I saw a youper comedian talk about how funny youpers talk .
Not saying that you talk funny in your typing.
Splitting/Chopping Tool Review Thread
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Not saying that you talk funny in your typing.
Multifaceted
Firewood Hoarder, Axe Enthusiast
I actually find it be kind of goofy looking, but it is a very effective design. It will get stuck just like any other axe, but it will bite deep, so sometimes it can be a little sticky. I used to have the 34" fiberglass handle Mexican made Truper version from LowesDepot, but the steel was too soft and I didn't like the way the handle felt when striking. I gave the Truper away to a friend when I got the Spaltaxt from Helko. The handle is much shorter, 28" hickory, but the head weight is the same (4.5 lb). The steel is much better quality, C-50, about 47-55 carbon content, similar to 1049 or 1050 American carbon steel. It has a hardness of 53-56 HRC which holds an edge well and doesn't require much upkeep, unless it eats some dirt or rocks.
Sometimes I'll split with a regular axe, for batch processing, the Spaltaxt is my go-to.
That's purdy, Joe
That is beautiful! Can you get us a picture of the wedging? Curious how they hold it together.
Maybe we need to get a little central/northern MN axe and saw GTG going sometime.
The wedge on the Snow & Nealley is steel they paint the top on these. Not sure if you can see in picture 2 the hang is off a bit.The handle is very thick vs the Wetterlings. The edge sheath is on the thin side. The cheeks on the head are thin vs the Wetterlings Hudson Bay. The edge is sharper than a hardware store axe but will still need some sharpening before it goes to work, the Wetterlings was ready out of the box. Still not a bad axe for 59.00 vs a 175.00 for the Wetterlings.
Looks good. I'm wondering if changes in moisture would pull that handle one way or another?
Interesting about the difference in cheeks? The Hults axes I used to have had very narrow cheeks.
Interesting about the difference in cheeks? The Hults axes I used to have had very narrow cheeks.
Multifaceted
Firewood Hoarder, Axe Enthusiast
I'm not an expert on wood, but dry conditions will cause the wood to shrink and thus cause the steel to begin coming loose. Oiling the wood, particularly the end grain mitigates the drying, but it's also a good idea to keep them out of dry conditions, like indoors when burning wood which can be a dry heat, or during the summer when you're running the A/C, which also removes moisture from the air. I store my axes in my shop/outbuilding where they're subject to the outdoor atmosphere and while moisture and temperature conditions will vary, the constant dryness of the indoors is not a factor.
Sometimes I'll keep a small axe handy near the stove for making kindling if we're running low or out, but I'll put it out in our attached uninsulated spa room which is about 7 paces away to grab as needed.
Do you stick new handles by the stove to dry that bit more before fitting heads?
Multifaceted
Firewood Hoarder, Axe Enthusiast
No, I do not. A quality made handle should be made from proper kiln or air dried billet prior to being turned. Advancing the drying of the wood will cause it to crack and split, you want a little bit of moisture. Handle wood drying out too much will, does, and is a common cause of loose fitting heads. The latter being applied to after the steel is hung.
Multifaceted
Firewood Hoarder, Axe Enthusiast
This is a review thread, but lately seems to have taken on a partial "show-off" element to it. So, while I can't review this just yet, I will show how I have prepared this axe to be the monster its reputation proclaims...
My most excited axe purchase of late has taken a back seat to my various other vintage restorations, but today, after battling a freak snow event, I finally put the grind to my Hults Bruk Arvika! What a beast of an axe this is, 4.5 lb (2.0 kg), 5.5" (14 cm) cutting face and a keen grind - it's just going to throw some big ol' chips. I thinned out the handle considerably, then sculpted the grip and did a little burn treatment followed by several coats of BLO and a final coat of beeswax and orange oil. It feels great, but it was not sharp from the factory... or, not at least by how I define sharp...
Factory grind had an edge, but was far from being 'sharp'... I filed the factory grind to a modified 25° Scandi grind in a "half-banana" profile. The 25° primary bevel was feathered out with secondary and tertiary bevels creating the "half-banana" shape. The actual edge I did a small 30° de facto bevel to give the edge some stoutness and resilience, because let's face it - while this is a practice "racing" axe, I'm not going to be cutting straight grained knot-free wood, no I'm going to be cutting indigenous eastern US hardwoods, so I need the edge to be a little more forgiving. The steel is incredibly hard, the file often would skate right off of it.
