The Greatest Axes for Splitting Wooden of 2024

We spent the final two summers hauling, drying, splitting, and stacking practically 4 cords of firewood. Throughout this course of, we examined 11 of the very best axes for splitting wooden side-by-side, that can assist you discover the suitable software to your subsequent challenge.

With our testing based mostly within the forests round Lake Tahoe, we confronted freshly reduce pine and fir rounds starting from 14 to over 30 inches in diameter that gave us all of the twisty, sappy grain constructions and dense, chunky knots we may deal with. Whereas we have been fortunate sufficient to separate some rounds with one or two simple strikes, different extra heinous items took as much as 20 or 30 well-placed blows for the timber to lastly relent.

We bought and examined a wide range of the highest splitting axes from around the globe, from hand-forged heirloom-quality items of Scandinavian descent, to extra fashionable designs with higher-tech supplies. We used every splitting axe over a dozen occasions to get a sophisticated impression of every software’s construct high quality, stability and really feel, and wood-splitting efficiency. For the very best of the very best, try the Gransfors Bruk Splitting Maul. In the event you’re new to wooden splitting and desire a succesful funds choose, we advocate the Fiskars X27 Tremendous Splitting Axe.

We’ve additionally compiled a listing of essential measurements and specs that can assist you discover the very best splitting axe to your private dimension, power, design preferences, and wood-splitting wants.

Editor’s Be aware: We up to date this Information on November 13, 2024, including two smaller splitting axes preferrred for lighter-duty one-handed use, the Hults Bruk Agdor 20 and the Fiskars Norden N12.

The Greatest Axes for Splitting Wooden of 2024

Greatest Splitting Axes Comparability Chart

How We Examined the Greatest Axes for Splitting Wooden

We examined the very best axes for splitting wooden in probably the most wise means potential: by shopping for a wide range of axes and splitting plenty of wooden! We began by researching the very best axes available on the market created by a few of the most legendary metal forgers on the planet. We ultimately narrowed our record all the way down to 11 fashions that we bought and put to a side-by-side take a look at.

After lastly melting out from Lake Tahoe’s snowiest season on report in 2022-2023, lead tester Nick Bruckbauer had practically two cords of recent, regionally reduce pine and fir rounds delivered to his dwelling. After shifting and stacking them and getting ready a piece space, he started working over the following a number of months, alternating among the many 9 completely different axes to separate the stack of rounds into big piles of firewood. The next fall, a next-door neighbor felled a 48-inch diameter pine, and Nick accepted a further couple dozen rounds for additional splitting and testing.

Earlier than attending to work, we completely examined every axe to get a way of its craftsmanship and the standard of its supplies. We inspected every thing from head dimension and form, to blade sharpness, to deal with size, form, and supplies. We examined the standard and ease of use of the included sheaths, and browse any documentation concerning the axe maker’s historical past.

There’s just one strategy to decide the true high quality of an axe, and that’s to swing it and swing it onerous! We ended up splitting over a whole bunch of rounds and logs that ranged in diameter from roughly 14 to 30 inches, in addition to some bigger half rounds that have been over 40 inches in diameter. All advised, we hand-split practically 4 cords of wooden throughout our testing.

Whereas pine and fir are undoubtedly softer woods, they are often notoriously difficult to separate, with some rounds having lengthy, twisty grains, loads of sap, and plenty of knots that may cease even the hardest axe in its tracks. This native wooden was the proper testing floor to search out the very best axe for splitting wooden. We bumped into some troublesome items that took additional effort to separate, and it helped us determine the highest-performing axes to deal with the hardest conditions.

Nick Bruckbauer is a year-round Lake Tahoe resident, lifelong gear nerd, and proud DIYer who enjoys the satisfaction of finishing “onerous” and significant labor to assist present assets for his household. With regularly rising gasoline costs, common winter energy outages, and an ongoing provide of free, regionally harvested logs, Nick welcomes the hassle of hand-splitting this wooden to assist complement his household’s dwelling heating in a country and pure means.

