Axes and associated items

[davidwyby]

If I try another one it will be this shape, same as stihl maul. My isocore is good but is concave and gets stuck. Also 8lb heavy.

https://www.amazon.com/Muller-Forged-Biber-Classic-Splitting/dp/B00SXWVSCG/ref=asc_df_B00SXWVSCG/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=343276565693&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12714005497826066824&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031384&hvtargid=pla-758777120071&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=66485480302&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=343276565693&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12714005497826066824&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031384&hvtargid=pla-758777120071

 

[davidwyby]

Some other profile pics I’ve picked up. The thinner one is a rinaldi/falci Italian shape, removable handle. I have one coming because I couldn’t resist the price and my dad had a removable handle pickaxe when I was a kid. I think it will get stuck in the big hard nasties but might work in the stringies.

 

[Loony661]

Initial testing says this thing kicks butt!! Iltis ox head splitting axe from Lee valley. They make it for stihl. They also make a larger maul I might have to try. Split that Euc knot in two whacks. Rarely gets stuck and comes right out. If it bounces it’s not a hard or shocking bounce. Gonna flog it at work more tomorrow.

I was just looking at these and I can actually buy the Stihl version $15 cheaper and it also comes with the metal protective sleeve just under the head.

 

[davidwyby]

I take that back…if I try another it will be one like the now discontinued wetterlings in the middle.

Splitting Axe Review: 3 Axes + 3 Mauls | The Tool Merchants

https://youtu.be/6P-BKzesbf8 [dropcap]M[/dropcap]ost days, I love splitting firewood. I get to spend time outdoors, build muscle, break a sweat (sometimes) and at the end of it have a nice stack of…

thetoolmerchants.com

 

[maulhead]

I was just looking at these and I can actually buy the Stihl version $15 cheaper and it also comes with the metal protective sleeve just under the head.

Where, local or online?

Cause the one I think David was talking about is, $87 at lee valley.....

Iltis Oxhead Splitting Axe - Lee Valley Tools

Discover the Iltis Oxhead Splitting Axe. Buy this product now on our Lee Valley online store.

www.leevalley.com

If you can get the pro stihl version for $72 let me know where. I'll but one or two.

Most places on the net, for the stihl pro splitter are $106-130. My local ace has a few and they are $109.

 

[Loony661]

Where, local or online?

Cause the one I think David was talking about is, $87 at lee valley.....

Iltis Oxhead Splitting Axe - Lee Valley Tools

Discover the Iltis Oxhead Splitting Axe. Buy this product now on our Lee Valley online store.

www.leevalley.com

If you can get the pro stihl version for $72 let me know where. I'll but one or two.

Most places on the net, for the stihl pro splitter are $106-130. My local ace has a few and they are $109.

Weird, when I looked up the splitting axe at lee valley, it was listed for $125 and the Pro Stihl splitting axe is listed at $111 at my local dealer...

 

[Loony661]

I was apparently looking at the wrong axe on Lee Valley’s website..

 

[Hundred Acre Wood]

I was apparently looking at the wrong axe on Lee Valley’s website..

Stihl might be worth it for the overstrike protection. Only you can decide if that's worth ~$20 or not for your uses.

 

[maulhead]

Weird, when I looked up the splitting axe at lee valley, it was listed for $125 and the Pro Stihl splitting axe is listed at $111 at my local dealer...

Maybe the one I linked is not the same one David showed. IDK?

 

[davidwyby]

The one I bought is the OX head/rebranded stihl splitting axe which was $87. I don't care to spend much over $100 shipped.

Iltis Oxhead Splitting Axe - Lee Valley Tools

Discover the Iltis Oxhead Splitting Axe. Buy this product now on our Lee Valley online store.

www.leevalley.com

The pic angle is crap and it looks more like a regular axe vs. wide/maul. They call it an axe cuz it's lighter, 6 vs 8 lb or so IIRC.

The $124 is a maul, has the pickaroon beard hook. Stihl has theirs too, probably better value with the guard. There are a few that style by various european mfrs. It's a straight wedge shape vs. the slightly convex lead-in angle of American or Wetterlings and other styles. Instead of buying another one, I think I'm going to keep hacking on my cheap husky experimenting with angles.

There is no "best" for everything...it depends on the wood, just like chain grinding angles.

I have some more ideas about geometry to work on...

 

[Loony661]

The one I bought is the OX head/rebranded stihl splitting axe which was $87. I don't care to spend much over $100 shipped.

Iltis Oxhead Splitting Axe - Lee Valley Tools

Discover the Iltis Oxhead Splitting Axe. Buy this product now on our Lee Valley online store.

www.leevalley.com

The pic angle is crap and it looks more like a regular axe vs. wide/maul. They call it an axe cuz it's lighter, 6 vs 8 lb or so IIRC.

