Splitting/Chopping Tool Review Thread

[Ambull01]

You are right on there.

A maul does split tough wood better than a Fiskars or any splitting axe. Difference is you can swing a 3.5-4.5 splitting axe (regardless of brand) all day. You can't do that with a maul unless you are the hulk. Different tools for different uses. But some just cant see it that way.

I have the perfect round in mind to test a Fiskars and maul on. It's my roadside scrounge location. I smacked that thing all round the edges, middle, etc trying to find the weak point. Never got through. I'm not the Hulk by any means, in fact I'm probably built like the zogmeister according to his self description, but I've learned to use leverage/momentum/etc to my advantage. As a result I have a strong right cross and splitting swing. If the maul splits that round from Hell, I'll have two splitting tools. If it fails, I don't need it and I'll give it to my father in-law.

I know a guy who is retired and works at a very slow pace. In 8 hours in the woods he may work 1.5-2 hours and spend the rest sitting on the tailgate putzing with his tools and shooting the breeze.

If you work 15 minutes then take a 45 minute break it really doesn't matter if you are using a 13 lb "anvil on a stick", a 6 lb maul, or a splitting axe. You aren't working hard enough to get tired. OTOH if you want results, you pick the best tool for the job to maximize output while minimizing energy input.

lol. Haven't been on this site for long but I'm guess that old guy is an AS member. You guys should have a fun little boxing match. Nothing more relaxing than punching something and nothing will humble you more than being punched in the face repeatedly. Wish I had more time to box again but for now, taking out my anger on rounds will have to suffice.

 

[svk]

I have the perfect round in mind to test a Fiskars and maul on. It's my roadside scrounge location. I smacked that thing all round the edges, middle, etc trying to find the weak point. Never got through. I'm not the Hulk by any means, in fact I'm probably built like the zogmeister according to his self description, but I've learned to use leverage/momentum/etc to my advantage. As a result I have a strong right cross and splitting swing. If the maul splits that round from Hell, I'll have two splitting tools. If it fails, I don't need it and I'll give it to my father in-law.

Check out @zogger 's excellent review of the Leveraxe a few pages back in the thread. He tested the LA until it said uncle. Also a Fiskars SS and a maul or two. Nothing would split the elm (can't remember which species, maybe winged). There's some things that just should be noodled. If you need more than one wedge to split a round you should be noodling instead.

lol. Haven't been on this site for long but I'm guess that old guy is an AS member. You guys should have a fun little boxing match. Nothing more relaxing than punching something and nothing will humble you more than being punched in the face repeatedly. Wish I had more time to box again but for now, taking out my anger on rounds will have to suffice.

Perceptive, you have become.

 

[Ambull01]

Check out @zogger 's excellent review of the Leveraxe a few pages back in the thread. He tested the LA until it said uncle. Also a Fiskars SS and a maul or two. Nothing would split the elm (can't remember which species, maybe winged). There's some things that just should be noodled. If you need more than one wedge to split a round you should be noodling instead.

Just read it. Great review. I should probably go back and read all of the zogmeister's 15k posts. Dude has some really great knowledge that only first hand experience can give.

I really want to find some elm and compare it to these sweetgum rounds I mistakenly picked up.

 

[zogger]

Just read it. Great review. I should probably go back and read all of the zogmeister's 15k posts. Dude has some really great knowledge that only first hand experience can give.

I really want to find some elm and compare it to these sweetgum rounds I mistakenly picked up.

Just let the sweetgum and elm sit until the bark is loose and falls off, and it is deeply cracked, you can bust them then, one way or the other. If you are cutting them, large diameter, instead of cutting to your normal full length, you can cut fat cookies (like 4-6 inch thick) and speed the process up some, then bust pie slices to stack. They also make good all nighters if you can squeeze them in whole into your heater. No need for small splits with that wood if you are scoring other easier to split species.

That's most likely what I will do with all this elm I have, mix it in the stacks as big all nighters. Anything that will fit, only bust enough to make the chunks fit.

 

[spike60]

Another possible point of interest: some folks say that the edge on a splitting tool is irrelevant- "butter-knife" edge is good as axe-sharp. For many years, I had no reference for that. I just pounded on the rounds with the tools I had, like a 5 lb Bradlees-special.

Then I got a 3 kg (6.6 lb) Mueller maul, that arrived with an edge almost sharp enough to shave with, 3 yrs ago. (Still sharp, without sharpening.) That tool just got it done, typically popping red oak splits apart with less than 1" penetration. Obviously, having a 7" disc-grinder, the next step was to reshape the Bradlees-special maul to mimic the shape of the Mueller, as possible. Works great.

