Looking For A Quality Splitting Axe.

J

jonshonda

Joined
Dec 16, 2019
Messages
9
Hello all,

First post here, thanks for having me. I just recently got into splitting my own wood this last year, and am enjoying it much more than buying split wood. We don't heat our home with it, but instead use it for camping, which our family does a lot of. We typically go through a cord per camping season, so not a lot of wood to split but fun none the less.

I started out with an 120+ year old Atha splitting maul that I rehung, and reshaped. It was my grandfather's and had been misused to say the least. Then I picked up an Atha splitting wedge of the same vintage as the maul, and a Shapleigh axe (which I think is a felling axe based on it's shape. I hate China junk, and really find a lot more joy in restoring old tools so they can be put to use again rather then buying from Amazon

Anywho, I am always on the lookout for good quality stuff at a good price. What are some things I need to look for when ensuring I am buying a splitting axe rather then a felling axe. Are any axe designs "better" at splitting wood then others, and were any manufacturers better at producing splitting axes then others? I will be splitting Red and White oak, maple, and maybe pine.
 
Last edited:
jonshonda said:
Hello all,

First post here, thanks for having me. I just recently got into splitting my own wood this last year, and am enjoying it much more than buying split wood. We don't heat our home with it, but instead use it for camping, which our family does a lot of. We typically go through a cord per camping season, so not a lot of wood to split but fun none the less.

I started out with an 120+ year old Atha splitting maul that I rehung, and reshaped. It was my grandfather's and had been misused to say the least. Then I picked up an Atha splitting wedge of the same vintage as the maul, and a Shapleigh axe (which I think is a felling axe based on it's shape. I hate China junk, and really find a lot more joy in restoring old tools so they can be put to use again rather then buying from Amazon

Anywho, I am always on the lookout for good quality stuff at a good price. What are some things I need to look for when ensuring I am buying a splitting axe rather then a felling axe. Are any axe designs "better" at splitting wood then others, and were any manufacturers better at producing splitting axes then others? I will be splitting Red and White oak, maple, and maybe pine.
Click to expand...
You need to look for something that has weight and width. The bigger the better for splitting. Felling axes have a slimmer profile. With the types of wood you will be splitting you may be better off to find another vintage splitting maul. It will make your life easier. Most of all my wood is red and white oak I mostly use my vintage mauls. But I’m never without an axe either. Straight grain rounds of hardwood can be split with a felling axe fairly easily if you use the flick technique which is giving the axe a twist to the side just as it hits the wood. The idea is so the bit won’t get stuck in the wood. If you time it right it slings the wood apart.
 
As npace stated, weight will be key. You want something at least 4 pounds, 5 or 6 pounds would be better. I love a 5 pound Plumb rafting axe for splitting. Perfect geometry for it and good weight. The Flint Edge rafters also have great geometry. The Collins rafters are typically flatter cheeked and don't split quite as well.

But all of those are hard to find and you'll have to spend a fare amount. An easier and more affordable choice is a Council 6-pound flat-head fire axe or even one of their 5 pound Daytons. They have good weight. I think the geometry is better on the fire axe, more of a high centerline.

The Fiskars splitting axes (X-27) are also quite good. The steel might not be as good but they flat out split great. And they are affordable. The X-25 is good too, but not might do as well on your oak.

I recommend the Council flat-head fire axe.
 
Fiskars X25 is what you want. for sure.

Up until recently I split 5+ cords per year since about 1990. I've used lots of different mauls. Not as "cool" as a nice vintage axe, but the best thing I've ever used to split wood is my FISKARS super splitting axe. I believe it is now called the X25. They also now have the X27 which has a 36" handle. The X25 has a 28" handle. I think for camp wood cutting, the X25 will be perfect for you. It is fairly light - don't remember the weight now - maybe 5lbs or something like that, and it will split more wood with much less effort than a traditional 8 lb maul. I do keep an 8lb maul around and have to use it for maybe the gnarliest, knottiest 5% of the wood, but if you are just doing 1 cord per year, you can be more selective and I'm sure would get by just fine with the fiskars.

if you have all really nice straight grained stuff, then a stout axe might work fine as well, but a lot of the wood I had to split back in the day like sweet gum, beech, elm, white oak, etc. would absolutely laugh at an axe. occasionally we would wack at one with an axe, and the bit would just sink in and get stuck.
 
Thanks for the info so far. I do have a (what i assume is an older) no name axe that looks like a Wisconsin or Michigan profile weighing less then 4 lbs that I have enjoyed using. I only have probably only swung it 100 or so times, but it feels good to swing and does a pretty good job of cleaning up after I have halved the log with the maul or wedge. What led me to asking about felling vs splitting is that I didn't have much luck with the Shapleigh, which is a felling axe. I didn't ever use the flick technique though.