The $124 is a maul, has the pickaroon beard hook. Stihl has theirs too, probably better value with the guard. There are a few that style by various european mfrs. It's a straight wedge shape vs. the slightly convex lead-in angle of American or Wetterlings and other styles. Instead of buying another one, I think I'm going to keep hacking on my cheap husky experimenting with angles.

There is no "best" for everything...it depends on the wood, just like chain grinding angles.

I have some more ideas about geometry to work on...

Thanks for the clarification. I’m not sure why it showed $125 for the same thing when I first looked it up - but I see now that this is the better value.

 

[Kerfed]

How does the Fiskars x27 compare to that oxhead David?

 

[davidwyby]

How does the Fiskars x27 compare to that oxhead David?

Weight feels the same but it doesn't get stuck like a fiskars, comes right out. Not tiring like a 8lb. Won't split monster eucalyptus, but nothing I have found yet does. Does really well otherwise, I like it, better than fiskars. Well, I like the longer handle on the X27....but it's cracked.

 

[davidwyby]

Blows through dry Euc and doesn’t get stuck in greenish stringy Euc or super tough knotty stringy pine. X27 was useless in the pine. Couple whacks on a full round, one or two to quarter. Smaller Euc pieces, one or two whacks.

 

[Squareground3691]

Blows through dry Euc and doesn’t get stuck in greenish stringy Euc or super tough knotty stringy pine. X27 was useless in the pine. Couple whacks on a full round, one or two to quarter. Smaller Euc pieces, one or two whacks. View attachment 369348View attachment 369349

Like to see a 36”

 

[maulhead]

The one I bought is the OX head/rebranded stihl splitting axe which was $87. I don't care to spend much over $100 shipped.

Iltis Oxhead Splitting Axe - Lee Valley Tools

Discover the Iltis Oxhead Splitting Axe. Buy this product now on our Lee Valley online store.

www.leevalley.com

The pic angle is crap and it looks more like a regular axe vs. wide/maul. They call it an axe cuz it's lighter, 6 vs 8 lb or so IIRC.

The $124 is a maul, has the pickaroon beard hook. Stihl has theirs too, probably better value with the guard. There are a few that style by various european mfrs. It's a straight wedge shape vs. the slightly convex lead-in angle of American or Wetterlings and other styles. Instead of buying another one, I think I'm going to keep hacking on my cheap husky experimenting with angles.

There is no "best" for everything...it depends on the wood, just like chain grinding angles.

I have some more ideas about geometry to work on...

Ochsenkopf Ox Head, has two different splittling maul heads, both have the same handle, and both have the metal collar guard.

One has a 6.6 lb head, other has a 7.7 lb head.

One is 638 H-3509, the other is 635 H-3009, baileys and other retailers have both of them, if you use those numbers to search you will see them.

At one time I had both of them, Ochsenkopf claims one is designed for hardwood, while the other is for softwood. I actually think the one they claim is for softwood, splits hardwood better, then the hardwood one. But that's just me.

Both of these mauls are also available without the metal collar guard, and just a regular wood handle, which saves a little money.

(you should be able to see the two different head shapes in the following two pictures) Both of them have that beard hook like most european mauls.

This is 638 H-3509





This is 635 H-3009 (this one is the one that is rebranded and also sold by Stihl)

 

[davidwyby]

Whale…I busted it. Emailed them in the afternoon and got an email back overnight that they are sending a new one. Grain orientation not great, but I have also cracked my fiskars. I shouldn’t have tackled that piece, it’s a hard core to be noodled and I knew better. I got too rough with it trying to get it out. After I got it out, I tried with my 8lb mauls. The fiskars iso got stuck multiple times and even the wide husky got a little wedged. The piece never split. It did do a very nice job of splitting up the outer pieces. I might ask them if I can keep the old head and hang it 36”…

 

[Squareground3691]

Whale…I busted it. Emailed them in the afternoon and got an email back overnight that they are sending a new one. Grain orientation not great, but I have also cracked my fiskars. I shouldn’t have tackled that piece, it’s a hard core to be noodled and I knew better. I got too rough with it trying to get it out. After I got it out, I tried with my 8lb mauls. The fiskars iso got stuck multiple times and even the wide husky got a little wedged. The piece never split. It did do a very nice job of splitting up the outer pieces. I might ask them if I can keep the old head and hang it 36”…

View attachment 369469View attachment 369470
View attachment 369472

Yea , that grain is not ideal orientation.

 

[davidwyby]

Yea , that grain is not ideal orientation.

I still say I busted it. I hit it with my hands ‘til it hurt. Didn’t wanna kick it (like I do my isocore) so I bopped it with a 4” dia mesquite round with the bark on for cushion. Probably should have cut it out with a saw.

 

[davidwyby]

I have the head broken loose on that husky too. Me n Euc ain’t easy on things…