Questions for @mikey517 :
1. Have you done anything yet with the raised ridge about 1/8" behind the edge?
2. Do you always "daisy" rounds with a mid-size splitting tool?

I ask the second because I find it easier to split 'em right down the middle in halves, then quarters etc. As necessary, a hit on the far side, then the near side, then the middle. For one thing, this helps protect the handle from overstrikes in such a daisied bundle. It may well work for you to bust the rounds in halves or quarters with the 6-pounder, then slice & dice with the lighter axe.

Good post John. (Pardon my partial quote due to length)

That conversation we had opened my eyes, as I thought that the factory edge on most of this stuff was good enough. "Hey, it's only a maul." Like you, I was wasting energy swinging dull tools. It sure doesn't take a lot of work to touch up those edges, and the nice edge I put on my Collins 6lb maul does make a noticeable difference. I think it's common thinking that a maul really doesn't need to be sharp, but that's just not the case. I just touched up a cheapo maul for a buddy that had an edge that could be described as "factory indifference + years of abuse". He thought the idea was a waste of time until he tried it after I sharpened it. Then he brought over two more of them.

That lesson, plus using my old axes for the lighter stuff are the kind of useful things that we can pick up from these discussions.

@mikey517 and I did some splitting with the 22 ton Ariens at the GTG here back in OCT. And I noticed him positioning the blocks to be split much like he did with the hand splitting. Just a slightly different way to attack the block to be split, whether by hand or hydraulic. I usually take the same route that John does. Half, quarter, and on down. Does one method lend itself better to some tools than others I wonder?

 

[Ambull01]

Just let the sweetgum and elm sit until the bark is loose and falls off, and it is deeply cracked, you can bust them then, one way or the other. If you are cutting them, large diameter, instead of cutting to your normal full length, you can cut fat cookies (like 4-6 inch thick) and speed the process up some, then bust pie slices to stack. They also make good all nighters if you can squeeze them in whole into your heater. No need for small splits with that wood if you are scoring other easier to split species.

That's most likely what I will do with all this elm I have, mix it in the stacks as big all nighters. Anything that will fit, only bust enough to make the chunks fit.

Roger that. Although, I want to compare a X27 and a CT now while the sweetgum and hopefully elm are green/hard to split. This way if both tools fail I'll keep the lighter/more durable one, get rid of the other or relegate it to a "close at hand" tool, and never have to worry about a splitting apparatus again (lifetime warranty on Fiskars).

Fat cookies (just made me crave some Oreos) sound like a great idea. All of the roadside scrounge are back in play once again.

 

[svk]

Roger that. Although, I want to compare a X27 and a CT now while the sweetgum and hopefully elm are green/hard to split. This way if both tools fail I'll keep the lighter/more durable one, get rid of the other or relegate it to a "close at hand" tool, and never have to worry about a splitting apparatus again (lifetime warranty on Fiskars).

I can already tell you a 6# maul of any mfg will disappoint when trying to split green elm.... Save your $

 

[zogger]

Roger that. Although, I want to compare a X27 and a CT now while the sweetgum and hopefully elm are green/hard to split. This way if both tools fail I'll keep the lighter/more durable one, get rid of the other or relegate it to a "close at hand" tool, and never have to worry about a splitting apparatus again (lifetime warranty on Fiskars).

Fat cookies (just made me crave some Oreos) sound like a great idea. All of the roadside scrounge are back in play once again.

I'd keep both, and use the CT for when you are felling as well, to smack wedges. You aren't supposed to hammer nuthin with the back of the fiskars.

I use all my axes. I like my cheap utility axe for stripping bark and cutting vines. I try to ID trees a year in advance that I will take and make sure they are clean of poison ivy vines for instance, cut a section out at the bottom, let em dry for a year, then they pull out of the tree easy. I did that last year on my mother load I am working on this winter, went through and marked and vine killed a buncha big trees.

 

[Ambull01]

I can already tell you a 6# maul of any mfg will disappoint when trying to split green elm.... Save your $

lol. Man I really need to get my hands on some elm. Would help if I could ID a tree to save my life though. Couldn't pick out an elm round from a pine.

I'd keep both, and use the CT for when you are felling as well, to smack wedges. You aren't supposed to hammer nuthin with the back of the fiskars.

I use all my axes. I like my cheap utility axe for stripping bark and cutting vines. I try to ID trees a year in advance that I will take and make sure they are clean of poison ivy vines for instance, cut a section out at the bottom, let em dry for a year, then they pull out of the tree easy. I did that last year on my mother load I am working on this winter, went through and marked and vine killed a buncha big trees.

Not sure how often I'll fell. I may stick to being a scavenging scrounger, only take downed stuff. I have really short handled sledge looking thing that the previous owner of my house left behind. Old as dirt but I kind of like it so I may use that to drive wedges although it will severely cut down on the amount of force I can generate.