My preferred method thus far is to hit the log with the maul a few times on opposite sides of the log to see if I can propagate a crack. If she doesn't show any signs of giving it up, I switch to a wedge. Then I have found I like to switch to the axe for the rest of the splitting. It it easier to handle and is more accurate imho. I haven't measured, but know the axe handle is a fair amount longer then the maul as I have to remind myself to stay further away from the log or there will be overstrikes.

I like to experiment and will start looking for some of the bigger axe heads. Are they hard to come across because they are rare, and are they rare because people didn't use many axes for splitting, or.....?
 
^ Good read, Thanks! I do have a nice little Task brand 2.5lb boys axe I leave in the camper and it really does a great job splitting up the oak into kindling. People we camp with are always amazed that I never need sticks or other starting aids. Just what I split up, a few pieces of newspaper and a tried and true log cabin structure will fire right up.

I have read a lot of good things about the Fiskars, but I am really looking for vintage metal that needs attention and a new haft. I don't take much joy in buying off the shelf anymore, unless there is no other option. Winter in Wisconsin is long and can become boring if you don't have projects to occupy your mind.
 
I've not tried the 6# CT fireman's axe ... but a 6# axe eye maul with a more gradual profile will also split most species of wood nicely with minimal sticking. For me, the axe eye maul handle gives better control than a sledge eye maul handle. The axe eye also allows you to split with a twist. Technically a 6# maul should hit a little harder than a 6# axe because the weight is more concentrated. The advantage of the axe is the thinner bit will cut stringy wood fibers better. I'm thinking with weight being equal between the two, the species of wood will decide whether the axe or the maul is more effective in that application.
 
I think the penetration of a 5 or 6 pound axe makes it split better than a maul - so long as the cheeks are convex enough not to be sticky. I find very little wood that I can't split with a 5 or 6 pound axe but that splits with an 8 pound maul. If a big axe doesn't split it then I'm probably reaching either for a sledge and wedges or my 10 pound maul which has an axe-like profile.

And technique has a lot to do with it. If you stick an axe in the center of a large round that's not very effective. A strike at the near edge will usually start a crack and hitting here also prevents overstrikes. But on tougher stuff you need to take a slab off one side to start. After taking off a few slabs you can start a crack through the center.
 
Square_peg said:
I think the penetration of a 5 or 6 pound axe makes it split better than a maul - so long as the cheeks are convex enough not to be sticky. I find very little wood that I can't split with a 5 or 6 pound axe but that splits with an 8 pound maul. If a big axe doesn't split it then I'm probably reaching either for a sledge and wedges or my 10 pound maul which has an axe-like profile.

And technique has a lot to do with it. If you stick an axe in the center of a large round that's not very effective. A strike at the near edge will usually start a crack and hitting here also prevents overstrikes. But on tougher stuff you need to take a slab off one side to start. After taking off a few slabs you can start a crack through the center.
Click to expand...

This, all correct. DM
 
Square_peg said:
I think the penetration of a 5 or 6 pound axe makes it split better than a maul - so long as the cheeks are convex enough not to be sticky. I find very little wood that I can't split with a 5 or 6 pound axe but that splits with an 8 pound maul. If a big axe doesn't split it then I'm probably reaching either for a sledge and wedges or my 10 pound maul which has an axe-like profile.

And technique has a lot to do with it. If you stick an axe in the center of a large round that's not very effective. A strike at the near edge will usually start a crack and hitting here also prevents overstrikes. But on tougher stuff you need to take a slab off one side to start. After taking off a few slabs you can start a crack through the center.
Click to expand...

Agreed. My splitting axe is a 5 lb rafting, on a strait 36 also. It has a drift pin and is about ideal for the job. I would say that long shaped head and heavy poll concentates and drives the weight for splitting better than any other.
I have mauls and use them now and then but rarely find a real need.
Admittedly however, I sissy cut before I wail endlessly on a tough round.
 
J jonshonda , welcome to the Axe forum. I'm glad you are looking for an activity to occupy your mind with during the long cold winters of Wisconsin. That says a lot about you.
A 5 lb. ax like Square Peg suggests will split the wood you named. But they are hard to come by. Thinking about how you enjoy camping and only split 1 cord, I recommend you find a 4-5 lb. ax that would allow you a dual purpose. Like limb work and splitting while out camping and you don't have to carry 2. The fast route would be to go to Council Tools web site and look for one in that class. You could order it and have it
by Christmas. Route 2 is see if one of the Ax Men here have what your looking for and will sell you one. With or without a haft. Then you have
a project and you could still do some splitting with it this winter. Good luck, DM
P.S. The oak wood I split is challenging and I use a 6 lb. Council Flat head Fireman ax, (no spike). It really works but is not for limb work. The ax off to the right is a 4.5 lb. Hults. It will split and do limb work but another that's hard to find.
Councilsplits2.jpg
 