Purchaser’s Information: Find out how to Select the Greatest Axe for Splitting Wooden

The most effective axe for splitting wooden will usually rely upon a couple of variables, together with your physique dimension and power, your most well-liked deal with size and materials, and the dimensions and kind of wooden that you simply’re splitting. From there, we’ll present some common design suggestions to search for based mostly on our first-hand testing expertise.

Kinds of Axes

There are a number of axe designs, and never all of them are perfect for splitting wooden. There are shorter handheld designs with skinny, sharp blades that are perfect for trimming and chopping smaller items of wooden, and there are bigger sledgehammer kinds with broader wedge-shaped blades that are perfect for splitting bigger chunks of wooden.

Hatchets

Hatchets are the smallest sort of axe, and can sometimes weigh between 1 and a couple of.5 kilos and have handles which might be roughly 12 to 18 inches lengthy. They’re a flexible software for tenting or round the home, as they can be utilized each for chopping smaller branches (up to a couple inches in diameter) and for splitting smaller logs (as much as roughly 8 or 10 inches in diameter).

Hatchets will sometimes have sharper blades that permit for exact chopping or trimming work, which makes them much less versatile for splitting bigger logs, because the narrower blade will tend to get embedded within the wooden.

The benefit of hatchets is that they’re normally fairly light-weight, may be carried with you whereas climbing or tenting, and supply wonderful versatility for a wide range of duties. Whereas they supply loads of utility, we didn’t embrace them on this evaluation as a result of they’re too small and lightweight for heavy-duty splitting work. In the event you’re extra enthusiastic about a hatchet than a splitting axe, try our Purchaser’s Information of the Greatest Tenting Hatchets.

Reducing Axes

The following step up from a hatchet is a chopping axe. Typically known as a forester axe or a woodworker axe, these instruments will usually look just like a hatchet, simply greater. They’ll sometimes weigh between 3 and 5.5 kilos and have handles which might be roughly 20 to 30 inches lengthy.

Reducing axes have a pointy, slim blade with a protracted leading edge, and are designed to chop in opposition to the grain of the wooden for duties corresponding to trimming branches or felling timber. Whereas some designs could have some versatility to additionally break up wooden, they’re normally a poor alternative for splitting wooden, because the lengthy, sharp blade will simply grow to be embedded within the wooden.

Due to this, we didn’t embrace any chopping axes on this evaluation. Reducing axes may even sometimes have curved, ergonomic deal with shapes for leverage and management throughout repeated chopping duties.

Splitting Axes

Splitting axes, typically interchangeably known as splitting mauls (extra on that beneath), are particularly designed for splitting wooden — or pushing it aside alongside the grain — slightly than chopping in opposition to the grain. As such, splitting axes and mauls will sometimes be heavier, weighing anyplace from 3.5 to eight kilos, and have an extended deal with that’s 28 to 36 inches lengthy. They may even have broader, wedge-shaped heads that don’t should be as sharp as chopping axes.

The perfect splitting axe could have a blade that is ready to penetrate into the wooden and push it aside with out getting fully embedded and an general weight and size which might be comfy for the person. The best splitting axes will sometimes be a bit heavier, offering the heft to assist the axe energy by robust items of wooden.

Nevertheless, heavier isn’t at all times higher, as a lighter axe is less complicated to regulate, simpler to swing at a quicker pace, and can usually trigger much less fatigue all through a splitting session.

Splitting Axes vs. Splitting Mauls

The phrases splitting axe and splitting maul typically get used interchangeably, so that you may be questioning what the distinction is, if there even is a distinction. Many individuals usually discuss with any massive, heavy splitting axe as a maul, however that’s not essentially the case.

The important thing differentiator is that the pinnacle of a splitting maul will also be used as a sledgehammer for pounding stakes or putting poles. The top of a splitting maul could have the splitting blade edge on one finish, and a hammer-shaped face on the opposite finish. Until a software is particularly designated as a maul, it shouldn’t be used for any goal aside from splitting wooden.