I don't think I'm allergic to poison ivy. Did some ambush/small unit tactic training up in PA a year or so ago and the whole squad picked a poison ivy patch to lie in. Next day the whole unit looked like lepers except for myself. Poor knuckleheads.

Anyway, I've diverted this thread enough from its original intent.

 

[svk]

lol. Man I really need to get my hands on some elm. Would help if I could ID a tree to save my life though. Couldn't pick out an elm round from a pine.

Someone mentioned the analogy that an American elm looks like a martini glass. If you see a tree in a windrow or ditch that is shaped like a martini glass (single stem that flows into a triangular looking crown) you've probably found an elm. If bark is falling off in sheets, its almost definitely an elm. Post a pic up here and someone will confirm it. Pain to split but it burns awesome. As whitespider will mention it is probably underrated in BTU charts.

 

[UnforsakenGhost]

Most of what i burn is a mix of elm and walnut, did a basement for a couple and a bunch of trees had to come out, makes a nice mix, elm overnight walnut during the day, I tried to split elm once, and that was the last time I tried to split it, lost both wedges and got my maul stuck lol

 

[Ambull01]

Someone mentioned the analogy that an American elm looks like a martini glass. If you see a tree in a windrow or ditch that is shaped like a martini glass (single stem that flows into a triangular looking crown) you've probably found an elm. If bark is falling off in sheets, its almost definitely an elm. Post a pic up here and someone will confirm it. Pain to split but it burns awesome. As whitespider will mention it is probably underrated in BTU charts.

What the hell is a windrow?

 

[svk]

What the hell is a windrow?

The trees in a line at the edge of a field planted to slow down the wind. After a few generations it becomes a thin strip of forest of whatever trees are in that are.

 

[zogger]

lol. Man I really need to get my hands on some elm. Would help if I could ID a tree to save my life though. Couldn't pick out an elm round from a pine.



Not sure how often I'll fell. I may stick to being a scavenging scrounger, only take downed stuff. I have really short handled sledge looking thing that the previous owner of my house left behind. Old as dirt but I kind of like it so I may use that to drive wedges although it will severely cut down on the amount of force I can generate.

I don't think I'm allergic to poison ivy. Did some ambush/small unit tactic training up in PA a year or so ago and the whole squad picked a poison ivy patch to lie in. Next day the whole unit looked like lepers except for myself. Poor knuckleheads.

Anyway, I've diverted this thread enough from its original intent.

Still a good idea to get the vines off. Someone downwind could get sick as a moose from breathing smoky air with the sap in it. Or in your house, a puff of smoke comes into the room, etc. Doesn't take much to strip the vines.

 

[UnforsakenGhost]

The trees in a line at the edge of a field planted to slow down the wind. After a few generations it becomes a thin strip of forest of whatever trees are in that are.

A lot of them in the windy states like ks lol

 

[Ambull01]

Nice, learning about chainsaws/splitting tools and broadening my vocabulary repertoire.

Well now I need to learn how to identify trees and poison ivy. Great

 

[UnforsakenGhost]

Nice, learning about chainsaws/splitting tools and broadening my vocabulary repertoire.

Well now I need to learn how to identify trees and poison ivy. Great

Don't feel bad I've been cutting or helping cut since I was about 5 and I'm 25 and still learning stuff lol

 

[benp]

The trees in a line at the edge of a field planted to slow down the wind. After a few generations it becomes a thin strip of forest of whatever trees are in that are.

Also shelter belt.

 

[zogger]

Nice, learning about chainsaws/splitting tools and broadening my vocabulary repertoire.

Well now I need to learn how to identify trees and poison ivy. Great

Not to mention not stumbling into a nest of eastern squareback one-steps whist out scrounging in the weeds and trees....

 

[hamish]

I have given up swinging mauls and battling bigger wood, even the days of wrestling a biggun's onto the splitter, unless I bring the excavator along. Even when using the splitter and I actually have grown to dislike the design of my W520. Splitting between the hitch and the motor seems nice at first, till you need to move the splitter. More companies should have a wood table by the wedge end to save a lot of messing around.

Behind the ATV I have 2 trailers that I use near daily. One is a tub style trailer, the second is a miniature/cordwood forwarding trailer. The cordwood trailer is my go to trailer now, cut in the bust to 4' load then process at the yard, a lot less bending and handling. For this winter I even bought the yellow slug a new tag along.

My winter splitter is one of the axes in my herd, still trying to find my other HB, me thinks by now it might be under water and about to be frozen over again.

On a side note to Bob,

You guys getting the 27T Husky splitter down there?