Axe / hatchet recommendations

Nice thread. Just added a couple fiskars to the wish list.

I've got hundreds...possibly a thousand, oak trees, a percentage of which are standing dead or need to go to make room for things like a chicken coop, shed, and shop; and nice wood fired heater, and am accumulating more and more logs in the 8"+ size that need split.
 
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Rickyd said:
Ok,you get a cookie for having fire starters. You still didn't answer what you want to use it for. How big you and your arms are will affect that answer.
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I don't want a cookie. thanks, WTF?

I did say what I wanted it for. To work down rough sawn 6-8" branches at camp.

Still didn't answer? Maybe I missed them or they were edited out but the questions were never asked.

How big I am?
5'11"
190lb
Fitter than most folks my age.
 
MikekiM said:
Not sure. 2.5 to 3lb maybe? I want it heavy enough to generate some momentum but light enough to be able to one hand. Suggestions?

Anyone use the Norden N12?
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Not used a Norden. What I can recommend is Council Tool and in particular the Sport Utility line. I have a Flying Fox hatchet and it performs as well or better than the Plumb National it was patterned after. They just announced an improved head design for the boys axe that looks pretty good too.
 
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MikekiM said:
I don't want a cookie. thanks, WTF?

I did say what I wanted it for. To work down rough sawn 6-8" branches at camp.

Still didn't answer? Maybe I missed them or they were edited out but the questions were never asked.

How big I am?
5'11"
190lb
Fitter than most folks my age.
Click to expand...

Ok so you want to split rounds.An axe is what you want.you aren't tiny so you could cut down the handle on one so it isn't light speed karate chop bullshit with a normal hatchet.or buy a fallers hatchet which is the same thing as a shortened axe.

If this is some kind of softwood like pine or fir it applies. Hardwood you're back to an axe.

You probably know all this so why ask for brands of fancy lightweight kindling choppers?
 
I just bought a Fiskar X15 today and it works great. It comes with a lifetime warranty. I wanted something to carry in my camper to occasionally chop wood or split a 8 "inchish" diameter piece of firewood. My wood splitting test this afternoon convinced me that I chose correctly.

Because of this thread, I went down the rabbit hole looking for a small axe. There are some nice looking hand forged axes for a lot of $$ and some hand forged axes from China for not a lot of money. In the end, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on something that would spend most of it's life in storage, but I didn't want a piece of junk.

This morning I stopped at Tractor Supply to see what they had in stock, and actually put my hands on something. They had Fiskar brand and some house brand with wooden handles made in India. While I was looking, a friend of mine walked by and said he has the Fiskar X15 and likes how it keeps a good edge. That convinced me.
 
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LukesfirstJeep said:
I just bought a Fiskar X15 today and it works great. It comes with a lifetime warranty. I wanted something to carry in my camper to occasionally chop wood or split a 8 "inchish" diameter piece of firewood. My wood splitting test this afternoon convinced me that I chose correctly.

Because of this thread, I went down the rabbit hole looking for a small axe. There are some nice looking hand forged axes for a lot of $$ and some hand forged axes from China for not a lot of money. In the end, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on something that would spend most of it's life in storage, but I didn't want a piece of junk.

This morning I stopped at Tractor Supply to see what they had in stock, and actually put my hands on something. They had Fiskar brand and some house brand with wooden handles made in India. While I was looking, a friend of mine walked by and said he has the Fiskar X15 and likes how it keeps a good edge. That convinced me.
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Don't try an X7 or it'll make a hatchet-sized hole in your wallet. :D :D :D
 
Rickyd said:
Ok so you want to split rounds.An axe is what you want.you aren't tiny so you could cut down the handle on one so it isn't light speed karate chop bullshit with a normal hatchet.or buy a fallers hatchet which is the same thing as a shortened axe.

If this is some kind of softwood like pine or fir it applies. Hardwood you're back to an axe.

You probably know all this so why ask for brands of fancy lightweight kindling choppers?
Click to expand...
Not sure what made you assume I know all of this. I was pretty transparent as to how much I know in my first post. I've learned more in the last 28 posts than I have in my decades on this earth, so I am getting exactly what I hoped for from this thread,

LukesfirstJeep said:
I just bought a Fiskar X15 today and it works great. It comes with a lifetime warranty. I wanted something to carry in my camper to occasionally chop wood or split a 8 "inchish" diameter piece of firewood. My wood splitting test this afternoon convinced me that I chose correctly.

Because of this thread, I went down the rabbit hole looking for a small axe. There are some nice looking hand forged axes for a lot of $$ and some hand forged axes from China for not a lot of money. In the end, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on something that would spend most of it's life in storage, but I didn't want a piece of junk.

