James, a great video. Great info as ever. Love chopping firewood. My axes are older than me (75) but work like a diamond cutter on glass! Keep on splitting mate! Keep the fire alight ! Regards. John.
Clearly, you personally are more about the heritage and an enthusiast. Personally, I have a husky 562 with 28" bar, which tackles absolutely anything and yes, I use an x27 which I've had now for over 8 years I reckon!! It destroys everything with ease, and fatigue is extremely low on the body.. im all about just getting the job done ✔️ 🙌
@@walkerscountrylife Always prefered splitting with axes over mauls, that way on tough splits, you can get the axe to bite in, then at the top of you swing the block is attached, you invert it, and bring the head down onto the chopping block, the block either splits or comes off the axe, but I do have an x27, and it is very decent to be fair, but on the toughest stuff, it will fail, where the inverted axe technique has significantly more instantanious impact. But you are limited by the wieght of the block that you can get up high. however you dont need a full height swing, shoulder height is more splitting capacity than a full height swing used normally. BTW I have a 395xp 572 xp and a 550 xp. when the 395 is done, ill be having the 592 xp
Just about any Australian axe will jamb when trying to split Australian handwood. I have Plumb, Kelly and a Kesteel felling axes and have an old Cyclone splitter (like a pointy sledgehammer) - as nothing else really works. I grew up in Dandenong as did my parents :)
If you can find a Genuine Norlund splitting axe (the brand are time was called genuine norlund and they had a specific splitting axe that’s similar to a rafting axe) they are 6-8lbs and the best splitting axe I’ve ever found. I have one and it’s just a dream to use and you can even cross cut or fell with it as it’s so heavy
I use a gransfors bruk heavy splitting maul. Razor sharp and not too heavy, probably 6.5lb ish. It has a hardened back so you can pound splitting or felling wedges rather than ruin the back of a axe. For me it is perfect as a companion when felling to pound wedges or split down big rings or trimmings from flush cutting stumps. In honhesty, my hip isn't great, so i take no real pleasure in splitting. With having access to as much free wood as i want from work, i simply pick easy splitting stuff like sweet chestnut.
@walkerscountrylife very rare I ever need to use steel splitting wedges!! The majority of the time, I use light swings and let the weight of the head do the work. If I get something knotty and give it a proper swing it will go through really tough stuff or very tough seasoned rounds.
I need to use a maul or a block splitter, axes won’t work for me, western NSW. Nice axes and I do have a couple of old ones although I forget what they are exactly.
James, a great video. Great info as ever. Love chopping firewood. My axes are older than me (75) but work like a diamond cutter on glass! Keep on splitting mate! Keep the fire alight ! Regards. John.
Hey John, that's great to hear! Keep it up!
Great video as always James.
Thanks Patrick!
I have Hornbeam in my forest. When green, that will split with a flick of a finger. I use a tiny, long-handled boy's axe and I barely break a sweat.
Can't go wrong with a boys axe! 🪓
Fiskars XL nice axe, bit pricey though 👍
Clearly, you personally are more about the heritage and an enthusiast. Personally, I have a husky 562 with 28" bar, which tackles absolutely anything and yes, I use an x27 which I've had now for over 8 years I reckon!! It destroys everything with ease, and fatigue is extremely low on the body.. im all about just getting the job done ✔️ 🙌
Wow, I'd love to try a 562 with a 28 on!! Nothing against x27's here, just never had one. Keep at it man!
@@walkerscountrylife Always prefered splitting with axes over mauls, that way on tough splits, you can get the axe to bite in, then at the top of you swing the block is attached, you invert it, and bring the head down onto the chopping block, the block either splits or comes off the axe, but I do have an x27, and it is very decent to be fair, but on the toughest stuff, it will fail, where the inverted axe technique has significantly more instantanious impact. But you are limited by the wieght of the block that you can get up high. however you dont need a full height swing, shoulder height is more splitting capacity than a full height swing used normally. BTW I have a 395xp 572 xp and a 550 xp. when the 395 is done, ill be having the 592 xp
Just about any Australian axe will jamb when trying to split Australian handwood. I have Plumb, Kelly and a Kesteel felling axes and have an old Cyclone splitter (like a pointy sledgehammer) - as nothing else really works. I grew up in Dandenong as did my parents :)
If you can find a Genuine Norlund splitting axe (the brand are time was called genuine norlund and they had a specific splitting axe that’s similar to a rafting axe) they are 6-8lbs and the best splitting axe I’ve ever found. I have one and it’s just a dream to use and you can even cross cut or fell with it as it’s so heavy
Hey thanks for that buddy, I'll keep my eye out for one!
I use a gransfors bruk heavy splitting maul. Razor sharp and not too heavy, probably 6.5lb ish.
It has a hardened back so you can pound splitting or felling wedges rather than ruin the back of a axe.
For me it is perfect as a companion when felling to pound wedges or split down big rings or trimmings from flush cutting stumps.
In honhesty, my hip isn't great, so i take no real pleasure in splitting. With having access to as much free wood as i want from work, i simply pick easy splitting stuff like sweet chestnut.
Wow that's a big old weight, I bet there's not much it won't split!! Thanks for your comment 👍
@walkerscountrylife very rare I ever need to use steel splitting wedges!!
The majority of the time, I use light swings and let the weight of the head do the work. If I get something knotty and give it a proper swing it will go through really tough stuff or very tough seasoned rounds.
I had a hard time finding a good vintage splitting axe so I have a Fiskars 6lbs maul and a couple vintage 3lbs axes for the easy stuff.
Lovely, thanks for your comment
I need to use a maul or a block splitter, axes won’t work for me, western NSW. Nice axes and I do have a couple of old ones although I forget what they are exactly.
Ah yeah, you guys have some crazy hard/ knotted twisted wood!
Yep, even a cyclone splitter will bounce off a few times on our wood until it finally get a crack in it. There are often pieces I just give up on :)
get yerself a maul mate so much easier
Thanks for commenting! Yeah I'm keeping an eye out!