Splitting Axe

[mark a.]

I've been quiet on here for the past week, as I've just moved house and don't yet have an internet connection. At least the office has it, now that I'm back at work.

My new house has open fires (brill), and I have Horsell Common on my doorstep (fantastic) which, when I get the license, will allow me to grab felled/fallen wood up to 4 inches in diameter.

I don't yet have an axe, so I'm looking for one that will do the trick for splitting these relatively small logs (as well as being a good all-round bushcrafter tool). I'm not an axe expert, but I know that different designs dictate whether the axe is better at chopping, splitting, limbing, carving etc. Which of the GB SFA, Wetterlings and Roselli would be best for such duties?

Many thanks,

Mark

 

[Buckshot]

Just get a decent saw - 4 inch logs will go on the fire whole.
If you 'want' an axe most bushcraft ones the of the felling design. Splitters have a much wider head to force the wood apart and so split it. They're much heavier too.

Cheers

Mark

 

[scruff]

Welcome back buddy.

I'm trying to strike quickly before all those GB lovers jump in and swamp you with the pro's of the SFA or Wetterlings....but if you can afford it I wood (he he) thoroughly recommend the Roselli Allround Axe - Long as its a superb all rounder and better for splitting than the other two options.

Proof here: http://outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=71

:BlueTeamE

Alternatively you could just baton them with your knife and save your pennies for the time being.

 

[Lurch]

I've had my hands on the GB Large splitting axe, the splitting hatchet and the splitting maul.
If you are looking for a dedicated splitter then for tiddlers I'd recommend the large splitting axe for it's weight and long haft. If you think you might get larger logs (more than a foot across) then the maul is the way to go in combination with a splitting wedge or two.

It is well worth getting a splitter rather than any of the all rounders, the difference is enormous IMO.

 

[Rob]

As an all rounder, I like my GB SFA. You will need to have good technique for splitting with it though.

When we moved to a house with an open fire, i treated myself to a GB Small Splitting Axe. Does the job really well, but if i find a log that wont go then i get the saw out and make it fit the basket that way

 

[mark a.]

Ok, you guys are right. I was going against instinct and hoping that something like a SFA would be "good enough" for splitting as that would be miles cheaper than buying two axes. Oh well, I'll just have to do it properly and go for something like the GB small splitting axe. The logs will be too small to need a maul, but too big to fit into the Victorian fireplaces. At least I could see it as an investment, as this way I won't have to pay for any logs!

 

[British Red]

Ok, you guys are right. I was going against instinct and hoping that something like a SFA would be "good enough" for splitting as that would be miles cheaper than buying two axes. Oh well, I'll just have to do it properly and go for something like the GB small splitting axe. The logs will be too small to need a maul, but too big to fit into the Victorian fireplaces. At least I could see it as an investment, as this way I won't have to pay for any logs!

Mark,

Assuming you've cut the logs to fit the grate lengthwise, you will do just fine splitting with a Roselli allround axe - no need for a maul etc. I'll admit to being a gear junky, but did invest in a Roselli for its ability to chop sticks!

Here is the blade profile on my GB forest axe

Now look at the profile on my Roselli

That wider angle means it splits far better (although not quite as good cutting green wood)

I do use mauls, wedges and splitting axes, but for a 4" log (even up to 6") the Roselli will be fine

Red

 

[Lostdog]

Mark,

I bought a wetterlings splitting maul about a year ago as I have a good source of firewood from an aquaintance in the F.C! (Lucky me.) The wood I get from him varies probably from about 4" up to about 18". The maul is superb for splitting them all. A hefty swing will easily split the larger stuff and I found that for the smaller stuff I could use the maul 1-handed.... yes you read correctly 1-handed!

I hold the maul near the head and find that I can split the smaller stuff by kinda "punching" through it (if that makes sense).

Either way I would definitely recommend a dedicated splitter as it makes short work when splitting a whole pile of wood. I also have a Gransfors Small Forest Axe which can be used to split smaller stuff, but depending on what sort of wood and how seasoned it is you could be making hard work for yourself.

Hope this helps.

 

[bambodoggy]

Just my thoughts here but as I have a woodburner and therefore cut and split rather a lot of wood (not to mention what I do at work!).

At home I use a £8 all metal hatchet with a rubber handle from Focus DIY stores, I keep it fairly sharp but not like my bushcrafting axe. I then sit on a deck chair in my garage infront of my choping block and chop away. I tend to use a rubber mallet to actually batton the hatchet through as it's only really kindling I bother spliting (as Mark says 4" is fine to go straight on the fire and that's what I do). The good thing about battoning like this is that I have NEVER even come close to hurting myself or hitting a finger or anything else like that. It's so easy to do that even my wife who's not the most practicle of ladies can do it if we run out and I'm not about.

For large stuff I use my large Sthil splitting maul (or at least I did until somebody else broke it last weekend ).

Those DIY hatchets are very strong and even using a club hammer when I couldn't find the rubber mallet I haven't damaged it.
It also means I don't have to worry about trashing my bushcraft axe by splitting household kindling with it.

