Where to find this log splitter in London?

2trapper

Forager
Apr 11, 2011
211
1
Italy
Dear all,
I'll be in London in December and I'd like to know if you can suggest any retailer where to find this useful tool. In Italy simply it doesn't exist

[video=youtube_share;ZaGSx5jK3is]http://youtu.be/ZaGSx5jK3is[/video]
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
18
Scotland
Hi Trapper,

From their stockist list only these guys seem near London The Green Reaper. Their address is in the link.

On a side note I don't know if you've seen the Logmatic? A bit simpler to set up and use and there is also an Italian distributer HERE

Hope that's a help,
GB.
 

shaggystu

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2003
4,345
33
Derbyshire
I've never used one myself but they've been discussed on here before and I believe the consensus was that they're rubbish. They' don't look at all effective to me, there's energy being wasted all over the place.

If you want a similar set up for splitting logs you could take whatever big log you were going to sit this tool in and a cold chisel, this type works well: http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Han...g+Bars/Bolster+Chisel+100mm/d10/sd3192/p36499

Drill the hole in the block just the same as you would for the tool in the video, but make the hole big enough to fit the handle of the cold chisel, drop the chisel into the hole and you've now got a nice solid splitting edge that's going nowhere. To split your firewood you simply rest it on the edge of the chisel and hit it with a large blunt object. Everything's really safe, the only things that move are the firewood and the blunt object, and as an added bonus you never have to touch any metal so your fingers don't freeze in the winter.

Cheers,

Stuart.

sorry for the link rather than a simple image, I'm having trouble posting images at the moment for some reason
 
Last edited:

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,566
1,376
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
I've never used one myself but they've been discussed on here before and I believe the consensus was that they're rubbish. They' don't look at all effective to me, there's energy being wasted all over the place.

If you want a similar set up for splitting logs you could take whatever big log you were going to sit this tool in and a cold chisel, this type works well: http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Han...g+Bars/Bolster+Chisel+100mm/d10/sd3192/p36499

Drill the hole in the block just the same as you would for the tool in the video, but make the hole big enough to fit the handle of the cold chisel, drop the chisel into the hole and you've now got a nice solid splitting edge that's going nowhere. To split your firewood you simply rest it on the edge of the chisel and hit it with a large blunt object. Everything's really safe, the only things that move are the firewood and the blunt object, and as an added bonus you never have to touch any metal so your fingers don't freeze in the winter.

Cheers,

Stuart.

sorry for the link rather than a simple image, I'm having trouble posting images at the moment for some reason

Nice idea but doesn't that run the risk that the wedge won't split it enough to open it up wide enough? How would you deal with a stuck chisel? :)
 

ozzy1977

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
8,558
3
47
Henley
Has anyone actually used one of these contraptions or the others that are similar, or opinion all based on guesstimation ?
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,566
1,376
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Lars does not rate them anyway, 22mins or so in,,,,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpnGzW5Loic

Looks like a bit of operator error or skewing the results on purpose to me. :)

With the splitter he just lifts the block up and drops it. with the axe he actively swings it.
if he just lifted the axe up and let it drop through it's own pull of gravity each time rather than swinging it down then I could see what he means. If he threw the block down as shown in the promo vid then that would also be a fair comparison.
 

Rich.H

Tenderfoot
Feb 10, 2010
96
1
N.Ireland
Things looks about as much use as a door stop, the amount of effort in throwing down the wedge each time has to be similar if not more than the effort of swinging a well sharpened axe?

If you really want a log splitter then look at making a diy version of the industrial types. Many of these are based on hydraulic rams. Someone above mentioned a cold chisel and I can think of a couple of basic designs where you weld a good quality chisel (size dependent on log sizes) to a 3-5 tonne pump jack. Provided you build it sturdy enough you can just lay your logs horizontally as per the industrial types, then pump the jack forcing the wedge with little effort.
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,566
1,376
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Things looks about as much use as a door stop, the amount of effort in throwing down the wedge each time has to be similar if not more than the effort of swinging a well sharpened axe?

If I had a wood burner here, I know my wife would never split logs for home use with an axe but I could see her using that.....
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,857
2,100
Mercia
The cheap, efficient, low effort, unskilled, unpowered log splitters that can cope with twisted knotty wood are in in aisle six, next to the unicorns.
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
18
Scotland
Plus some folk can't physically use an axe, so yes they aren't the most efficient use of energy but they do have a place in the market. But yes as little faff and wasted energy in the design is desirable.
 

shaggystu

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2003
4,345
33
Derbyshire
Nice idea but doesn't that run the risk that the wedge won't split it enough to open it up wide enough?.....

Same as any method it works best with correctly sized timber, woodburner size (about 14" for mine) works fine.

....How would you deal with a stuck chisel? :).....

Stuck into the base block you mean? If so, I just leave it there, that's where it lives. Or did you mean stuck in the log that I'm spitting? If so, see above.

It's not so much a nice idea as a tool that I've been using in one form or another for the last couple of decades, and I'm not alone, the same system but using the hardy hole of an anvil is pretty much standard practice for blacksmiths :)
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,566
1,376
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Same as any method it works best with correctly sized timber, woodburner size (about 14" for mine) works fine.



Stuck into the base block you mean? If so, I just leave it there, that's where it lives. Or did you mean stuck in the log that I'm spitting? If so, see above.

It's not so much a nice idea as a tool that I've been using in one form or another for the last couple of decades, and I'm not alone, the same system but using the hardy hole of an anvil is pretty much standard practice for blacksmiths :)

Yeah, I meant if it was stuck in the wood. :D
 

shaggystu

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2003
4,345
33
Derbyshire
Yeah, I meant if it was stuck in the wood. :D

Here you go mate, just been trying to find a specific video but couldn't, from about 30 seconds on this video you can see the technique being used to split kindling for lighting a forge, cold chisel in a log works just the same [video=vimeo;37360333]http://vimeo.com/37360333[/video]
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
27
69
south wales
IIRC it was me who started a thread about these a couple of years ago. Then as now nobody here had one or had used one so some just slagged it off based on zero evidence of performance.

People buy them so they must work and do the job...for some folk. Safer than an axe or maul I would guess. Not everyone is fit enough to swing and axe in a safe manner (I'm getting to that point) so a gizzmo like this could be just the thing I and others need. Since yesterday my right knee is having an arthritic flare up and I'm using a walking stick to get around the house so no way I'd even attempt to use an axe but could use this splitter.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,808
S. Lanarkshire
Yeah, maybe for the fit and able, and capable, a decent axe is a very sound investment, but not everyone ticks all those boxes. There are days I couldn't even use a froe properly. How about a rocket and a dumpy hammer though....that jarring blow would....let's just not go there, I can feel the ache already :(

So, having gotten that out of the way, no axe, no froe or rocket, and since Jared kindly answered the OP's question for him, which is the safest, most effective and value for money logsplitter available ?

cheers,
Toddy

p.s. sorry to hear about the knee Richard, I hope it all settles quickly for you.
M
 

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