Wedge vs knife

[danthe]

Hi, I'm looking to purchase a small 15-20T splitter. Any advantage of a wedge shape VS knife shape head for smaller splitter. Thanks

 

[Frogfarmer]

For a small splitter if the knife is as tall as the wood being split no. If the splitter will handle wood considerably taller than the knife you will want a wedge.

 

[cantoo]

Depends on how you plan to handle the wood. I bought a splitter with a wedge on the ram. Then I cut it apart and installed a knife where the foot was and a push plate on the ram. I split and drop onto a conveyor so I don't need a wide wedge, every piece goes all the way thru so a knife works perfect.
If you are splitting and piling right off the splitter then a wide wedge might work better. Then you get into the horizontal vrs vertical splitting.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I've never used anything other than wedge on beam, and have found a knife style wedge cuts as much as splits. To me that is preferable in knotty stuff, and makes far less trash, trash that can't be stacked well. For large stuff you may have to roll it a few times and work it, as you would with a kinetic splitter with their very small wedges. A fat wedge may need more tonnage/hp for narly hardwoods. Bottom line is it depends what your splitting.

 

[Agent Orange]

I have a knife backed by a slight wedge, the knife makes it handy on knots/crotches/ and shaving crap off the outside. Then the wedge takes over. Works pretty well with my small engine and pump.

 

[lknchoppers]

I like the knife.