Axe

Many Scandanavian brands, but when my inherited one cracked, I manage quite nicely with one from Lidl!

I use a Fiskars x27.

Be Careful

Eugene

Try to find an old axe head - pre war or older. They are usually superb quality. Fit a new hickory handle and get the head sharpened up and you'll have a strong axe to last a lifetime. 

Main thing is to get a splitting axe not a felling axe - they are quite different.

A regular hand axe is fine for kindling wood. For splitting logs, I find it's often better to have a wedge designed for that purpose, especially if the wood grain is twisted and doesn't split so easily. These have a wider angle that helps to split the log open where a regular axe would just get stuck. 

Better than an axe is a log-splitting maul - an axe with a weighted head. I bought a fibreglass handled one from somewhere like Toolstation or Screwfix. However if you have a lot to do, a powered hydraulic splitter is better - I bought one about 8 years ago for a bit over £200 IIRC, and it saved an awful lot of time and effort, though they have limitations on diameter of log (and length, but so do fireplace), so My choice was balancing size capacity with cost, to minimise pre-splitting or cutting of larger diameter logs.

There can't be many forums within which a thread along the lines of 'Where can I buy a shiny new axe...?' doesn't attract the attention of the authorities, or elicit such helpful and quite specific replies.

It's also a good idea to get some large metal wedges and a heavy sledgehammer for riving the wood when the the splitting axe (aka a splitting maul) gets stuck.

Incidentally a splitting axe should have a toughened flat area on the back of the head to that it also can be driven through the wood with a sledgehammer.

Looking at many of the illustrations, most of the splitting axes and mauls offered for sale aren't anywhere near the correct shape.  A splitting axe should be a straight or convex wedge shape all the way from the edge to the shaft; no part of the head should have a concave shape.  If it's concave anywhere from the edge to the shaft, that's a felling axe designed for cutting across the grain of the wood; if you use it for splitting, it'll tend to get stuck, embedded in the wood.

JamieWednesday posted:

There can't be many forums within which a thread along the lines of 'Where can I buy a shiny new axe...?' doesn't attract the attention of the authorities, or elicit such helpful and quite specific replies.

Maybe your blinkered,maybe your not but you would surprised at what gets talked about on forums.Personaly I don't think talking about a axe is to much of a concern to the authorities.

Scooot posted:

JamieWednesday posted:

There can't be many forums within which a thread along the lines of 'Where can I buy a shiny new axe...?' doesn't attract the attention of the authorities, or elicit such helpful and quite specific replies.

Maybe your blinkered,maybe your not but you would surprised at what gets talked about on forums.Personaly I don't think talking about a axe is to much of a concern to the authorities.

But Eugene is worried

Maybe this: http://www.leveraxe.com/

I really do hope someone got it:-

http://youtu.be/WVCKpkkP-z4

Scooot posted:

JamieWednesday posted:

There can't be many forums within which a thread along the lines of 'Where can I buy a shiny new axe...?' doesn't attract the attention of the authorities, or elicit such helpful and quite specific replies.

Maybe your blinkered,maybe your not but you would surprised at what gets talked about on forums.Personaly I don't think talking about a axe is to much of a concern to the authorities.

We don't take kindly to strangers around here.

And especially those who refer to me as 'blinkered' and can't possibly believe anyone who has been on the forum for a decade or more would post in irony.

Oh, and perhaps check your spelling next time you post. 

AndyP19 posted:

I really do hope someone got it:-

http://youtu.be/WVCKpkkP-z4

I promise you I did, but couldn't spoil it for anyone else.

Well done Notnaim Man. I was beginning to despair.

AndyP19 posted:

Well done Notnaim Man. I was beginning to despair.

Your original post had beaten me to it, hence my different follow up

Watchet posted:

Maybe this: http://www.leveraxe.com/

But in the world of woodworkers it is not recommended.

Wedges and a sledge are good, especially for working along a log rather than end grain. For end grain "bullets" or a Roughneck Grenade.

Try Tudor Environmemtal or similar arboricultural specialists 

JamieWednesday posted:

Scooot posted:

JamieWednesday posted:

There can't be many forums within which a thread along the lines of 'Where can I buy a shiny new axe...?' doesn't attract the attention of the authorities, or elicit such helpful and quite specific replies.

Maybe your blinkered,maybe your not but you would surprised at what gets talked about on forums.Personaly I don't think talking about a axe is to much of a concern to the authorities.

We don't take kindly to strangers around here.

And especially those who refer to me as 'blinkered' and can't possibly believe anyone who has been on the forum for a decade or more would post in irony.

Oh, and perhaps check your spelling next time you post. 

Nothing wrong with strangers (as long as they're not carrying axes)

Hi D.A.,

Check out Gransfors Bruks (Swedish) axes. They are hand made by craftsmen who forge the head,make the handle then sign their work. They are beautifully made, durable and extremely sharp.

i have been using their "Forest Axe" for several years now for chopping kindling, and it is still in good condition with an edge so sharp that it will slice paper. Ray Mears uses this axe for expeditions.

Gransfors are widely available and do a wide range of axes covering a range of functions from hatchets, to throwing axes to log splitters. You will not regret buying one , but please watch your fingers and consider a butcher's safety  glove.

I guess it's a case on the forum of "axe and ye shall receive"!

JamieWednesday posted:

Scooot posted:

JamieWednesday posted:

There can't be many forums within which a thread along the lines of 'Where can I buy a shiny new axe...?' doesn't attract the attention of the authorities, or elicit such helpful and quite specific replies.

Maybe your blinkered,maybe your not but you would surprised at what gets talked about on forums.Personaly I don't think talking about a axe is to much of a concern to the authorities.

We don't take kindly to strangers around here.

And especially those who refer to me as 'blinkered' and can't possibly believe anyone who has been on the forum for a decade or more would post in irony. 

Oh, and perhaps check your spelling next time you post. 

Hardly a stranger as I have been a forum member since 2009.

Moderated Post: you know why. Unacceptable language.

Hmmm those Gransfors axes look nice..

Any views as to hickory handle vs plastic fantastic? 

The plastic handles are more forgiving if you miss your mark and they won't loosen up over time. If you want to go completely new technology look at carbon fibre.

Why, oh why, do so many threads descend to attacks on other people? Even this one that was nicely discussing the subject.