It is getting that time of year again lot of guys split wood. I am wanting to do a fairly comprehensive overview / review of some splitting tools. Just to make it easier for guys who still split by hand. Sometimes splitting by hand is enjoyable and others it is out of necessity because of financial strain. Right now I have a husqvarna splitting maul, a custom made small German style, and a fiskars x25. I want to get a couple of helko splitting tools and if I can afford the stihl pro maul and split axe but it is easy to get a lot of money invested in tools that essentially do the same job.
I think you'll find that everyone has a different view of each tool or type of tool for splitting wood. Some love the heck out of those Monster Mauls, while others prefer the 6# mauls. Then still others prefer the Fiskars X25 and X27. Of course lets not forget the other mauls, splitting axes, or other high dollar axes. Me, I couldn't tell you the difference between a $500 splitting axe/maul or an old $20 light weight axe/maul. As long as it helps me get the wood split, that's all that matters. I also refuse to purchase a high dollar axe or maul that may or may not do the job because of it's alleged quality. I've purchased junk for thousands of dollars and purchased el cheapo to find it worked better than the high dollar. But, what works well for me, may not work well for others. A lot may have to do with the style in which they split and how much strength they have or don't have. Time of year they split and how long the round has been laying there. Was it up off the ground or not? Were they under cover or out in the sun? Or laying in the shade? Does it have the bark on or not? Is it oak or poplar? Were the trees yard birds or forest grown? There are just far too many factors. I use the tools at hand, and if all else fails: Noodle it! But this is just one of my many opinions!
Star Gazer I know you are right in many ways. I think my curiosity just gets the better of me. Lol I do know some just do a better job then others and price is not always the factor in usefulness. I also want to see I'd there is any maul out there that is any better then my 35 year old maul. It looks simple but I have never found anything I like better. But that is probably how much I have used it.
Corey, I highly doubt you will find anything better than your favorite maul. Furthermore, I fail to see why anyone would spend dollars for several splitting tools. Until I hurt my back, I split almost everything with just an axe and if that did not do the task, then a sledge and wedges did it nicely. Also, somehow I never seemed to mind the splitting either until after an injury and it started hurting....a lot. One winter I even sat down and split using sledge and wedges and just tapping with the sledge because it hurt too much to swing it and also when the sledge met the wedge, it would put me right down sometimes. That is when I graduated to the hydraulics. I still will usually split a handful every winter bit have to be really careful.
Here is a quick video ofor what I currently have. The fiskars is the wife's. I got tiered of replacing handles on my maul. Lol
I usually use the x27 on as much as I can, then break out my monster maul on the tougher stuff like elm.
My wife really likes the x25. I do as well she is not breaking my handles lol. Other then that I am not a huge fan. It does work fine just not my choice
Splitting was fun when I was a few years younger, but now a maul is too much for me and I don't have enough swing for my X27. I went to hydraulics too when I felt that I could not easily split with hand tools. I'm beyond proving that I can still do it by hand once or twice. As long as you can do it, use what works best for YOU. We all have our preferences, but a tool that works with you is the go-to tool. PS: The splitter is great for making kindlin' too.
Personally, I love the Fiskars X27 but it is not the "Do All" as I have seen in many reviews. I will admit I have split some pretty healthy rounds with it though. If it fails to give me results, then I'll move onto the wavy handled True Temper Splitting Axe. It's heavier and I had used it for a few years before the Fiskars. I ended up breaking that one due to my abuses, but because of it's performance in tougher rounds I purchased another. The 6# maul works okay, but I save that as a last resort since I can used the sledge on it as well as the metal splitting wedges. My "Go To Axe" is the Fiskars because it feels good in my hands. I can split wood with it all day long if I wanted to. I couldn't with the others. I love splitting wood with an axe. I can work out my frustrations or anger, and get some decent exercise. I'm afraid one day I'll have to join the hydraulic splitter crowd since my back isn't in the greatest of shape. But until then I'll keep on enjoying whacking the snott out of those rounds with whatever axe/maul!
Don't forget about having some pulp hooks, tongs and/or a pickaroon on hand to help with picking up and moving your rounds and splits. Lessening the bending and picking up will save your back in the long run.
I love that pulp hook I got , sticks easy , holds great , I'm going to have to get another one , it's great having an instant handle for a chunk of wood , moving big rounds around it helps a lot too. With arthritis my grip is not as good now ,but no problem gripping the pulp hook, or tongs, I don't know of any better way to unload a trailer than with a pickaroon
My go to for hand splitting is a cheap Tractor Supply 8lb maul with the yellow fiberglass handle. It is not a beautiful tool, or even a very reliable one as the heads seem to loosen quickly, but the replacements are free and I can swing it all day. I have a monster maul and have used it sparingly, and an X27 that is loads of fun but tends to hang up in the gnarly stuff. Rounded out with a few wedges and I'm good to go. ...That said, after my first year of doing more than campfire wood (13 cord or so, by hand, in winter) I jumped on the first $600 hydraulic unit Craig's list had to offer. I do still enjoy hand splitting if I get a truck full of some nice straight ash, but with the volume my boiler eats it just isn't practical to do it all by hand.
The Fiskars IsoCore 8 lb Maul will plow through what the x25 won't . I got this mostly though because I wanted to get an 8 lb sledge and the large face on this works really good for smackin a wedge ,so I got a heavy maul and sledge all in one
I wouldn't mind having the IsoCore maul. I really love how it looks. The only draw back is the weight for me. A few swings would be all that I could muster. Past that, it might as well be one of those monster mauls (anvil on a pipe) because I couldn't swing one of those more than once!
If you look hard enough on this forum, you'll be able to find how some people use hydraulic splitters to split their hands..... (oh wait, never mind)
Welcome to the forum BigPapi Those monster mauls were monsters. I tried one once but never bought one.
I don't split much wood by hand at all, split some pieces open to test moisture content, split a round open for further identification, and getting big stuff down to a manageable size, and most of the time for that, a sledge and wedge is best choice, if I can move it around and get it split vertical or left it for horizontal, I'm using hydraulics. When making kindling I use my 4 pound Fireside friend As far as expending energy I'm actually expending less energy Pounding a wage in with an 8 lb Sledge as opposed to a 6 lb, just let the weight do the job. If I had to split all my wood by hand I would not be heating with wood
I haven't swung a splitting tool in about 6 months! The American CLS does 95% now. I still enjoy splitting though. Especially the White Ash I use for firewood. Talk about easy peasy. I'll post a pic of my hand splitting tools when I get a chance.
