I've got 2 of the twisted Helkos, a Gransfors, and a couple cheap farm store ones. I think the Helkos are the best. The Gransfors is prettier, but it is a more slender wedge than the Helko. If I'm using a wedge it is because I need some serious power and the Helko seems to have just a bit more. It is also at a good price point- the cheap ones are made of recycled Yugos or something and mushroom like crazy. They aren't worth the money spent on them. The Gransfors is almost a piece of art- functional art, but twice the price of the Helko. The Helko costs enough to have good steel well tempered, and you can get two of them for the price of one Gransfors.
I have the Stihl twisty wedge. It is the only wedge I have ever used but it seems to work extremely well. Except on the red elm... efff that chit. Today, I busted apart huge ash rounds with no problems. I just place it inline with the cracks in the middle of the round, tap it 20 or so times with the back of my maul, and VOILA! huge round split in half.
Bought the Helko 5.5lb,Mueller Austria 4.4lb & Wetterlings 3.75lb. twisted wedges in 2013. $180 for all 3,the hand forged Mueller was the most expensive,almost twice the cost of the Helko,but just equal in performance. The Wetterlings was the cheapest (where I bought it anyway) but a slightly different design that isn't quite as good.The edge was quite thick,so much in fact it was hard to penetrate even easy-to - split woods without bouncing out. Until I thinned it down & reshaped it with 4.5" angle grinder.Works great now.
Don't own any wedges other than plastic felling wedges and can't bring my self to pay the prices of the German or Swedish stuff. I have an old fashioned Atha 6 pound maul. Same as one on the left: If that does not split it: I have a 10 lb and 20 lb Atha sledge hammer to finish things: Most of the time, I use this:
I have an old wedge from my father's garage. Weighs about 7.5 pounds, is very long and thin at the business edge, but gets thick and heavy at the top quickly. I can usually stand it in a round by slamming it down with my hand. After that it penetrates quickly and usually splits the round in a few good hits with the 8 lb sledge. I've had it 30 years, don't know how long it was in the garage before that. Keep looking but I have never been able to find another like it. KaptJaq
IMO: Best splitting wedge = 6 lb head on Council Tool maul, after tiny touch-up at/near the edge. Hands-down. Mueller 3 kg maul also excellent, as is 5 lb Wetterlings. Council went for $25 f.o.b. my door- can't beat that with any kind of stick. Also useful, cheapie steel wedges from HF, made in India, after attentions of 7" disc-grinder to give 'em an edge. They help with super-nasty stuff. Don't need no stinking hydraulics here. BTDT.
i've had 2 estwings for 20 years or better, bought back in the day and good steel. i have 2 of the helko 4.4# (?), the lighter ones, coming on monday. there was a discussion about twisted wedges here and then i just had to have some. wood is an obsession. i use a 4# blacksmith hammer, an 8# sledge and also a 10 pounder. the 10#'s brilliant function is busting up rocks and the 8# is about right for wood splitting. the 4# is very handy for starting wedges and gives fine control. can't wait to try the german wedges. it's going to be interesting to see how they compare to the estwings.
The Helko twisted wedge is excellent. I have a small GB that is also very good when starting a split because it is small. The Helko is quite a bit bigger. I split a bunch of Sweet Gum with those last year. They're a great tandem.
yank thanks for this. you inspired me to order a council tool 6 pounder. it will be a handier size to use with wedges than the 8# sledge i usually use. where the 6-er will be better is when choking up on the handle to start the wedge, i will have more control than choking up on something heavier. then the maul can be used for splitting where the sledge is more one dimensional. you think you know tools from long usage but should be open minded to try different things and be advised better. it was no stretch to get something else from council tool. i got a 3.5# jersey axe from baileys and liked it a LOT. these council axes are the equal of what plumb made. then so satisfied with the council jersey axe i got the 2 3/4# broad hatchet axe. it's a cool little thing with a 28" handle which is a boy's axe handle pattern. so i get it and look at it and think 'you're just some idiot who orders axes'. in use however it is a revelation. first the reverse side has a hammer poll and it was useful in chopping up and old stockade fence for the garbage and using the hammer to remove the nails. it's also great for close quarter limbing where you can't swing a longer handle. its best use is for chopping firewood into kindling which is a constant task. at the weight it is light enough to give precision control and heavy enough to shred 16" firewood down. it's really a carpenter's axe with the good control and all for doing pocket joinery on timber frames. the same deal translates well to kindling work, the long nearly flat working profile, it will whack a stick down several times to smaller splits, and then you can put the split face down on the stump and shred it further whacking long grain as opposed to end grain. the broad face gets wedged into the fibers and makes a fairly easy job with the peculiar side split to where you can go as fine as you wish right to splinters. council tool has done right by me. i'm not giving up anything i have from them.
