WOOD ! Which Splitting Axe do you use ?

[Zimmerframe]

We have people from all over the world, so I'm sure someone out there also splits wood !

My main three splitters .. Though there are obviously guest axes, you don't want people missing out on the fun !

I always used to just use the Leborgne Maul (Think Full Fat EMTB). It's just big, heavy, brutal and does the job eventually. Normally combined with two wedges for big bits.

At some point I discovered the Fiskars X25 (Think Lightweight EMTB). Weighs about half the amount, but generally, it's actually more effective than the Maul. I think your impact speed is considerably higher and you don't tire as quickly.

Impressed by the X25, a couple of years ago I bought the 365 (Think Analogue MTB) after reading rave reviews, lighter slimmer, faster... .. I generally haven't got along with it that well though, mainly due to the wrong wood types I guess. 2ft diameter oaks are not it's scene - though you can work your way round the edges with it taking off slices.

If anyone has any good tips for particularly stringy freekin annoying pine, they'd be greatly appreciated. I'm surrounded by storm downed pines and they'll all a pig to split. I've cut them short to make things easier, but it seems to make little difference.

With a shoulder injury I can't really use the Maul effectively. The 365 gets great penetration, but the pine just flexes and absorbs it. So it's the X25.

Even with over a dozen varied strikes, it just laughs at you .. It goes in the end, and once it's in halves the rest splits relatively easily.

Split you b4stard !

Even the tiny bits just suck it up !

Stringy crappy pine !!!

 

[TR5_20]

Isn't it time you also went electric for log splitting....?
I did with this model - it is a game changer! Same as my Rail was.

 

[billwarwick]

We have people from all over the world, so I'm sure someone out there also splits wood !

My main three splitters .. Though there are obviously guest axes, you don't want people missing out on the fun !

View attachment 49008

I always used to just use the Leborgne Maul (Think Full Fat EMTB). It's just big, heavy, brutal and does the job eventually. Normally combined with two wedges for big bits.

At some point I discovered the Fiskars X25 (Think Lightweight EMTB). Weighs about half the amount, but generally, it's actually more effective than the Maul. I think your impact speed is considerably higher and you don't tire as quickly.

Impressed by the X25, a couple of years ago I bought the 365 (Think Analogue MTB) after reading rave reviews, lighter slimmer, faster... .. I generally haven't got along with it that well though, mainly due to the wrong wood types I guess. 2ft diameter oaks are not it's scene - though you can work your way round the edges with it taking off slices.

If anyone has any good tips for particularly stringy freekin annoying pine, they'd be greatly appreciated. I'm surrounded by storm downed pines and they'll all a pig to split. I've cut them short to make things easier, but it seems to make little difference.

With a shoulder injury I can't really use the Maul effectively. The 365 gets great penetration, but the pine just flexes and absorbs it. So it's the X25.

Even with over a dozen varied strikes, it just laughs at you .. It goes in the end, and once it's in halves the rest splits relatively easily.

View attachment 49009

Split you b4stard !

View attachment 49014

Even the tiny bits just suck it up !

View attachment 49012

Stringy crappy pine !!!

View attachment 49013

Glad to hear you’re still getting wood?

 

[Zimmerframe]

Isn't it time you also went electric for log splitting....?
I did with this model - it is a game changer! Same as my Rail was.

I did have a nice 3 phase electric/hydraulic one for the big stuff, but as the ex-mrs wanted a house with more land for horses and the new house didn't have 3 phase, I had to sell it .. That said, when you're not splitting over say 30cm diameter, an axe is far quicker than the machine - and certainly more rewarding !

 

[Zimmerframe]

I was getting fed up with that so went for the lazy man's approach and cut the whole tree up into biscuits. This had the added advantage of making my own little sawdust snow scene ..

Which was then nice and easy to split !

Took about the same time to do the whole tree like that than it took to do just one wheel barrow when it wouldn't split.

Ready for the next one ..

 

[Mcharza]

And in the same time, it's very good exercise. Power to the shoulders, back and arms

 

[Supratad]

We’ve got gas central heating. Because it’s not 1843.

 

[Mcharza]

We’ve got gas central heating. Because it’s not 1843.

Burning trees becomes a better smell. And after Brexit, don't be sure you're not in the same state as in 1843

 

[Mcharza]

Burning trees becomes a better smell. And after Brexit, don't be sure you're not in the same state as in 1843

Sorry, I couldn't resist

 

[mak]

We have people from all over the world, so I'm sure someone out there also splits wood !

My main three splitters .. Though there are obviously guest axes, you don't want people missing out on the fun !

View attachment 49008

I always used to just use the Leborgne Maul (Think Full Fat EMTB). It's just big, heavy, brutal and does the job eventually. Normally combined with two wedges for big bits.

At some point I discovered the Fiskars X25 (Think Lightweight EMTB). Weighs about half the amount, but generally, it's actually more effective than the Maul. I think your impact speed is considerably higher and you don't tire as quickly.