Thanks for all the insight so far guys. Of course you have all sent me down the path to search for a fairly rare axe...haha! Typical forum behaviour...torture the new guy with all the cool options that are very hard to find!
My short quest has put me in touch with a semi local man whom appears to have a deep pool of knowledge for axes. He has a 3.5lb Connie, Kelly Perfect, and 2.25lb Plumb Dayton axe head that I am interested in. I think I might play around them them while I search for the holy grail of 5lb rafting goodness. I would guess that if he says they aren't very common in our area I'm not going to have much luck casually searching.

I took a look at my splitting maul last night and see it is a 7lb. I just wonder it a 5lb axe might be too close in feel to the 7lb maul?
 
muleman77 said:
Agreed. My splitting axe is a 5 lb rafting, on a strait 36 also. It has a drift pin and is about ideal for the job. I would say that long shaped head and heavy poll concentates and drives the weight for splitting better than any other.
I have mauls and use them now and then but rarely find a real need.
Admittedly however, I sissy cut before I wail endlessly on a tough round.
Click to expand...

I am not disputing or questioning anyone's else comments based on their experience with their wood species...

In my experience with our wood species...

I have a 5# Collins Rafting axe that I set up on a 36" straight handle for splitting, and it sticks in my rounds when they are wet (even when trying to slab it off) where a 6# maul will bust a center split if you start in the sapwood. The Rafter will certainly work on dried wood as I typically use an axe to make kindling but I don't need/want a 36" handle for that task when a Faller's axe does it more efficiently.

Last summer and this fall here have been a monsoon seasons and I have not had any luck employing the Rafter. I have been tempted to try the 6# fire flathead or similar styled axe to see if it works better because the bit might widen more rapidly than my rafter. I would enjoy doing more splitting with a traditional axe.
 
Last edited:
thunder, I can tell you the 6 lb. Fire ax works on my wood but my wood is usually dry. And I have a 6 lb. Craftsman splitting maul that I often
take as a back up & to drive wedges. During my working with the 2 I have not noticed the maul working better than the ax. But we don't get
the rain you get. I do enjoy having both in my arsenal. It's a $100 experiment for you to find out. I wish I could tell you more. DM
 
jonshonda said:
Thanks for all the insight so far guys. Of course you have all sent me down the path to search for a fairly rare axe...haha! Typical forum behaviour...torture the new guy with all the cool options that are very hard to find!
My short quest has put me in touch with a semi local man whom appears to have a deep pool of knowledge for axes. He has a 3.5lb Connie, Kelly Perfect, and 2.25lb Plumb Dayton axe head that I am interested in. I think I might play around them them while I search for the holy grail of 5lb rafting goodness. I would guess that if he says they aren't very common in our area I'm not going to have much luck casually searching.

I took a look at my splitting maul last night and see it is a 7lb. I just wonder it a 5lb axe might be too close in feel to the 7lb maul?
Click to expand...
The small plumb would work very well, it's what I had in that thread. Now I have to be vague on my wording here as to not violate rules but I know this guy on imgur named phantomgallery and he might be able to help you
 
thunderstick said:
I am not disputing or questioning anyone's else comments based on their experience with their wood species...

In my experience with our wood species...

I have a 5# Collins Rafting axe that I set up on a 36" straight handle for splitting, and it sticks in my rounds when they are wet (even when trying to slab it off) where a 6# maul will bust a center split if you start in the sapwood. The Rafter will certainly work on dried wood as I typically use an axe to make kindling but I don't need/want a 36" handle for that task when a Faller's axe does it more efficiently.

Last summer and this fall here have been a monsoon seasons and I have not had any luck employing the Rafter. I have been tempted to try the 6# fire flathead or similar styled axe to see if it works better because the bit might widen more rapidly than my rafter. I would enjoy doing more splitting with a traditional axe.
Click to expand...
Does your Rafting axe have high center line or is relatively flat?

Has anybody tried, just for the hell of it, to split wood with regular Fireman axe?
 
Last edited:
thunderstick said:
I have a 5# Collins Rafting axe that I set up on a 36" straight handle for splitting, and it sticks in my rounds when they are wet (even when trying to slab it off)
Click to expand...

This doesn't surprise me. I've also noticed that the flat-cheeked Collins rafters aren't as good of splitters as some others.

Square_peg said:
I love a 5 pound Plumb rafting axe for splitting. Perfect geometry for it and good weight. The Flint Edge rafters also have great geometry. The Collins rafters are typically flatter cheeked and don't split quite as well.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top