Hope that helps,

Bam.

 

[mark a.]

Thanks chaps. Oh, decisions, decisions!

I'm waiting for the wood license, which will give more details of what I can take - if I can get big lumps of wood I'll definitely need a splitter, but if it's only teeny stuff (and for making kindling) then maybe it's not so important. It'll mostly be birch, and probably bits of oak and pine by the looks of it.

 

[bambodoggy]

Mark, I'm not far down the road from you (in Frimley) if you want to pop over and have a butchers at what I do then you'd be more than welcome.

I also have the keys to the MoD land between you and me and permission to enter it with my pick up and collect wood so if you fancy a trip up there then give me a shout.....I'm always looking for somebody to go wood collecting with and then we can split what we collect.

Drop me a pm if you're interested

Bam.

 

[george]

I'd go with what Bam says and use cheap stuff - not waste a good granny b on splitting firewood.

I split several tons a year for our stoves and I use an Oregon maul with a fibreglass handle, three wedges of various sorts with a sledgehammer and a cheap hatchet and a heavy mallet for the smaller stuff.

I break wooden handled axes all the time and would hate to ruin some of my good axes splitting tons of trash.

George

 

[British Red]

I'd go with what Bam says and use cheap stuff - not waste a good granny b on splitting firewood.

I split several tons a year for our stoves and I use an Oregon maul with a fibreglass handle, three wedges of various sorts with a sledgehammer and a cheap hatchet and a heavy mallet for the smaller stuff.

I break wooden handled axes all the time and would hate to ruin some of my good axes splitting tons of trash.

George

george,

try B&Q - they do a nice cheap line of fibreglass hatchets (£14.99) and felling axes (£19.99). Having had a couple of wood handles damaged through over reaches when lending out, I reckon these are about bomb proof!

Red

 

[rapidboy]

I like my GB's but i use a cheap splitting maul for splitting logs for my stove.
The maul is more like a sharp sledge hammer than an axe.

rb

 

[Squidders]

Mark, I'm not far down the road from you (in Frimley) if you want to pop over and have a butchers at what I do then you'd be more than welcome.

I also have the keys to the MoD land between you and me and permission to enter it with my pick up and collect wood so if you fancy a trip up there then give me a shout.....I'm always looking for somebody to go wood collecting with and then we can split what we collect.

Drop me a pm if you're interested

Bam.

I'm interested!

 

[pierre girard]

Just get a decent saw - 4 inch logs will go on the fire whole.
If you 'want' an axe most bushcraft ones the of the felling design. Splitters have a much wider head to force the wood apart and so split it. They're much heavier too.

Cheers

Mark

For a four inch diameter - you shouldn't need a splitting axe - any axe will do. When I say "splitting axe," I'm thinking of something that weighs as much as a sledge hammer and looks something like one as well. I'd get something more versitile if your splitting will only be up to four inch.

PG

 

[demographic]

I have a Maul that I find pretty versatile, it's good for the really big stuff and I even cut kindling with it, as has already been mentioned its quite easy to use them one handed, just hold em near the head.

I think the one I have weighs about 7 pounds and it's by far the best splitter I have ever used.
A felling axe is pretty feckless at splitting compared to it.

As a side note its even pretty good at battering through from the kitchen into the washhouse when I was knocking through to extend my kitchen

 

[lardbloke]

In recent weeks we have just had felled an 80 foot sycamore in the back garden. The actual cost of trasnporting the logs was pretty high, so it was decided that we would keep the logs and share them between family and the village. At first I thought I could tackle the wood with a basic felling axe, but even a chainsaw would not get through some of the new wood. In the end I saw a a nice 7 and half pound splitting maul / sledge hammer on evil bay (second hand from a felling company) and I got it dirt cheap (eight quid). I was suprised how small the actual cutting blade is, but it makes sense. I tested it out on a fairly large log and it went through like butter. The large main parts of the trunk require a bit more ecky thump, but the maul carries out the job nicely (and I will be as fit as a butchers dog after all this chopping). For the smaller log splitting I will simply use the small forest axe or hand saw.

 

[mark a.]

Thanks for the offer, Bam. PM has been sent. I would give you a rep point, but it seems I've given you some previously so the system won't let me. But the thought's there.

I've done a fair bit of wood splitting in the past at my parents' house - their next door neighbour had a big chestnut chopped down and sawn up, so we were able to use that. The logs were about 3 feet in diameter, so a big ol B&Q axe did the trick. Blimmin dangerous (when I was younger the axe seemed absolutely huge), but fortunately the only injuries were sore back and shoulder muscles the next day. A bit different to 4 inch wood...

 

[bambodoggy]

I'm interested!

You would be! lol Anyway, I've told you....there's plenty of wood at my place, all you gotta do is sort out a date for that bbq we talked about last weekend and I'll bring you a load over



Mark, now worries....I'll check my diary and get back to you in a day or so.

Cheers,

Bam.