Although it’s not at all times the case, splitting mauls additionally are typically greater and heavier than splitting axes. Splitting axes usually are 20 to 30 inches lengthy and weigh anyplace from 3.5 to six kilos, whereas splitting mauls are usually 30 to 36 inches lengthy and weigh 6 to eight+ kilos. Each could have wider, wedge-shaped blades designed to push wooden aside alongside the grain, slightly than chopping wooden in opposition to the grain.

In our take a look at lineup, three merchandise are categorised as mauls, the Gransfors Bruk Splitting Maul, the Council Software 6-lb Sledge-Eye Maul, and the Estwing Fireplace Buddy Splitting Software.

Head Weight and General Weight

Whereas an axe’s head weight and general weight could have a big effect on its efficiency, this metric additionally comes down fairly a bit to private desire. A heavier axe may be higher suited to bigger customers with greater and stronger fingers, whereas a lighter axe could also be higher suited to smaller customers or these with smaller fingers. Each heavier and lighter axes can get the job performed with the suitable approach and energy.

Right here’s the place it will get extra fascinating. For any physics fanatics on the market, keep in mind that pressure = mass x acceleration. Which means that when a heavier axe offers a specific amount of pressure at a sure swing pace, a lighter axe will be capable of match that very same quantity of pressure — it’s going to simply require a quicker swing pace.

In fact, it is a pretty broad generalization, however that is the place private desire turns into vital. It’s vital to search out an axe dimension and weight that matches your physique sort and your swing pace preferences.

A heavier axe will usually be tougher to swing and can doubtless trigger elevated fatigue over repeated swinging, however may even present extra splitting pressure at a decrease general swing pace. A lighter axe will likely be simpler to swing and can doubtless trigger much less fatigue over repeated swinging, however will usually present much less splitting pressure than a heavier axe (assuming the identical swing pace). A lighter axe will likely be simpler to swing quicker, and also will be simpler to regulate for extra exact swings.

Our lead tester, Nick Bruckbauer, is 5’11” tall, weighs 175 kilos, and has average-sized fingers (males’s Medium glove dimension). He strongly prefers the dimensions and weight of the Gransfors Bruk Splitting Maul. With a 5.5-pound head weight and seven.2-pound general weight, this software feels excellent for many splitting duties.

It has sufficient mass to energy its means by thicker or more durable rounds however is simply mild sufficient (in comparison with 7.5 to 8-pound fashions) that it’s manageable to take care of management and an affordable swing pace. It additionally feels properly balanced in order that quick, onerous swings really feel environment friendly and don’t trigger undue fatigue.

Head Dimension and Form

The top dimension and form are two of the first design options that separate a splitting axe from a chopping axe (and a splitting axe from a splitting maul). Whereas most splitting axes have a broader wedge-shaped head than most chopping axes, there’s nonetheless a wide range of sizes and styles even amongst our take a look at lineup of splitting axes.

On the narrower finish, the Husqvarna Splitting Axe S2800 has an extended blade edge and a narrower blade width than most different splitting axes. This made it our go-to alternative for splitting smaller rounds, or bigger rounds as soon as they’ve been break up in halves or quarters.

The lengthy blade edge gave us the arrogance to strike the wooden exactly the place we wished, and the slim blade allowed it to energy by smaller items of wooden fairly simply. It did wrestle just a little with bigger rounds, because the narrower blade had an inclination to get embedded within the wooden.

On the broader finish, the Gedore Ochsenkopf Spalt-Repair Axe has a heavy, massive, wedge-shaped head. What this design lacks in finesse, it makes up for in brute pressure. The Ochsenkopf is our favourite axe for ending off troublesome logs or rounds. Its large head powered by thick, knotty chunks that different axes struggled with.

The Gransfors Bruk Splitting Maul has the perfect head dimension and form for splitting wooden. It has a big, large head that rapidly narrows to a concave form and a reasonably slim blade edge. This design permits the slim blade to penetrate troublesome items of wooden, however then the concave form helps stop it from turning into embedded. Lastly, the massive, heavy head helps energy by and end pushing the wooden aside.

The Fiskars X27 Tremendous Splitting Axe additionally has a pleasant head form that’s not too thick and never too skinny, making it an environment friendly splitter that doesn’t get embedded within the wooden too simply. We’re a giant fan of the Fiskars, although its lighter general weight made it rather less efficient splitting bigger rounds, in comparison with some heavier designs.