After filing I took my 280 grit carborundum stone (Lanskey Puck) and smoothed out the file marks...
Next, I used a fine 220 grit pad on my pneumatic die grinder to smooth out the latent file marks along with the feathered out stone marks. From there I went back with the 280 grit Lanskey puck, then went up in grit with my 600, and finally 1000 grit whetstones.
After stropping on the 6" polishing wheel on my bench grinder, the edge is now shiny and razor sharp - enough to dry shave. This axe with its 4.5 lb weight and keen 25° cutting edge will be a beast in hardwood. I can't wait to throw it into some logs!
Overall shot, 2.5 lb Plumb cruiser for scale, and might note that the Helko large axe sheath fits this perfectly.
All wrapped up and the main tools on display, plus essential lubricants...
My most excited axe purchase of late has taken a back seat to my various other vintage restorations, but today, after battling a freak snow event, I finally put the grind to my Hults Bruk Arvika! What a beast of an axe this is, 4.5 lb (2.0 kg), 5.5" (14 cm) cutting face and a keen grind - it's just going to throw some big ol' chips. I thinned out the handle considerably, then sculpted the grip and did a little burn treatment followed by several coats of BLO and a final coat of beeswax and orange oil. It feels great, but it was not sharp from the factory... or, not at least by how I define sharp...
Factory grind had an edge, but was far from being 'sharp'... I filed the factory grind to a modified 25° Scandi grind in a "half-banana" profile. The 25° primary bevel was feathered out with secondary and tertiary bevels creating the "half-banana" shape. The actual edge I did a small 30° de facto bevel to give the edge some stoutness and resilience, because let's face it - while this is a practice "racing" axe, I'm not going to be cutting straight grained knot-free wood, no I'm going to be cutting indigenous eastern US hardwoods, so I need the edge to be a little more forgiving. The steel is incredibly hard, the file often would skate right off of it.
After filing I took my 280 grit carborundum stone (Lanskey Puck) and smoothed out the file marks...
Next, I used a fine 220 grit pad on my pneumatic die grinder to smooth out the latent file marks along with the feathered out stone marks. From there I went back with the 280 grit Lanskey puck, then went up in grit with my 600, and finally 1000 grit whetstones.
After stropping on the 6" polishing wheel on my bench grinder, the edge is now shiny and razor sharp - enough to dry shave. This axe with its 4.5 lb weight and keen 25° cutting edge will be a beast in hardwood. I can't wait to throw it into some logs!
Overall shot, 2.5 lb Plumb cruiser for scale, and might note that the Helko large axe sheath fits this perfectly.
All wrapped up and the main tools on display, plus essential lubricants...
Trx250r180
Saw polisher
The Arvika is a good firewood splitter in my opinion,very well balanced ,cuts through knots nice too.
Trx250r180
Saw polisher
Got this for xmas,have my Arvika ground at 20 degrees ,edge is ok ,it came with different grit belts ,have not tried them all yet.pardon the rust on the edge ,it was raining last night ,pitted it already.
Multifaceted
Firewood Hoarder, Axe Enthusiast
Dang, 20° bevel for the edge? Whew, that's steep and thin even for a Scandi grind. I guess you have no issues with edge retention cutting those NW softwoods?
I thought that a 25° grind was pretty thin for an axe of this size, but we'll see. Looks like it's going to rain this weekend, I'll get to use it one of these days
Trx250r180
Saw polisher
I need one of those guages to accurately make sure but the belt sharpener is set at 20 on the little wheel ,i did file by hand with a raker file ,then finish with the belt ,it pops doug fir knots off pretty good where its at now
Have any of you gentleman used an Ozark hatchet from Wal-Mart? I was browsing there out of season stuff today and found a fiskars x7 but not on sale then I found Wal-Mart's copy for 15 dollars. Same as the Gerber is a copy. They only had 2 and now I'm kicking myself for not getting one.
Did you hold them up and compare? I seem to remember some one asking if the Ozark was just a rebadged Fiskars a year or two back. They posted pics and the two were a bit different. I don't think the Ozark is of the quality of a Fiskars, but I don't know that factually, Joe.
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