This morning I stopped at Tractor Supply to see what they had in stock, and actually put my hands on something. They had Fiskar brand and some house brand with wooden handles made in India. While I was looking, a friend of mine walked by and said he has the Fiskar X15 and likes how it keeps a good edge. That convinced me.
Click to expand...
Greatly appreciate this. Your use-case sounds aligned with mine. Thank you. There is exactly one tractor supply that I know of on Long Island. I won't have a lot of luck with that.

I'll stop in the big-box store and see if they have the X15.

4Lo4Sho said:
Don't try an X7 or it'll make a hatchet-sized hole in your wallet. :D :D :D
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X7 is a chopper not a splitter. One thing I know is I want a splitter. and the X7 is likely too small.

LukesfirstJeep said:
I held an X7, but it felt too small for occasional splitting.
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My thoughts as well.
 
Greatly appreciate this. Your use-case sounds aligned with mine. Thank you. There is exactly one tractor supply that I know of on Long Island. I won't have a lot of luck with that.

I'll stop in the big-box store and see if they have the X15.
Click to expand...

My local Lowes carries Fiskar products. I don't have a Home Depot nearby, but I assume they carry Fiskar too.

One of the premium brands I researched was Hults Bruk. They are beautiful works of art. I thought about buying one, until I read a review. It worked perfectly, but the owner allowed a friend to use it, on a camping trip. The friend knocked a chunk out of the wood handle when he missed while pounding in a tent stake. The owners comment was along the lines of getting an inexpensive axe/hatchet for future use because he worried too much about damaging his expensive Hults Bruk.
 
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This is the best one I have found for splitting wood
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what I am Putting down here is to hell with that Axe
 
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lBasket said:
At home... yes. I ain't doing no labor.

How to fit in a TJ tho?
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true but it is towable. We had the Big Ice Storm in the Hill country just north of San Antonio and I can tell you that log splitter and my STihl Chain Saw and the dump trailer were worth their weight in gold. I hauled 30 loads of Limbs on my 16 foot dump trailer from my live oak trees out oh my yard and my neighbors yard about 6 acres in total and split about 2 cords of wood
 
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MikekiM said:
X7 is a chopper not a splitter. One thing I know is I want a splitter. and the X7 is likely too small.


My thoughts as well.
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Yeah sorry, i guess i'm just BS'ing about axes and hatchets. I have several and both the X7 and X15 have their uses for me. I might end up with Fiskar's whole lineup if someone doesn't restrain me.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
I've got hundreds...possibly a thousand, oak trees, a percentage of which are standing dead or need to go to make room for things like a chicken coop, shed, and shop; and nice wood fired heater, and am accumulating more and more logs in the 8"+ size that need split.
Click to expand...

Have you tried splitting any of that oak? Southern oaks are like northern elms. Very twisty grain that is very challenging to split. I built a hydraulic splitter that attaches to the three-point hitch on my tractor because the oaks we have are too much for these old joints to split!
 
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LukesfirstJeep said:
My local Lowes carries Fiskar products. I don't have a Home Depot nearby, but I assume they carry Fiskar too.

One of the premium brands I researched was Hults Bruk. They are beautiful works of art. I thought about buying one, until I read a review. It worked perfectly, but the owner allowed a friend to use it, on a camping trip. The friend knocked a chunk out of the wood handle when he missed while pounding in a tent stake. The owners comment was along the lines of getting an inexpensive axe/hatchet for future use because he worried too much about damaging his expensive Hults Bruk.
Click to expand...
Checked the Lowe's website just for giggles. I have one pretty close to me.
They have a brand called Hooyman that looks to be a Fiskar knock-off. Similar head design with all composite handle. Priced considerably less than Fiskars. Checked the Hooyman website and they only a 28" splitter and 28" chopper.

I wouldn't use a premium axe to drive tent stakes. No need. But that's why I want to leave Dad's old axe home. Accidents happen.

I keep coming back to the Norden N12 for its utility as the Fiskars but with a nice hickory handle. Or the Fiskars X11.
 
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MikekiM said:
Checked the Lowe's website just for giggles. I have one pretty close to me.
They have a brand called Hooyman that looks to be a Fiskar knock-off. Similar head design with all composite handle. Priced considerably less than Fiskars. Checked the Hooyman website and they only a 28" splitter and 28" chopper.

I wouldn't use a premium axe to drive tent stakes. No need. But that's why I want to leave Dad's old axe home. Accidents happen.

I keep coming back to the Norden N12 for its utility as the Fiskars but with a nice hickory handle. Or the Fiskars X11.
Click to expand...

You're in the middle of "they don't make 'em like they used to"
 
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