# The Great Divider



## cjnspecial (Jul 10, 2009)

Ever seen one of these....it's made (or was made) by Warren Tool Group out of Hiram Ohio. I split some pecan with it and it works really well for everything but the really big or really knotty stuff...and requires a lot less effort than the monster maul or other axes.


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## chucker (Jul 10, 2009)

looks to be a similarity of what was called "chopper one" sometime around the 80's. the tool worked alright till you found a frozen block and one of the spreaders would shatter!! hence " CHOPPER ONE TIME " ???


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## JJuday (Jul 11, 2009)

I have seen one like that before, I think it was just called the lever axe. Watched the video on the net and like everything else out there it looked to good to be true. Plus the guy in the video was splitting small clean rounds, the type of stuff you would not normally reduce any further anyway. They also had a cut away of it on the site and it looked solid enough, but wood splitting should not have to get that complicated with an axe!JJ


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## smokinj (Jul 11, 2009)

JJuday said:


> I have seen one like that before, I think it was just called the lever axe. Watched the video on the net and like everything else out there it looked to good to be true. Plus the guy in the video was splitting small clean rounds, the type of stuff you would not normally reduce any further anyway. They also had a cut away of it on the site and it looked solid enough, but wood splitting should not have to get that complicated with an axe!JJ



Yep It all looks good in the video's


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## burgetdk (Oct 23, 2011)

I actually have one and use it all the time, the sprin just broke and would love to fine a new one or a new spring to purchase.


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## Chris-PA (Oct 23, 2011)

You're reviving a 2 year old thread. 

The one pictured is a knock off of the original Chopper 1, which I use all the time. It works very well on some wood, and is useless on other, you just gotta learn to read and feel when it's useful. The springs are not that special - I would look around at a good hardware store or online, perhaps at McMaster-Carr.


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## burgetdk (Oct 23, 2011)

Thank you for the speedy response. I was splittiing yesterday and the spring went. I haven't had much problems with differant logs. However, If it won't split, then that hole logs is fire bound. Ha..

Anyh ideas where to purchase the chopper?

Regards,


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## Guido Salvage (Oct 23, 2011)

My brother bought one of those about 25 years ago. I was at my mother's house earlier this year cutting some wood and realized I forgot my Monster Maul and grabbed it. Worked okay for around 10 minutes until one of the levers shattered. 

Split the wood on my next trip and left a Monster Maul there for future use.


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## Chris-PA (Oct 23, 2011)

https://www.chopper1axe.com/

My father and I have been using these since the 1970's, he's still got his original and I have another that's also been around a while. They get used a lot every year and we've never broken anything on either. All splitters work on the same basic idea, which is that you're transferring the vertical force into lateral force. The Chopper 1 uses levers to do that, and the idea is that to pops the wood apart suddenly. On some stuff this works great - I've split a lot of 30"+ ash rounds with it one-hit. On black locust it was useless, as it could not penetrate far enough to engage the levers. It seems to work better on wet wood. When I go splitting, it is always one of the tools I take unless I know it won't work on the wood I working. 

I don't know about the "Great Divide" and its quality or durability, but the old Chopper 1's have proven themselves to me. 

Incidentally, you can get some of the same effect if you swing a regular axe with the head twisted such that it strikes the log a bit of an angle. It will want to twist a bit when it hits, and you have to let it. It's a PITA to do and it's hard to accurate, but I've made it work.


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## cjnspecial (Oct 23, 2011)

I still use mine on occasion and it works great. It has longer lever arms than the chopper one axe and a different blade design. It's balanced really well and has a very comfortable handle.


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## burgetdk (Oct 24, 2011)

Any ideas on where to purchase a new "Great Divider"?


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## cjnspecial (Oct 24, 2011)

burgetdk said:


> Any ideas on where to purchase a new "Great Divider"?


 
The company that made rhem is out of business. About the only place to look is eBay. The next closest thing is the chopper 1 axe.


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## tmasters (Jan 7, 2013)

burgetdk said:


> I actually have one and use it all the time, the sprin just broke and would love to fine a new one or a new spring to purchase.



Did you ever find a new spring? Mine also just broke. [or suggestions for a relatively inexpensive new splitter]
Thanks, Tom


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## unclemoustache (Jan 8, 2013)

WoodHeatWarrior said:


> You're reviving a 2 year old thread.






Wow! I think I'll give him some rep for that!  (Green, not red!)


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