Splitting Firewood? Which Axe is Right for You?

Between the experience I’ve gained and the size of my axe collection, I feel that I can comfortably discuss some observations in splitting different types of wood with a variety of axe patterns.

This video will be useful to you if you are looking for the right type of axe to buy or if you are like me and enjoy picking up helpful tips in axe use.

Enjoy!

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:22 Splitting Mauls, The Best for Beginners
01:55 The Demise of the Maul
02:42 A Unique Splitting Tool
03:49 Felling Axes
04:30 A Sharp Tool Requires Skill
04:43 The Flick Technique
05:29 Cruiser Doubles
05:56 Demise of the Flick
06:42 Splitting Axes
07:05 The Basque
08:05 Using a Splitting Block
08:29 Splitting Axes Don’t Like Pine (neither do I)
08:56 The Best Axes for Cordwood Challenge
09:51 Great for All Users
10:36 Outro

[Codi_Clapper]

My intentions of this video are directed towards helping people get exposed to a variety of splitting tools, and to spark some healthy discussion amongst you all.

A lot of the points in this video are coming from my personal observations and could easily be argued for or against depending on a lot of factors. What works for one person might not be realistic for another. Feel free to add-in or make a point against anything that I said in the video. Cheers!

[CHM]

For those of you who heard him say "Not much is known about Japanese logging" I invite you to put that into your YouTube search bar. Quite a bit is known if you take the time to look.

[kenbrooman]

I came across the Garant SUPER SPLITTER SPLITTING MAUL about 30 years ago and have never looked back. Go online and check it out. I don’t believe any other design of axe can touch it and I now see that other companies (fisker for one) have copied it. Due to its design it has far less metal touching the wood to cause friction and stall the cut combined with more force pushing sideways to split the wood apart. That along with good technique and a proper height splitting block makes splitting wood a joy to do. Far more efficient than the ones shown in the video. I have a wood/electric forced air furnace for my 2 story house and use about 17 face-cord a winter here in Canada.

[janking]

Try Gransfors Bruks tools, especially their splitting mauls. Beautifully balanced, hand forged steel, hardwood handles that absorb shocks, unlike steel. I used them on mixed seasoned hardwoods before my shoulder told me to move to a hydraulic splitter that never gets tired, no matter how gnarly the wood.
A very well researched and thought out video. Thanks!

[brightphoebeuploads]

I am a tall, 140 lb woman, and I can use a 6lb splitting maul, but I can tell when I'm beginning to tire and it's time to stop. I find it easiest to chop off an edge piece first rather than hitting the middle, then flake off further pieces turing the log around as I go, before cutting it in half.

[Joey-L]

Great video. Splitting soft woods has always been my nemesis. Finding the right axe in my arsenal is still something I am experimenting with. Some good tips that I am going to try next time out.

[shockley]

Once I got rid of the chopping block, I gained momentum and never had to pick up a round ever again. The Fiskars Isocore maul and X27 really shine then.

[kevinmoore]

Thank you for the video. It was clear and covered all of the key points a person would want to know about buying an axe.

[aplavins]

Great video man! Useful information and I especially liked the acoustic music at the end!

[erickkiessling]

Great video. Ive been use all three methods splitting curb wood for seven or so years. Curb wood is all varieties from pine, peacan, oak, sycamore, to osage orange or mulberry. To name a few iv spotted. I also have to add a another method, the wedge and sledge. I found a longnose sledge and found it work work best with two wedges started with a engineers hammer

[sawdustadikt]

Great video, when folks ask what’s the best maul or axe, I tell them it depends on what your splitting. Just a suggestion, best splitting block I use is a half sheet of 3/4 plywood. I get full swing and when I glance my bit is protected from the dirt and rocks. Drill a hole in a corner and tie a leash to the plywood and you can easily drag the “block” to the pile, not bring the rounds to the block. Also, in the stringy dense stuff, keep you bit felling sharp, it really reduces the amount of swings it takes.

[nohillforahighstepper]

I have mostly lodgepole pine, spruce, fir and cottonwood in my area. I burn 4- 6 cords every winter.
I used to use a maul but as I get older, it is getting hard on my shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands to use that heavy maul.
I found a "Collins Axe" that has been doing a phenomenal job for me. Considerably less force required to accomplish the same job.
I still have to use the maul on some harder splitting pieces. But overall, my arms feel way better using the Collins axe.
To aid in splitting stroke, I screwed together 2 layers of 4X4s that are perpendicular to each other. Then I put on 1 more layer of perpendicular 2X4s. The 2X4 layer is the layer that I split on. It is easy and cheap to replace those pieces. I also installed a suitcase handle on the side.
That gives me roughly 18 more inches of stroke and power on each swing. The splitting block moves easily and protects my edge from hitting dirt.

[newbluerugby]

Dude, thank you for putting all this info out in timely concise manner, saving whatever silly/ personality stuff for the end

[kurts]

Well made vid! I don't have any experience splitting softwood so your thoughts on that were pretty interesting. Agreed on the japanese/husqvarna sledge axe pattern. Those plastic huskys are awesome. Love the slow mo's! 👍👍

[TNAN]

Cool information. My only problem with an axe or any chopping is accuracy. I can try to split a single log and have 20 different cuts all over the surface before successfully splitting one. Therefore I use a log wedge and just hammer from that spot, easier for me personally.

[brettbrown]

Excellent video Codi! Very clear narrative with examples to help people select the best tool for the particular job/wood.

[barrybueler]

I have the wetterlings splitting mail #146 works great can be a little heavy for me anyway if I knew what I know now I’d get the same style head but a one or 2 pounds lighter.

[joey]

Excellent video codi !! Glad to see you back behind end axe !! I really enjoyed this man, jam packed full of information!! I learned a lot from this, great job man keep up the great work !!

[MatthewAmsbaugh]

Good info in this video! Nice breakdown of different species and tools best suited to process them. I find myself gravitating towards the composite handles more and more for splitting simply because of the durability of the handle. Nothing hurts more than seeing a handle you just spend hours making with a big chunk taken out because you overstruck once. And I’m the king breaking handles that way! Haha.

[jasonbowers]

Amen! I can't stand picking up logs and trying to balance them on a stump. I split everything on the ground with a golf club like swing. Just keep your feet in front of the wood your splitting. Great video.