Impressed by the X25, a couple of years ago I bought the 365 (Think Analogue MTB) after reading rave reviews, lighter slimmer, faster... .. I generally haven't got along with it that well though, mainly due to the wrong wood types I guess. 2ft diameter oaks are not it's scene - though you can work your way round the edges with it taking off slices.

If anyone has any good tips for particularly stringy freekin annoying pine, they'd be greatly appreciated. I'm surrounded by storm downed pines and they'll all a pig to split. I've cut them short to make things easier, but it seems to make little difference.

With a shoulder injury I can't really use the Maul effectively. The 365 gets great penetration, but the pine just flexes and absorbs it. So it's the X25.

Even with over a dozen varied strikes, it just laughs at you .. It goes in the end, and once it's in halves the rest splits relatively easily.

View attachment 49009

Split you b4stard !

View attachment 49014

Even the tiny bits just suck it up !

View attachment 49012

Stringy crappy pine !!!

View attachment 49013

Seriously, I've just summed your entire post up in one picture. Do you people have to whittle your own knives and forks out of wood also ?
This is how i combat would cutting, god help me when humanity ends.

Honestly mate I would give up my crap tomorrow for your dream, well let me have a think about that while we still have civilisation

 

[Zimmerframe]

We’ve got gas central heating. Because it’s not 1843.

Yes, but you can't flame dry your bike anywhere near as quickly or efficiently with gas central heating.

Everyone knows if a Spesh isn't thoroughly dried within 30 seconds of being washed it will never work again ...

Anyway, I'm in a log cabin, so there's either wood/fire .. or COLD .. ????❄????

 

[Zimmerframe]

I grew up on a farm.

I think we can all agree that this process isn't complete yet ! ?

This is my go to, not much it can’t split with some hate and anger. Camper's Axe (Long Handle)

You must have THE most devastated campfire Wurst in all of Germany ! ??

That is a pretty Axe, do they do a mens version ? How can it be a Camping axe ? It doesn't even have an intrinsic bottle opener !

Anyway, you're in Germany now, not Yanky doodle dandy land, try a Fiskars !

As Paul Hogan would say .... That's not an Axe ... this is an Axe.....

 

[paul-g]

Yes, but you can't flame dry your bike anywhere near as quickly or efficiently with gas central heating.

Everyone knows if a Spesh isn't thoroughly dried within 30 seconds of being washed it will never work again ...

View attachment 49039

Anyway, I'm in a log cabin, so there's either wood/fire .. or COLD .. ????❄????

dis is de log cabon of monseur Zimm AKA (Renee)

 

[Supratad]

Burning trees becomes a better smell. And after Brexit, don't be sure you're not in the same state as in 1843

That’s a fair point. A lot of our coal (and nuclear energy) comes from France. It’s the same as cricket, we invented it and now everyone is better at it.
(We didn’t invent coal, I know, just everything to do with coal.)

 

[Zimmerframe]

just everything to do with coal

@supertad just lays downs the basics for a global polution law suit against the newly Sovereign UK ? .. I'll go back to ... ???

 

[Zimmerframe]

yeah the women would agree

Have you started your campfire beer fest already ? Women would agree that you have a devastated wurst ??

And 2” shorter than your fave x25 you tool you!!

And then you campaign that those VERY important 2 inches don't matter !!!!!

Just how cold is it in Germany tonight !!!

 

[Zimmerframe]

dis is de log cabon of monseur Zimm AKA (Renee)
View attachment 49042

This is an old hunting lodge from down the road from where I used to live. Apparently they used to burn between 3 and 10 hectares of wood a year to keep the place warm .... can you imagine splitting that !

When men were men .. and e-bikes didn't exist !

 

[Beekeeper]

We have people from all over the world, so I'm sure someone out there also splits wood !

My main three splitters .. Though there are obviously guest axes, you don't want people missing out on the fun !

View attachment 49008

I always used to just use the Leborgne Maul (Think Full Fat EMTB). It's just big, heavy, brutal and does the job eventually. Normally combined with two wedges for big bits.

At some point I discovered the Fiskars X25 (Think Lightweight EMTB). Weighs about half the amount, but generally, it's actually more effective than the Maul. I think your impact speed is considerably higher and you don't tire as quickly.

Impressed by the X25, a couple of years ago I bought the 365 (Think Analogue MTB) after reading rave reviews, lighter slimmer, faster... .. I generally haven't got along with it that well though, mainly due to the wrong wood types I guess. 2ft diameter oaks are not it's scene - though you can work your way round the edges with it taking off slices.

If anyone has any good tips for particularly stringy freekin annoying pine, they'd be greatly appreciated. I'm surrounded by storm downed pines and they'll all a pig to split. I've cut them short to make things easier, but it seems to make little difference.

With a shoulder injury I can't really use the Maul effectively. The 365 gets great penetration, but the pine just flexes and absorbs it. So it's the X25.

Even with over a dozen varied strikes, it just laughs at you .. It goes in the end, and once it's in halves the rest splits relatively easily.

