Hi folks

Got a woodburner in September (2010) and have now developed a signifigant wood issue … nearly crashing when looking at dead trees on the side of the road… you may know the sort of thing if you too have a wood burner.

Well recently my log splitting axe has started to die…. it was a cheapish (£20) draper expert with yellow fibreglass handle, and the head is working loose.

Now I am looking to replace my axe and wondered if there was an advantage in one of the more expensive axes ???

Your advice apreciated

have now developed a significant wood issue

🙂

Chainsaw.

Got a chainsaw…. Need the axe to split logs.

If youve broken one of them in a year then dont bother with an expensive one till you get your technique sorted. Ive had two in 18 years and the second still has years in it.
Get a proper splitting maul, dont need to be expensive.

this is what Im swingin’ at the moment.

Works nicely. No need to put any effort in, just a matter of aiming, timing and a little follow through.

No harm in giving it a little bit of an edge on the grinder when it turns up though as they ship pretty blunt.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-splitting-maul-8lb/87268#

£25

I have the one Stoner has posted, had it for about 3 years and it’s done some serious amount of logs and is still going strong.

Gränsfors Bruks, hand forged, last you an eternity. Proper hickory handle, none of that plastic rubbish.

yup,

log splitter ftw.

(use lil axe for kindling-type stuff)

Second any axe by Gränsfors love mine to bits.

I wanted to get a Gransfors.

But as I haven’t really swung an axe in anger before I got the Screwfix cheap one.

Once my chopping action is fine tuned I may treat myself to the Gransfors.

Roselli small axe – though it’s not so much of a splitting axe, more kindling / garden / carpentry axe. I was given it as a present and it’s a complete a joy to use, especially compared to the Draper £10 special I was using previously…

(I’ve also just inherited a hand-axe that was my grandfathers – it’s in need of some restoration but I think it’s about 150 years old)

I use a smaller axe and a lump hammer

I have used one of these – it really does work a lot batter than an ae or a standard splitting maul
http://www.chopperaxe.com/

an axe shouldnt have a spare parts list TJ

I had to laugh the video on that site, have you seen how much effort the guy is putting into that chop?

good point stoner

yep. with that amount of effort he could have split that log with a brick on a rope.

What axe for Ashton Court and Leigh Woods?

Oregon splitting maul with Hickory handle.

+1 for Gransfors Bruks – I’ve got a big chopper for splitting rounds and a little one for making up kindling, stripping branches and the like.

If you’re developing an urge for foraging, then get yourself a Silky saw – next best thing to a chainsaw, but a lot lighter to carry in a rucksack. Currently using mine to harvest some fallen oak branches in our local woodland for next winter.

NO NO NO.. never need to use a grinder on an axe..

my father was a proper tree feller ( 40 a day by hand) and he still has his one and only felling axe.. ( had a couple of shafts in 55 years)

keep it clean, keep it oiled, wrap the head in an oily rag when not in use, dont keep in the house ( the wood needs to breathe) oil occasionally with linseed oil

keep the edge keen with a carborundem stone , used wet in a circular motion, try to give it a slightly concave edge. Only use a proper axe file if you get a serious nick ( which you wont if only use it in wood) dad doesnt even have one never needed one he says..

use an axe as an axe not as a hammer, doorstop, wedge or anything else and it’ll last a life time literally

carry it properly axes are sharp and flesh is like butter to a felling axe. when chopping always make sure the wood is clear of the ground and is secured so that it dont move.

I’ve got a Gransfors small splitting axe (like wot CountZero has I think) for erm splitting logs, it’s much much much much nicer to use than the heavy cheap screwfix piece of shite that I’ve got, the only thing the Gransfors can’t cope with is really knotty pieces.

A good splitting maul is good for logs. If you are splitting large rounds, get a sledge hammer and maybe a couple of wood grenades to go with it.

Or even better get one of these:

Yup have log grenades and 18lb sledge for the bigger fatter ones, they do explode the logs. No not literally.

NO NO NO.. never need to use a grinder on an

in my post that i refer to grinding, its a maul, not an axe. Its not something that’s going to be honed on a virgin fairy’s buttocks and wrapped a cloth knitted from Kate Middleton’s pre-princess pubic hair.

If you’re going to splash on a Gränsfors then, yes, learn to hone. If you’re going to drop a maul on a block of wood then dont get precious about it.

a cloth knitted from Kate Middleton’s pre-princess pubic hair

Fairytale romance is soooo dead. 🙁

you republicans can be such downers 🙁

you republicans can be such downers

I am a hardcore republican… but the chintz always moves me to tears, thus averting regicide.

there’s a lot of art involved in these things you know…

Such a beautiful and moving image – the likeness is indeed stunning.

Best axe I’ve ever used…Fiskars X27
Head material a little soft, but F-me does it split. Finnish company so should know a thing or two about felling trees. Brand over here has been hijacked by Wilkinson Sword (I think?) but their axes are still made by them. Highly recommended, and you can get them from Amazon too! 😛