Lastly, the Helko Werk Basic Nordic Splitting Axe and the Hultafors Hult Splitting Axe have distinctive Scandinavian wedge-shaped head designs. This distinctive form has a protracted, rectangular formed head that regularly narrows to a three-dimensional wedge-shaped blade.

This design may be very environment friendly for splitting wooden however is rather less versatile than different designs as a result of shorter blade edge size that makes exact strikes just a little tougher.

Deal with Size

The deal with size will sometimes come all the way down to your peak and your private preferences.

An extended deal with will permit you to stand additional away from the wooden (which may add a small factor of security) and will permit you to comfortably break up wooden that’s on the bottom slightly than elevated on a chopping block. An extended deal with additionally offers extra leverage that may improve your swing pace, however may also make the axe just a little tougher to regulate for exact strikes.

A shorter deal with will pressure you to face nearer to the wooden, and can doubtless require elevating the wooden on a chopping block to maintain you in a snug physique place. A shorter deal with gained’t generate as a lot swing pace as an extended deal with, however will sometimes be simpler to regulate for extra exact work.

Our 5’11” lead tester discovered the 31.5-inch size of the Gransfors Bruk Splitting Maul to be preferrred. Shorter lengths between 28 and 30 inches additionally felt extra comfy than the longer 36-inch lengths, however once more, this may be dictated by private preferences.

Throughout our 2024 testing interval, we launched two shorter “one-handed” fashions to our take a look at lineup, the Hults Bruk Agdor 20 and the Fiskars Norden N12. These axes are 20 inches and 19 inches in size, respectively, making them preferrred for each one- and two-handed splitting. We loved grabbing considered one of these to complete off some smaller logs into kindling, after hucking round greater and heavier axes all day.

Deal with Materials

Splitting axe handles are created from composite supplies or from wooden supplies, sometimes American hickory.

American hickory wooden is the normal axe deal with materials as a result of it’s a heavy and dense wooden and has a straight grain sample. Each of those options assist make hickory robust and shock-resistant, each essential options for a high-impact software.

The benefits to wooden handles are that they are often changed in the event that they crack or break up, and the deal with may be trimmed or sanded to be reshaped by the person. The disadvantages to wooden handles are that they’re usually heavier than composite supplies, they usually can break up or crack if used improperly.

Composite supplies are usually lighter than wooden and nonetheless have good influence resistance. Composite handles can’t be changed in the event that they break, however they’re sometimes very robust, so this isn’t an enormous concern.

The selection between wooden or composite supplies actually comes down to private desire, as deal with supplies gained’t have a lot, if any, influence on the general splitting efficiency. Wooden handles appear and feel extra conventional, whereas composite handles appear and feel extra fashionable.

We’re undoubtedly large followers of the traditional look of a conventional splitting axe with a wooden deal with and a hand-forged metal head, however we additionally actually appreciated the texture and efficiency of the Fiskars X27 Tremendous Splitting Axe and the Husqvarna Splitting Axe S2800, each extra fashionable designs with composite handles.

Really helpful Security Tools

Swinging round a heavy, sharp metal software can clearly be harmful, so we additionally need to embrace some really helpful security gear and a few security issues.

The primary, and most important piece of security gear is eye safety. This must be non-negotiable. Splitting wooden will inevitably ship shards of wooden flying in each course, and also you’re placing your face fairly near the influence zone and line of fireside. We used a easy pair of DeWalt security glasses that did the trick.

Subsequent, we additionally extremely advocate an excellent pair of labor gloves. Splitting wooden contains hauling and shifting wooden rounds and break up logs, and repeatedly grabbing and swinging an axe time and again. Work gloves will assist shield you from easy nuisances like blisters, and from extra extreme accidents like cuts or scrapes.

We used and loved the Give’r Light-weight Gloves all through our complete testing interval. These leather-based gloves match nicely, should not too thick and never too skinny, and are available at an affordable worth.