View attachment 49009

Split you b4stard !

View attachment 49014

Even the tiny bits just suck it up !

View attachment 49012

Stringy crappy pine !!!

View attachment 49013

Amateurs ?

 

[highpeakrider]

@Zimmerframe with an axe, that sounds dangerous.....
A whole new thread, protection for using an axe...........

 

[paul-g]

@Zimmerframe with an axe, that sounds dangerous.....
A whole new thread, protection for using an axe...........

have i got the question right?
or is this better?

 

[Nicho]

Glad to hear you’re still getting wood

At the moment, but it is due to be axed!

 

[urastus]

I have a cheap maul and axe that were left in this house. I've cleaned them up, soaked heads in old engine oil, oiled the handles, done some reshaping of the maul behind the edge for better penetration, and sharpened them. The maul is very basic; heavy, long handle and so effective; I wish I could use it more. Most of my use with an axe is chopping and limbing, not splitting. I don't use them a lot and consider myself a learner, so they suit my needs. Fiskars have an awesome reputation although I'm not won over by their short handles or head shape. Axe geometries are usually designed for a type of wood, broadly speaking - Europe and the US are generally soft, Australia is generally hard. If the wood you are splitting is generally the same, perhaps you can find a better shaped axe for that type of wood, or adopt the flick (twist) technique? This one might really suit you; it has a relatively light head with a reasonably long handle. I think the head is a better design for penetration and extraction. It has a cut out down each side of the axe which reduces the contact area with the wood - hence supposedly better penetration and extraction - along with the smaller splitting edge. The funny thing is none of the literature seems to pick up on this design feature. Ben Scott explains it a bit here

Just looked at your photos. Would it be easier to split the sides off ("slabbing" about 1/3rd or a 1/4 the way in)?

 

[Sean1.0]

I found the swedish smart splitter works well ... the thing with the drop weight.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Thanks @urastus ! Some interesting points. Ben's point about the more oval cross section of the axe was interesting to stop it sticking.

Wood wise, I'd say generally in this area, Northern France, it's Oak, Chestnut, Beech. So mainly hardwoods. Pine is normally planted for harvesting rather than being natural - The majority of which apparently gets shipped to China ! For burning, Oak is normally selected. High energy per cubic meter. Chestnut used to be reserved for building, but is now also used as a firewood as traditional building techniques aren't used anymore. Chestnut spits though, another reason it probably wasn't used in traditional open fires.

For some reason with my super stringy pine, the slabbing doesn't work either ! It's quite frustrating !! It might be that the maul would be the right axe for the pine if I could get the energy into it, but I just can't apply enough power with my shoulder at the moment.

I was doing some Beech the other day and slabbed that. They're about 50cm diameter so there's no way they were going to straight split I could barely lift them :

There was a large selection of antique axes at the old house, it was always my intention to restore those one day. Might have to pick them up and have them as a future project !

For limbing and trail clearing/trail blazing I've switched to a Fiskars Machette (no this thead isn't sponsored by Fiskars ) The things lethal ! Need to watch a video of how to use it properly to get the most out of it, but it goes through most things !

On the technique front .. again Fiskars do a nice short vid on that .. only 1 minute long so even I can watch it before wondering away


I know when I bought the X25 I was torn between that and the X27 (same but longer shaft) The recommendation was the X25 based on body height. Interestingly you've led me full circle on that and it seems now that a lot of people prefer the X27 over the X25 even if they're shorter (though there will no doubt be those who prefer the x25 over the x27). Maybe it's time to get an X27. There's also an axe in the shed here similar to the one Ben liked in his video (once the paint was gone) I should give that a go out of curiosity.

I was in the same boat as you with the X25 initially .."I'm not buying that, it's like a felling axe or a toy axe, the head shape and everything is wrong !" .. Its quite impressive though.

One huge advantage is that it's less exhausting, in this video you can see the Maul is probably more effective, but he's knackered between swings.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I found the swedish smart splitter works well ... the thing with the drop weight.

Looks effective .. Does it come with an angry lady to slam the weight ?

 

[Zimmerframe]

Ben Scott explains it a bit here

From the comments in Ben's video .... Sounds like I just need to drink ...

 

[Sean1.0]

Looks effective .. Does it come with an angry lady to slam the weight ?

It's very effective and still a half decent workout ... mine came with a lady but she wasn't angry..

 

[Zimmerframe]

mine came with a lady but she wasn't angry..

??

This might require a new educational thread for the masses !!

 

[Supratad]

This is an old hunting lodge from down the road from where I used to live. Apparently they used to burn between 3 and 10 hectares of wood a year to keep the place warm .... can you imagine splitting that !

View attachment 49050

When men were men .. and e-bikes didn't exist !

3 to 10 hectares of wood a year? For that tiny shack???
Oh, you mean the one behind it.

 

[maynard]

You don't work or own any small children huh zim? I'm a little jeoulus of ur spare time . ?