splitting axe recommendations

[Ollie_M]

what do people recommend for a splitting axe? or possibly a cheap splitter, have a tractor so could go hydraulic if anyone knows of any cheap ones that work?
currently been sectioning rounds up with saw then splitting using an old 4lb elwell felling axe - done the job but always kind of wished for a nice splitting axe
looking forward to suggestions

[Peasgood]

Fiskars X27 is the one that folk always recommend. Felling axes aren't much good at splitting even compared to a B&Q maul.

Oxdale splitters are very much worth their money if going on a tractor. Personally I would never go back to an axe or maul having used an Oxdale but if funds are too tight then I guess you have to.

[nepia]

Amen to all that.  I have both X27 (and X17 for smaller stuff) and Oxdale splitter though not tractor mounted.  Both (all three) are excellent

[AHPP]

A lot of modern things are shit but Fiskars X splitting axes aren't.

[Sviatoslav Tulin]

X27 for big stuff x17 for small one handed operation .

[Bob The Dog]

Another for X27. Far outperforms the heavier old fashioned maul 

[kram]

Not a Stihl. The grain goes the wrong way..  Grain should go along the length of the head, not across the width of it.

[Sviatoslav Tulin]

No wooden handles anymore unless for aesthetic purposes, never seen modern plastic handles broken ,only few on internet what is just manufacturing defect I think what is the rare case for Fiskars! 

[peds]

I know a fella who replaced the wooden shaft of his sledgehammer with thick metal pipe. There's a bit of feedback on a heavy swing, but there's not much risk of it breaking. 

Well, the user's wrists maybe, but not the shaft.

 

Another vote for Fiskars here. I got their tiny wee camping axe recently too, it's great fun. 

[kram]

Yes I was tempted to weld the Stihl maul. I have this old 7.5kg sledge. It has done a lot of work, smashed up a lot of concrete.

 

Edited April 15 by kram