Best splitting axe

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We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more. Enjoying the warmth of a wood-burning fireplace is priceless to many, but buying firewood can be expensive. Axes can be, and most often are, job specific. Some of the best axes are specialized for certain types of splitting or felling, while a few offer multiple uses. To help narrow the field to the best axes for specific tasks, we considered 20 axes, tested 13, and whittled those down to the top picks for our list. In our tests, we used each axe to split rounds of cedar and cottonwood trees.

Best splitting axe

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Of course, a good axe also makes a big difference. To find out which is the best axe for splitting wood, we called in five of the most popular models and put them to the test. I cut wood with each axe for a week, but I also used them side by side, taking into consideration chopping power, swing weight, ease of use, and how they worked with small and large pieces of wood. This sideways motion creates leverage that helps ply the wood apart. A weight at the base of the head also helps it drop with extra force. Both features make the ax ultra-efficient and effective, so much so that I could split wood without raising the axe over my head. My only complaint: at The Stihl Pro was the most precise axe on this list, thanks to the curved hickory handle that helped me guide the head wherever I wanted. It also has the longest blade, so it was easy to connect with the wood. Nice touch: Stihl put a steel sleeve just below the head, which keeps the axe from breaking if you overstrike. Buy Now. The Hudson Bay was the sharpest and smallest it has a two-foot handle , and therefore it excelled at chopping kindling and small pieces of wood. For me, the Hudson is the perfect camping axe because it fits nicely in a trunk and is ideal for cutting firewood down to size.

This design is very efficient for splitting wood but is a little less versatile than other designs due to the shorter blade edge length that makes precise strikes a little more challenging. As for the larger axes, the Adler Long Splitter earns top marks. Share on twitter, best splitting axe.

Looking for a splitting axe? But not sure which one to choose? In this list we will highlight our top 10 splitting axes, based on our own experiences and knowledge. Read about the pros and cons of each axe! The Hultafors KLY Simple in terms of design, and very effective. No unnecessary frills.

If you're hunting for a splitting axe or camping hatchet, we swung 12 of the best to help you find the perfect fit. After researching over 40 compelling options, we bought the top contenders to test blade-to-blade. We cleared birch trees in Maine, split oak rounds into firewood, and stacked kindling for a long northern winter. Down south, we bucked up fallen locust logs and chopped down and limbed every invasive autumn olive tree we could find. It's hard to know how well an axe will bite, split, and deliver force without swinging it. So we did the hard work for you, testing their balance, precision, and ability to hold an edge in real-world conditions. Whether you need a top-notch splitter, an excellent camp hatchet, or a new all-around favorite, we found a great option for you. A folding saw or pocket knife are other handy tools to have around when you're out camping in one of our favorite tents.

Best splitting axe

After foolishly agreeing to have nearly two cords of large pine rounds dumped on our driveway last spring, we spent the summer hauling, drying, splitting, and stacking wood with each of these axes in order to find the best and bring you our recommendations. This particular load of wood put our lineup of splitting axes and our axe-wielding testers through the wringer. We faced freshly cut pine rounds ranging from 14 to over 30 inches in diameter that gave us all the twisty, sappy grain structures and dense, chunky knots we could handle. While we were lucky enough to split some rounds with one or two easy strikes, other more heinous pieces took up to 20 or 30 well-placed blows for the timber to finally relent.

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We scored each axe on performance and efficiency and noted their handle length and head weight. Get the Gransfors Bruks axe at Amazon. Pros Beautiful hand-forged head Lightweight design allows fast swing velocity Company legacy goes back to Husqvarna Splitting Axe We go hunting for tasks to tackle with this tool because it's so great to use. However, this axe is too long to use single-handed while also not being sufficiently long to comfortably use two-handed and get a good swing, even for the shortest of our testers. Big chunks of wood need to be tackled with a larger axe with a medium to long handle, to achieve a high, fast swing using both hands. We do not accept money for editorial gear reviews. Sue Fisher. The Small Forest is our favorite option for precise tasks like limbing a tree or chopping kindling. This axe from Cold Steel works great for splitting as well as for chopping kindling, clearing storm debris, and even felling trees in a pinch. This protects the axe from damage and corrosion whilst not in use and prevents accidental injury. We compared these axes head-to-head in a range of tasks. We like that the Estwing balances functionality with price.

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He strongly prefers the size and weight of the Gransfors Bruk Splitting Maul. The true saving grace is the flared knob at the end, making it relatively easy to hold on to. It's a little heavier and not quite as lively, though it's ruthlessly efficient, which we appreciate. The next step up from a hatchet is a cutting axe. We tested these blades right out of the box to compare their sharpness. Advantages: Easy-to-replace handle. The handle is a bit shorter than that of the Adler Long Splitter splitting axe. We compared these axes head-to-head in a range of tasks. However, the price is exceptionally high, and the two-year guarantee is disappointingly short for the price and this level of quality. WOOX might then be your perfect match. Long before chainsaws ripped through the hush of forest floors, the sharp chop of an axe foretold the crack of a trunk and the crash of limbs through the canopy.