Splitting/Chopping Tool Review Thread

[Mustang71]

The x27 works great in the right wood. Wedges are slow and require a lot of energy but they work. Maybe try a few types of wedges too. I have one of those wood grenade ones and it works great if it doesn't pop out. That's y sometimes the beater axe is a great wedge. It's skinny and doesnt pop out. Swing it into the wood and hammer it through with the sledge.

 

[Philbert]

Big a** bandsaw with a sliding table is probably the best. Seen whole cows cut in half in the packing plants with those. I don't expect anyone to buy one for firewood, but it some packing house near you goes out of business and has an auction . . . .

Philbert

 

[LondonNeil]

Each has their own favourites, myself I hate my wood grenade the most!

 

[woodsrider]

THE brown truck delivered a Wetterlings 118 outdoor axe today. It put a smile on my stocking.

Beautiful handle on the Wetterlings....I like the grain pattern.

 

[Mustang71]

Each has their own favourites, myself I hate my wood grenade the most!

I don't mind it. It doesn't give you a nice clean split but it does break it into chunks and usually that last hit when the wood explodes that wedge is like a bullet through the wood. I have had it fully burried in a round though without it splitting and that's a tricky situation.

 

[LondonNeil]

Yes, I've nailed rounds to my block with it. What I hate is the zero control of a split direction, and mainly that it doesn't actually have much splitting oomph.

 

[Mustang71]

I'm just happy it's split lol it's like hammering a nail into a 2x4 on the 2 side it splits because you are pounding a large diameter object into a non existent space. I like axe splitting or maul splitting so whatever shape or size I need to get a round into to split I'm happy. Throw a traditional wedge into my splitting tools and I'll be picking and choosing instead of getting work done.

 

[Lowhog]

If the 8 pounder doesn't do the job go hydraulic with a honda motor.

 

[Lowhog]

Last of the nos Wetterlings Appalachian forest axe model w123 with a 3 pound head 31.5" haft. Razor sharp from the factory plus the wood orientation is excellent.

 

[Multifaceted]

Nice looking axe, @Lowhog - I thought about getting one a while back, probably still could, but as much as I love Swedish axes, I love restoring the old ones more. Are you going to see a doctor about this sudden onset of the Swedish axe bug? ha ha ha

I was hoping to get out this weekend to test about four of my most recently acquired and restored axes, but it has been raining for most the whole day. And, alas, starting tomorrow my wife and I will be going on the annual traveling family holiday circus until next Tues, so it'll have to wait, again...

 

[Lowhog]

Thats it on spending the big $ for now the Wife will cut off the family jewels if I keep this up. In the future it wll be flea market, garage sale finds only.

 

[Multifaceted]

Interesting that they use a metal stepped wedge in addition to the wood wedge on the heavier Appalachian Forest Axe. I thought all Wetterlings axes were wood fit.

 

[Lowhog]

Interesting that they use a metal stepped wedge in addition to the wood wedge on the heavier Appalachian Forest Axe. I thought all Wetterlings axes were wood fit.

I read somewhere all large chopping Wetterlings had the metal wedge.

 

[Multifaceted]

You're probably right, that actually makes pretty good sense. On my restorations I've been trying to do without them because they always seem to split the end grain. The heaviest I've hung sans stepped wedge is a 3.75 lb Fulton single bit, and so far it's not budged. Still haven't given it the business, so time will tell. I'll saturate the end grain of of the eye with BLO until it stops taking it up and the wood visibly swells. I've got a handfull of the circular/conical "safety" wedges to use if in a pinch, they seem less like to walk on you when driving them in and split the grain. Nothing grinds my gears more than spending the time getting a perfect fit, having the wood wedge fill the gaps, and then splitting the end grain while driving in a metal stepped wedge... total buzzkill.

 

[Philbert]

You guys got me feeling bad about all of the old, rusty axes I have passed by at garage sales. Great; another thing to accumulate!

Philbert

 

[dancan]

Philbert, I try to limit my spending on axes to 10$ an axe head , it has to be special for me to spend more .
Most of the time handles end up costing me more than the axe .
With that in mind it keeps it a pretty cheap hobby.
Buying heads from the Bay will make it a expensive hobby in no time.

 

[Multifaceted]

Philbert, I try to limit my spending on axes to 10$ an axe head , it has to be special for me to spend more .
Most of the time handles end up costing me more than the axe .
With that in mind it keeps it a pretty cheap hobby.
Buying heads from the Bay will make it a expensive hobby in no time.

I agree, the handles tend to be a it more than what I'll spend on the steel. I also like to have sheaths on mine because I keep them all shaving sharp. As soon as I can find where I can get 5/4 boards of hickory, I'm going to start making my own. I have plans to do some leather-working for the sheaths as well, just don't have the necessary tools yet, chiefly a punch and rivet setter.

You guys got me feeling bad about all of the old, rusty axes I have passed by at garage sales. Great; another thing to accumulate!

Philbert

Don't feel bad, get motivated! The ones you don't care much for you can give as awesome gifts, or sell them to fund the hobby or buy better tools. Join us over in the Axe Restoration Thread and start to amass a collection of restored axes... and maybe a purchased few... they're addictive.

 

[Lowhog]

Surprised Wetterlings didn't use the metal wedge in the Hudson Bay I hear they have a tendency to loosen up.

 

[Lowhog]

This winter a axe rack is on my to do list.

 

[Multifaceted]

Surprised Wetterlings didn't use the metal wedge in the Hudson Bay I hear they have a tendency to loosen up.

If it's hung properly, there's no need, it's only 2.5 lb. Though the biggest weakness of the HB/Trade Axe patterns is the lack of metal to wood contact with the short head. This is where Swedish and other like axes make up for that with the lugs on the sides, it provides for more surface contact. I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that Wetterlings HB loose heads are from being constantly stored indoors where it is dry and the wood shrinks. On any axe I buy or restore, I'll saturate the end grain of the eye with BLO until the wood no longer drinks it up and swells the wood. I beat the crap out of my Wetterlings Hudson Bay and it is still on there tight, no signs of ever coming loose. At least not this one...

This winter a axe rack is on my to do list.

I made that out of a quartz slab rack, we buy them at work by the bundle. I work in the granite fabrication industry, so I have unlimited access to pallets and other decent scrap wood for projects. I just trimmed the ends of the slab rack to the length I wanted and connected them with scrap pieces of plywood, then traversed the top with a piece 1x6 pine that I cut 4" holes with a holesaw for the axe handles to pass through. I added some hooks below to hang the shorter handled ones. Probably took me 30 minutes. A hack job, but it cost me nothing and it serves its purpose.