Splitting/Chopping Tool Review Thread

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Do you have a copy that we can enlarge so I can read the darn thing? With many of the different head designs I could re-name them again for the regional styles here in Canada. Many of those head are known by much different names up here.
Looks like woodchuck found it. I saw that on google.
 
Whats this about a noon closing on Saturdays?

Are you a believer now in the Fiskars and the S series line up? You know one for the house a few at the shop, one in the truck, one on the tractor...........

Hey, we like weekends too! During the warm months, we are open 8-6 during the week and the 8-12 on Saturday. That's 54 hours a week, and it's enough. (winter is 9-5 during the week). Saturday is primarily a drop off/pick up day. After so many years, people "get it". Well, at least the locals get it. Probably not so much the weekenders, but the store really isn't about them like other local businesses that cater to, and depend on them. We are a more pro/serious user type of shop geared towards the working guys. My saw sales mix is 85% pro saws. But either way, when noontime hits on Saturday, I'm not interested in more customers/business. I'm looking forward to enjoying the weekend with family and friends just like everybody else. :)

No, I'm still not a Fiskars guy. (except for their bow saws which are cheap and very good.) But I stock them because they are the best recognized and popular brand out there and they are the only one with the longer handle that the bigger guys prefer. We revisited that ash to get some more and I had my Collins 6lb, and that was at least the equal of the S2800. Didn't bring the wood handle Husky splitting axe as this wood was way to big, and not necessarily as straight grained as ash usually is. Didn't have a wood handled Husky maul to try. The 8lb council hadn't done as well on the last trip because the edge is old and untouched, and the weight was more than what we have grown used to. The collins 6lb has a very nice edge that I put on it. The Total maul didn't work as good, because it just isn't.
 
Hey, we like weekends too! During the warm months, we are open 8-6 during the week and the 8-12 on Saturday. That's 54 hours a week, and it's enough. (winter is 9-5 during the week). Saturday is primarily a drop off/pick up day. After so many years, people "get it". Well, at least the locals get it. Probably not so much the weekenders, but the store really isn't about them like other local businesses that cater to, and depend on them. We are a more pro/serious user type of shop geared towards the working guys. My saw sales mix is 85% pro saws. But either way, when noontime hits on Saturday, I'm not interested in more customers/business. I'm looking forward to enjoying the weekend with family and friends just like everybody else. :)

I agree.

Your schedule is almost identical to my mom and pop family run dealer.

I have zero issues with it and I don't think any of the locals do either.
 
Found these in a box of stuff from cleaning my grandpa's garage out 12 years ago after he passed and we were moving my grandma into a nursing home. Drilled the remaining wood out the eyes tonight. Not that I need more axes but what the heck, it's a fairly cheap winter project. That DB has seen some use judging by the uneven edges
image.jpg
 
Found these in a box of stuff from cleaning my grandpa's garage out 12 years ago after he passed and we were moving my grandma into a nursing home. Drilled the remaining wood out the eyes tonight. Not that I need more axes but what the heck, it's a fairly cheap winter project. That DB has seen some use judging by the uneven edges
View attachment 397893
Found some real nice handles for the two larger single bits and the DB tonight. Will fit this weekend. The little head had a tiny eye so may need to order one.
 
I measured the eye on that little head and found out it is a "scout" axe. Which is smaller than a boys axe yet the head is larger than a standard hatchet although they are sometimes grouped together.
 
Resurrected three of the 4 heads that I posted above. Nice looking grain on the single bit handles.

Split a little box elder at my neighbors house. Need to do some more splitting to buff the rust off of these.

View attachment 401756

Looks good!

A flap wheel on a right angle grinder does a marvelous job of polishing them. They leave no swirl marks. I've use then on plow shares as well. Can also be used to dress the edge a bit.

They might not have the rustic look, but they do look sweet. You can always leave them out in the rain if you want the rustic look back.

It definitely reduces friction.
 
Those look great. Good for you for bringing them back to life!!
 
After watching Benp's video I realised I've been doing it wrong LOL
I did find this video while surfing Utube .
10 minutes long but the older chap sure gets it done all by hand from felling to splitting with an X25.



Interesting to see what he does with the birch that he doesn't split .

All done without the assistance of an internal combustion engine. That elderly gentleman looks trim and healthy.
 
Resurrected three of the 4 heads that I posted above. Nice looking grain on the single bit handles.

Split a little box elder at my neighbors house. Need to do some more splitting to buff the rust off of these.

View attachment 401756

did you make those handles? they are beautiful.
 
All done without the assistance of an internal combustion engine. That elderly gentleman looks trim and healthy.
I find it funny that one of the quotes from the fit gentleman in the video is actually "Back in the late 50s we still had proper axes" :D
 
Estwing, of course, has the solid metal hammers, where the head and handle are forged of one piece. They also make a solid metal 'campers axe' that was very popular for many years on canoe trips, etc., because of it's compact size and indestructible nature. What I see a lot of the canoeists buying now, are the Gerber axes, which are the same as the Fiskars, due to the lighter weight. Would not want to use either one of these 3/4 length axes for high volume splitting, but they work for campfires (and field dressing moose, apparently).

Philbert

View attachment 390051


Man, my dad has had one of these Estwing's for as long as I can remember. We've used it for everything from clearing ATV trails of blowdowns to splitting wood around a campfire. I watched him cut down the broken off trunk of a 20" pine with that thing in about 20 chops and looking back, I can't believe how much of a feat that really was. I don't think I can remember a single trip to any woods, anywhere, that didn't involve that axe. I picked one up on clearance from Cabela's about 5 years ago and have used it for tons of tasks. Lightweight, solid, good price, and nostalgic (for me, at least). I'll never have to buy another axe again.

Keep in mind... I didn't say I use it for splitting regularly. The ol' X27 still reigns supreme there. ;)

Thanks @Philbert for the nostalgia overdose to finish out my day at work :cheers:.
 

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