, thanks to the way it is attachedto the handle, the blade will not come off.

You can prevent this loosening by storing your VIPUKIRVES in the woodshed or other such non-heated facility. If this is not possible, keep the axe in some other facility where the air is naturally damp, e.g. bathroom, outdoor storage room.

However, if there is looseness between the handle and the blade, proceed as follows: Wrap the blade end of your VIPUKIRVES in a damp towel and then place a plastic bag over it. Close the bag. Leave for a few days. The handle will then swell back and the blade will again grip tightly.

* VIPUKIRVES is well painted to prevent the rust*

A lot of information can be found about VIPUKIRVES / LEVERAXE from GOOGLE, You Tube , and http://www.vipukirves.fi/english/index.htm Best regards from Finland
Heikki, the inventor

Looks like you solved the danger issue of a loose head, but not the basic problem.
"A few days" out of commision is not acceptable, when you need the axe!

 

[Finland]

Additional information

Looks like you solved the danger issue of a loose head, but not the basic problem.
"A few days" out of commision is not acceptable, when you need the axe!

As I stated in my previous message, the axe blade WILL NOT get rid of the handle even if it is dry. It may become wobbly, loose, but it will keep in the handle, shaft.
This is because of the form of the eye in the blade .It is conical.The other end of the hole is bigger.

The end of the shaft is formed to be exactly fit to the eye of the blade. So, even if the shaft is dry, it will get tighter on each strike. It may give some extra noise when you split, but it does not have any significance.

Heikki

 

[teatersroad]

The end of the shaft is formed to be exactly fit to the eye of the blade. So, even if the shaft is dry, it will get tighter on each strike. It may give some extra noise when you split, but it does not have any significance.

Heikki

what you are describing is the typical handle arrangement for a pickaxe.

 

[SawTroll]

As I stated in my previous message, the axe blade WILL NOT get rid of the handle even if it is dry. It may become wobbly, loose, but it will keep in the handle, shaft.
This is because of the form of the eye in the blade .It is conical.The other end of the hole is bigger.

The end of the shaft is formed to be exactly fit to the eye of the blade. So, even if the shaft is dry, it will get tighter on each strike. It may give some extra noise when you split, but it does not have any significance.

Heikki

Even if the head stay in place, the looseness still will cause wear and tear - I sure would feel bad, using it in that condition!

Btw, why do you think that putting the head end in a wet towel for days, with a plastic bag around it, will cause less rust than putting it in a bucket of water for a few hours?

 

[teatersroad]

Hello
I know your problem.
It has been solved in my invention.

btw..bravo to you for having an idea and running with it.

 

[Finland]

Even if the head stay in place, the looseness still will cause wear and tear - I sure would feel bad, using it in that condition!

Btw, why do you think that putting the head end in a wet towel for days, with a plastic bag around it, will cause less rust than putting it in a bucket of water for a few hours?

Your choice. I only told about my solution to the problem.

The axe blade is well painted, so it will not get rusty, except the places which touches the wood while splitting. That is why it is advisable to put some oil to the blade every now and then.

The reason why I don't recommend to put the blade to the water is, that in the water may be all kind of bacteria that may cause rotting in the shaft. If you cover the blade to a moist towel and put it to a plastic bag then the humidity in the bag is clean without any bacteria, so you will not damage the shaft.

The easiest way to avoid these "problems" is to keep the AXE in a place where is natural moist in the air.

All these things are explained In my websites + much more. I will anyway answer you willingly to relevant questions, if any.

Heikki:computer:

 

[edisto]

Even if the head stay in place, the looseness still will cause wear and tear - I sure would feel bad, using it in that condition!

Btw, why do you think that putting the head end in a wet towel for days, with a plastic bag around it, will cause less rust than putting it in a bucket of water for a few hours?

It's not the rust that is the issue (the paint on the head prevents that).

It's a matter of soaking vs. hydrating the wood. The towel will add moisture, and swell the head. Putting the head in water is a bad idea, because the wood swells too much, and the lignin fibers become overly compressed. They don't bounce back, so one the handle dries out, the head will be more loose than before.

The reason why I don't recommend to put the blade to the water is, that in the water may be all kind of bacteria that may cause rotting in the shaft.

Another good reason not to soak them.

 

[SawTroll]

It's not the rust that is the issue (the paint on the head prevents that).

It's a matter of soaking vs. hydrating the wood. The towel will add moisture, and swell the head. Putting the head in water is a bad idea, because the wood swells too much, and the lignin fibers become overly compressed. They don't bounce back, so one the handle dries out, the head will be more loose than before.
.....

OK, that sounds logical.

.... but it still doesn't solve the issue of several days down time, with the damp towel and plastic bag method!

 

[Erick]

I thought you needed to be a sponsor to advertise your products for sale on AS???? :dunno:

 

[SawTroll]

I thought you needed to be a sponsor to advertise your products for sale on AS???? :dunno:

I also thought about that - one of the reasons that I have been a bit critical to his claims in public, instead of discussing it in pms first.