Best Splitting Axe - Opinions?

[Slamm]

Hey, bytehoven,

Does that leather sheath setup come with the little hachet?? If not where did you get it and how much??

Thanks,

Sam

 

[TRI955]

Gransfor large splitting axe for me.


Mike

 

[teatersroad]

My favorite splitting maul, St. Vincent Depaul 8# ($3.00) with the occasional new hickory handle. Then it's all zen. I looked at the Fiskars, but can't imagine using that short of handle. 33" exposed here, and I use every bit of it. 20% of the time the splitting wedge comes out (20" Juniper rounds). That's what works best for me.

http://www.woodheat.org/firewood/splitting.htm Not implying anything, just that I learned something here.

 

[Erick]

Anybody have a photo of the 14" hachet with or/in the carrying case or sheath??? I like to carry a small hachet to get the saw out of a bind and I might like the little fiskar, but want to see what the carrying case looks like, and I can't find a photo of it.

thanks,

Sam

Sam if you buy the Fiskars under the Gerber name you get a pretty nice nylon sheath with it.

This is the one I have, great little tool but way light for things like pounding wedges. It will surprise you though as to what it will cut, I've beat the fire out of mine and it's as good as the day I bought it... many.. many years ago.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I have split hundreds of cords of wood with this maul and another just like it with a fiberglass handle. This one is 7 pounds with a 30" handle, the other is 6 pounds with a 26" fiberglass handle. I don't know the names of them I got them at Farm and Fleet, just generic mauls, but they work for me. The wood handle has less hand shock. I have heard all good things about the Fiskars, but never tried one yet. I usually burn Red Oak which splits easy with a maul. I now have 1.5 miles of Osage (hedge) the farmer said I can have. That called for a splitter so I broke down and bought one, it will even make a 30 ton splitter grunt, but it burns great.

If you just want a splitting wedge for splitting wood then that is all a person really needs, I have a 6 lb and a 8 lb one like it made by truetemper, they are 35 years old or older and still splitting, the still will be when I am gone. The wood handles have been replaced a couple of times but they have not required sharpening, good enough tool steel to hold a good edge.
If you want a show off tool then spending heaps of money on a big name product that does the same job.
Pioneerguy600

 

[Slamm]

Sam if you buy the Fiskars under the Gerber name you get a pretty nice nylon sheath with it.

This is the one I have, great little tool but way light for things like pounding wedges. It will surprise you though as to what it will cut, I've beat the fire out of mine and it's as good as the day I bought it... many.. many years ago.

Thanks, Erick, are there local stores where you can get one of those Gerbers models. I like that nylon sheath, as I wouldn't have to unsnap two snaps just to get it out.

I know its not the best for pounding wedges, but I've used a smaller camp hachet and its is fine for setting wedges incase a tree might setback or wedging while bucking up large logs or tensioned stuff that might pinch the bar. If I need to really get a tree to go the other way I use the skidder, LOL.

Sam

 

[Old51AVE]

That's a nice bit of kit! Did you make the leather goods yourself?

Old51AVE :greenchainsaw:

 

[bytehoven]

Hey, bytehoven,

Does that leather sheath setup come with the little hachet?? If not where did you get it and how much??

Thanks,

Sam

I just found the image and posted it. Do a google image search for Fiskars Sheath and a couple of pages in you will see the pic. You might be able to order.

It is a nice setup.

 

[Erick]

If you just want a splitting wedge for splitting wood then that is all a person really needs, I have a 6 lb and a 8 lb one like it made by truetemper, they are 35 years old or older and still splitting, the still will be when I am gone. The wood handles have been replaced a couple of times but they have not required sharpening, good enough tool steel to hold a good edge.
If you want a show off tool then spending heaps of money on a big name product that does the same job.
Pioneerguy600

Jerry I used to say the same thing "how much better can it be??? A wedge is a wedge right?" And just like you I stood by my old tried and true 8lb True Temper maul....... I'm telling you try the Super Splitter.

I said the same thing about the short handle and all.... I was the consummate skeptic. I don't know why it works all I know is it does. The damn thing defies physics.

Don't waste your time or money on anything else, I've got the Stihl (Ox Head) sticking..... oooops I mean splitting axe, man did they ever mis-name that thing. On the other hand the Stihl is quite possibly the most perfect fallers axe ever made for pounding wedges and chopping out.

I've got the little fiberglass handle True Temper cheapie with the little wedge wings.... Nope

Most worthless piece of dung I've ever had the displeasure to waste money on.

The Super Splitter puts'em all to shame, that thing will split things you'd never in a million years think it'd split, and when you do come upon something that gives you fits picking up the ole tried and true 8lb'er gets you absolutely nothing more.

Only bad thing I can say about the Fiskars is that it almost will not stick..... yeah I know "but thats a good thing you idiot"..... not when you're splitting some nasty old Hickory and instead of sticking the round closes back up on the axe with enough force to through the axe head back at you and damn near split your wig.

If you're used to the old long handled maul like I was the Fiskars will require you to make a few slight adjustments to how you do things but once you get it all figured out it splits like nothing else I've ever seen.

