Splitting/Chopping Tool Review Thread

[spike60]

Steve, are you splitting everything on the ground or using a splitting block? If on the ground, how is the edge holding up?

What I've been telling people here in the store is that whether the Husky or the Fiskars, you are working with a sharper "more finished" edge than the typical 6-8 pound maul. So having that edge hit a block vs repeatedly hitting the ground seems like it would be better for the tool.

 

[Freakingstang]

Steve, are you splitting everything on the ground or using a splitting block? If on the ground, how is the edge holding up?

What I've been telling people here in the store is that whether the Husky or the Fiskars, you are working with a sharper "more finished" edge than the typical 6-8 pound maul. So having that edge hit a block vs repeatedly hitting the ground seems like it would be better for the tool.

Everything larger than 12" in diameter stays on the ground. The smaller stuff I will pick up.

I'm very good and not putting the edge into the ground. It's taken years to figure it out how to be effective swinging an axe without destroying the edge putting it in the ground.

Yesterday I worked a a bunch of outside projects. I laid my most used axes and mauls on a piece of plywood to make a template to hang them all up. When in the midst of working on the tractor and the neighbor stopping by I totally forgot about them until this morning... It rained all night...


Anyways after really thinking about it, the Husqvarna S2800 has about 6.5-7 cord under its belt this year. A cord of ash this spring and a cord of black walnut. Then all the oak we've been splitting non stop for the last three weeks. Which is almost 7 cord, but some done with the splitter (2ish) and I've used the fiskars and the Stihl some. I'm about firewood-ed out, but free oak is free oak and I'll continue to cut and split until my source dries up. Anyways. This edge has not been dressed or touched in anyway since I've purchased it.

 

[Philbert]

Nice assortment of splitting tools! Great way to compare.

Philbert

 

[svk]

Steve, are you splitting everything on the ground or using a splitting block? If on the ground, how is the edge holding up?

What I've been telling people here in the store is that whether the Husky or the Fiskars, you are working with a sharper "more finished" edge than the typical 6-8 pound maul. So having that edge hit a block vs repeatedly hitting the ground seems like it would be better for the tool.

Not sure which Steve you are referring to. I'm splitting on the ground and the edge is holding up much better than the Fiskars with similar use. Except for one doozie that hit a big rock when I first started using it and it blew through more quickly than I expected.

 

[spike60]

Not sure which Steve you are referring to. I'm splitting on the ground and the edge is holding up much better than the Fiskars with similar use. Except for one doozie that hit a big rock when I first started using it and it blew through more quickly than I expected.

Yeah, it was you. Forgot about the multiple Steve thing!

Other thing is that "the ground" can mean different things in different places. Like dirt vs rocks. Lot of rocks around here, so if you hit the ground very often, you're going to be finding them.

 

[svk]

Yeah, it was you. Forgot about the multiple Steve thing!

Other thing is that "the ground" can mean different things in different places. Like dirt vs rocks. Lot of rocks around here, so if you hit the ground very often, you're going to be finding them.

I agree.

My hunting cabin is on a hill that eventually drops into a lake and has ultra fine sand that goes into clay. You could dig trenches with the thing and not dull it. OTOH my family cabin is a total rock farm. You can't hit the ground without hitting rocks.

 

[spike60]

Everything larger than 12" in diameter stays on the ground. The smaller stuff I will pick up.


I'm about firewood-ed out, but free oak is free oak and I'll continue to cut and split until my source dries up. Anyways. .

That's about the same for me. Plus it's the smaller ones that I'm more likey to blast all the way through.

I've got the same mindset on grabbing wood too. Never know when sources might get scarce, so get it while it's there.

 

[dancan]

One shot with the Stihl .
A little tag team work .

2 very productive wood splitters .

Both work very well , no vibrations come through the handle even when splitting b with bare hands .
The Stihl handle is bigger than the Fiskars , I still think it has a bit over the Fiskars .

 

[mn woodcutter]

So I was at my local dealer and was able to handle the new orange handled husqvarna splitting axe. I was amazed at how short the handle really was. I didn't purchase it because of that.

 

[TMFARM 2009]

yep! still love the fiskars trio!
used them again today, this time without cutting my boot.

 

[Adler13]

The Estwing used to be the classic canoe camping axe. The unbreakable handle was a big feature, though, I have watched guys try to whittle a replacement handle for a conventional axe out of a tree limb on canoe trips.

 

[svk]

The Estwing used to be the classic canoe camping axe. The unbreakable handle was a big feature, though, I have watched guys try to whittle a replacement handle for a conventional axe out of a tree limb on canoe trips.

Philbert

Hey Philbert. That Adler guy thinks just like you lol.

Goodbye spammer.

 

[Philbert]

Hey Philbert. That Adler guy thinks just like you lol.Goodbye spammer.

Bummer. I liked his post. You suppose that's because it was my post?

Philbert

 

[svk]

I 'spose. Lol.

 

[svk]

This guy signed up yesterday from India which is one of our main spam sources. When I saw him post in two of the regular threads I knew he had gone rogue.

 

[Dalmatian90]

the axemen soldiers in the Grenadier combat companies... mission was to mount assaults at the head of all combat units in order to destroy the obstacles created by the enemy.

At origin there were 6 kinds of axes to destroy and 7 kinds of axes to hammer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Legion_Pioneers_(Pionniers)

 

[svk]

Very interesting. Also noticed that all of them have beards and just about every ethnicity is represented.

 

[zogger]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Legion_Pioneers_(Pionniers)

That is just too slick! Great find!

 

[Ronaldo]

Very interesting. Also noticed that all of them have beards and just about every ethnicity is represented.

I noticed that same thing and was wondering about it.

 

[Philbert]

I noticed that same thing and was wondering about it.

Explained in the wiki article.

It appears that they were an early form of combat engineers, and also highly expendable.

Philbert