The Best Wood Splitting Axes and Mauls: My top recommendations after 5 years of professional work 

On this subject, you can take this man’s opinion to the bank.

I have various axes and mauls, and they all have outlasted me.

Yes sir, you convinced me to go Ochsenkopf last year AFTER I had bought a Gransfor Bruk maul. Returned the Bruk unopened and have a few cords on my Big Ox maul and Spalt-fix at this time. I also use the mini Spalt-fix for small BBQ splits.

Legitimately worthwhile channel Ben! You have mad ax skills and just watching you split, there's no doubt you know what you're talking about. I hope your channel grows because it should. There are clueless guys out there getting crazy views because they know how to lok good in front of a camera but really don't know much! Keep sharing the knowkedge!

Excellent - that's a lot of wood! I was so stunned by the stacked wood I missed what you were saying and had to go back. Anyway, sound advice, many thanks for the useful tips.

Really helpful guidance -- You give key points and info critical in deciding which axes to buy and how to work with them (much better than most other videos)

Great video! I liked your point about ash handles and shock. Ash is less durable than hickory but it feels great to swing.

didn't knew you had a wife! happy marriage and loads of wood to split! so refreshing to see someone else in the vids, on topic I just bought a fiskars x25 and I can t w8 to put it to work

Ben congratulations on getting married! The only maul I like that's locally available is the Fiskars 8 lb Isocore maul for gnarly rounds. Our traditional American maul pattern is bad for splitting, I highly dislike them. I like my Husqvarna S2800 in straight grained wood but I'm liking the Fiskars X25 with a 3 1/4 ish pound head and a 28 inch handle. I've come to prefer and like the 28 inch handles when using a chop block.

Great video Ben! "The devil is in the details" is such a true comment.

Great video, Ben! 🪓 Good point about the ash handle for absorbing vibrations. Personally I prefer it to hickory

Nice Axes Greetings from Germany Peter

Great video Ben. Also nice to see your wife splitting some wood. 🤟👌

Greetings from a french-canadian traditional carpenter and woodsman who lives in the forests of the Yukon. I would like to thank you personally for all this rich and valuable information that you provide us freely about the world of axemanship. It helps me a lot in developing intelligently my passion about my favorite tool. You are a great reference to me in the axe domain, keep making good videos! 🪓

i live in california and we have alot of australian eucalyptus trees around here . and its easier to split eucalyptus than it is to split ponderosa pine thats twisted and knotty and full of resin fatwood. its like hitting concrete

Council Tool has a fairly new 5lbs splitting axe which looks interesting. the poll is supposed to be a bit heavier, which some say makes the flick technique easier, and the profile is thicker (wedgier?) than some of their others. I don't know if it comes on any handle shorter than 36", but I'm like you; I prefer around 32". I used to have the Fiskars X27 and gave it away; my first choice these days is the Husqvarna like yours. the handle seems to have a bit more flex than the Fiskars; therefore less shock to the hands (although technique helps mitigate that, no matter what axe you're swinging). I always enjoy your content, even though I haven't been able to swing an axe for the last couple of years. I have new cobalt/chrome/teflon shoulder joints now, and may be able to ease back into it. If you talk to Owen, tell him to post more!

I need a tutorial on why his tool ends the swing rotated about 90 degree around the handle. I've not been around someone that does that.

Hey Ben, I’m 19 and never cut any wood before. I’m in great shape and I’m sure I’d have no problem with a bigger axe, but I’d imagine I don’t need a large axe. Someone in my neighborhood had a tree cut down and left big logs by the curb. I grabbed a couple hundred pounds of them, but don’t have an axe. What would you recommend for a simple job like this? I’m looking for something cheap, but reliable enough to get a very small job done! Thanks :)

This man's golf swing must be nuclear.

great video mate. do you think the Lamaca work axe would be suitable to do this sort of splitting?

Thanks for the video Ben! Did you ever try a French "Merlin" maul?

Hello! Love all of your videos. Question. Do you sharpen the Ochsenkopf Spalt Fix and your German Maul? I saw your sharpening video that I really like but is that more of a guide for a felling axe or are these two axes included? The reason I ask is because I just bought a Ochenkopf Spalt Fix 2.5 kilo and also the Ochsenkopf Big Ox Maul. Would you recommend I sharpen them or leave them as they are out of the box? Thank you!

Nice! I see you don't stack your wood onto pallets or under some sort of roof?

What was the name of your pick for best all-around splitting axe? I couldn’t understand and don’t see a description anywhere. It was after the first maul.

You are either very good or I'm doing it wrong. I've been splitting dry oak, 18" long, and there are times my sharpened Fiskar 8lb maul just bounces off the top. A few more whacks and I'll split it, but boy oh boy does the shock go down to my bones when it just bounces off.

If you had to pick between the Husqvarna A2400 with the plastic handle and the Ochsenkopf/Stihl Spalt-Ax 2500g, which would you choose for general splitting work?

Thanks for your review Ben, I’m wondering about the “vintage” axes. I’m like your wife I need a good axe for breaking down the mid sized pieces that have been split with a maul or “splitting” axe. When you say vintage, do you have a good brand recommendation, or source to buy from? I don’t like synthetic handles. I know one youtube reviewer said they like the council boys axe but not one of your picks. I like the style of the council boys but not sure what brand would be better or where to buy. Thanks!

Hello Ben, thank you for your videos, I bought Husqvarna A2400 and two wedges and I am happy with it. Quick Question: should I leave wood that needs to dry after splitting outside or should I put it inside a ventilated storage?

Hello, can you kindly advise what is the name of the axe that your wife is using? Greetings from Poland.

Why is it that you don’t recommend something like Fiskars? I read the description but missed any more details other than that, in the video

Great Video thanks

That looks like really soft wood. In Australia we have the hardest wood in the world so a mauls like the fiskas isocore pro works good

Hi Ben, have you ever used the STIHL AX range of axes? Any feedback?

Very good vid and I agree with your conclusions - but then I'm tall, too. BUT you need to wear safety glasses to split wood.

Whats the name of the second axe?

Brades 6 1/2 pounder all day long..😁was that plastic handle splitting axe doing a bit of sycamore 🤔

Hey Ben, I notice you dont mention Tassies, do you not rate them? thanks.

The bavarian pattern is also known as „Schlegelaxt“, if you ever be able to pronounce that haha

Testing

Can anyone tell what type exactly is the German maul? Want to order one exactly like the one in the video.

Links to purchase????

First