In the event you’re doing repeated splitting, we additionally advocate an excellent pair of steel-toed work boots. Whereas this isn’t essentially obligatory, remember the fact that you’ll doubtless be shifting heavy wooden rounds and logs that may weigh 60-80 kilos or extra, and pinching your piggies underneath a type of gained’t really feel so good. Correct foot safety may also shield you from an errant swing of an axe.

This may increasingly sound foolish, however once you’re fatigued, and once you’re splitting some gnarly, knotty wooden, an axe can simply bounce off the wooden into your ft or physique. We’ve got a small slice in our steel-toed boots to show it.

Lastly, we advocate taking just a little additional time to ensure you put together your work space. This implies having a flat, stage open floor away from homes, vehicles, timber, or different gear, with loads of house to freely swing your axe. You’ll additionally ensure you have loads of house to stage your pre-split wooden and to pile or stack your break up logs. Your work space can litter up rapidly, and it’s vital to take care of a transparent work space.

Value & Worth

Funds

We’d think about any splitting axe lower than $70 or so to be a funds axe. These instruments will sometimes be mass-produced, extensively obtainable, and have easy designs. They might be appropriate for occaisional use, however gained’t have the identical sort of efficiency or longevity as costlier choices.

The standout on this vary is our greatest worth choose, the Fiskars X27 Tremendous Splitting Axe ($70), which is a part of the high-performing and wallet-friendly Fiskars X Collection of axes. In the event you’re new to wooden splitting, you possibly can’t go unsuitable with this sequence of axes. They’ve light-weight and cozy handles and environment friendly blade shapes, making them simple to make use of for rookies and veterans alike. The one downside is that the handles can’t get replaced if damaged, and the metal isn’t as high-quality as different hand-forged axe heads.

Moreover the Fiskars X27, the opposite axes we examined from this worth vary have been just a little underwhelming. The Council Software 6-lb Sledge-Eye Maul ($59) is a reasonably normal ironmongery shop software. It will get the job performed, however has a lower-quality match and end, and the stability and ergonomics don’t examine to higher-end instruments. In the event you break up wooden usually, or desire a software that might doubtlessly final your lifetime, we’d advocate spending just a little extra.

Mid-Tier

Starting from about $70 to $150 in worth, a mid-tier axe will sometimes get you just a little nicer supplies and a extra distinct design. A number of examples from this vary embrace the Husqvarna Splitting Axe 2800 ($100) and the Gedore Ochsenkopf Spalt-Repair Axe ($130). The Husqvarna has a composite deal with with a skinny blade with a protracted edge, making it preferrred for extra exact strikes. The Ochsenkopf is a beast of an axe with a heavy-duty head, a hickory wooden deal with, and superb development high quality.

Axes on this vary are high-quality, very succesful instruments that ought to carry out nicely and final a very long time. The one benefit to spending extra on a premium mannequin is that premium fashions will sometimes have hand-forged heads, and extra distinctive shapes that assist optimize consolation and swing ergonomics.

This vary additionally sees a pair of smaller, one-handed axes, the Hults Bruk Agdor 20 ($134) and the Fiskars Norden N12 ($120). Each of those fashions have comparable supplies and development high quality as their extra premium counterparts, however in a smaller model (20 inches and 19 inches, respectively).

Premium

Beginning at about $180 and up, premium splitting axes have the highest-end supplies and development. Most axes on this vary are hand-forged by legacy corporations which were round because the 1600s. Our high general choose, the Gransfors Bruk Splitting Maul ($255) has a premium really feel and ergonomics, and is a gorgeous murals that might grasp on the wall subsequent to your hearth. We additionally actually just like the Helko Werk Conventional Spaltaxt ($180). Each of those axes simply really feel high-end. Every little thing from the supplies, to the texture in your fingers, to the development match and end is top-notch.

A costlier axe doesn’t essentially do a greater job of splitting wooden, however the extra refined really feel and stability will allow you to function extra effectively throughout your work. Which means that you’ll save power and be much less prone to damage your self or injury your gear. The metal used on premium fashions is often of higher high quality, which means that the axe head will doubtless outlive you if correctly cared for!

Steadily Requested Questions