 

[bytehoven]

BTW...

It's also worth picking up one of those Fiskars blade sharpeners. I run my axe through the sharpener a few strokes before putting it away and it's honed back to a fine edge.

 

[gwiley]

ludell splitting axe

The ludell splitting axe is the msot effective splitting tool that I have used. It has a long fiberglass handle that absorbs vibration well. You can find these at Lowes or Home Depot.

 

[GM_DaddyMac]

Fiskars Super Splitter. Nuff said.

:agree2:

 

[Erick]

Thanks, Erick, are there local stores where you can get one of those Gerbers models. I like that nylon sheath, as I wouldn't have to unsnap two snaps just to get it out.

I know its not the best for pounding wedges, but I've used a smaller camp hachet and its is fine for setting wedges incase a tree might setback or wedging while bucking up large logs or tensioned stuff that might pinch the bar. If I need to really get a tree to go the other way I use the skidder, LOL.

Sam

Sam just do some searches they sell the Gerbers at Wally World, K-mart, Bass Pro, etc. I think you might have to pay a little for them to stamp the Gerber name on it but if you look around it shouldn't hurt to bad.

 

[bullittman281]

I've got a question for you guys. How long does the non-stick coating last? I bought a Fiskars a while back and splitting some elm round I could watch the coating wear off. After a couple of rounds it was all but gone. I'm talking way less that half a cord. The thing work pretty good but boy will it get stuck. On the elm rounds the old maul does the same thing with out getting stuck. I know your not supposed to split elm by hand but that's what I've done. I'm just curious what others travles with the coating have been. Let me know.

Bullittman

 

[SawTroll]

That is just a toy, in the context of splitting firewood........

 

[Slamm]

That is just a toy, in the context of splitting firewood........

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.

Thanks,

Sam

 

[CTSawTech]

For the price you really can't go wrong with the Fiskars SS.

I have it, use it often and love it.

It's light weight keeps me from getting tired out as quickly as those "other" heavier splitting axes.

 

[teatersroad]

not when you're splitting some nasty old Hickory and instead of sticking the round closes back up on the axe with enough force to through the axe head back at you and damn near split your wig.

If you're used to the old long handled maul like I was the Friskers will require you to make a few slight adjustments to how you do things but once you get it all figured out it splits like nothing else I've ever seen.

ok, I do believe in a better mouse trap, just haven't seen it yet. Maybe I can rent one of these from the ol' despot Having never cursed what I have though, it's hard to spend $50 on the next best thing.

 

[howellhandmade]

I have the Fiskars Super Splitter, the Husqvarna (Gransfors) splitting maul, a hardware-store 6-lb. maul, and the Helko Tomahawk. Personal preference in mauls seems to vary quite a bit, but I use the Fiskars the most. It really is more than the sum of its parts. I want the Gransfors to work the best because it was the most expensive and has that handmade vibe and a comfy hickory handle. But going back and forth between them, I get more pop with less effort from the Fiskars. Yes, a lot of the nonstick coating has worn off, but I don't notice it getting stuck any more than the other mauls. The Helko may get stuck the least, but that's because it seems either to split the piece or bounce off. You could do like I did and spend $70 on the Helko and $90 on the Gransfors before trying the Fiskars. Or, you could try the $40 Fiskars first, and if you're one of the few people who don't seem to get along with it, then switch to the more expensive options.

Jack

 

[pioneerguy600]

Jerry I used to say the same thing "how much better can it be??? A wedge is a wedge right?" And just like you I stood by my old tried and true 8lb True Temper maul....... I'm telling you try the Super Splitter.

I said the same thing about the short handle and all.... I was the consummate skeptic. I don't know why it works all I know is it does. The damn thing defies physics.

Don't waste your time or money on anything else, I've got the Stihl (Ox Head) sticking..... oooops I mean splitting axe, man did they ever mis-name that thing. On the other hand the Stihl is quite possibly the most perfect fallers axe ever made for pounding wedges and chopping out.

I've got the little fiberglass handle True Temper cheapie with the little wedge wings.... Nope

Most worthless piece of dung I've ever had the displeasure to waste money on.

The Super Splitter puts'em all to shame, that thing will split things you'd never in a million years think it'd split, and when you do come upon something that gives you fits picking up the ole tried and true 8lb'er gets you absolutely nothing more.

Only bad thing I can say about the Fiskars is that it almost will not stick..... yeah I know "but thats a good thing you idiot"..... not when you're splitting some nasty old Hickory and instead of sticking the round closes back up on the axe with enough force to through the axe head back at you and damn near split your wig.

If you're used to the old long handled maul like I was the Fiskars will require you to make a few slight adjustments to how you do things but once you get it all figured out it splits like nothing else I've ever seen.

Well Eric, maybe you can`t teach old dogs new tricks. I most likely have different wood here to split, it splits easily with the tools I have or it gets noodled into submission. If all that fails we pull out the 40 ton V twin, I have yet to see something stop it. Frozen hardwood splits quite easily, usually only a bump or two will halve a 24" round, the rest splits off like kindling.
Pioneerguy600