Fitness
Best Tools for Splitting Wood
Cutting, harvesting, and processing wood all year long to keep your fires stoked and ready for cold, inclement weather goes beyond a chainsaw and ax. There are a multitude of tools for splitting wood that make the chore a less labor-intensive task.
Other tools for splitting wood, like a variety of saw sizes and dedicated splitting options—even machetes—can give serious woodsmen everything they need to turn timber into perfect pieces. Refine your outdoor skills with this arsenal of top-notch woodsman tools.
Best Tools for Splitting Wood
1. Agawa Boreal21 Bow Saw
The wood-chewing Agawa Boreal21 Bow Saw is not only lightweight (18 ounces) and packs down to a slim 21 inches in its included sheath, but it’s also super easy to deploy, taking just seconds to unfold and snap securely into place. The anodized aluminum frame holds different stainless steel blades—all-purpose, aggressive, bone/meat—and is backed by a comfortable, fiberglass/nylon handle.
[From $75; agawagear.com]
2. Opinel No. 18 Folding Garden Saw
A woodsman’s work isn’t all felling trees and splitting wood. Sometimes you need a more focused tool like the Opinel No. 18 Folding Garden Saw to finish the job. The 71/8-inch carbon-steel blade is studded with razor-sharp teeth that rip through branches or trees up to 5 inches in diameter, while a tapered handle made of beech helps secure your grip.
[$55; opinel-usa.com]
3. Gerber DoubleDown Folding Machete
Gerber’s DoubleDown Folding Machete looks like a massive butterfly knife—which it basically is—but the inspired design choice ends up bringing new utility to outdoorsman’s tools. The tough and corrosion-resistant 420HC recurve blade easily folds up and locks into the handle to become half the size, making for a supremely safe and portable backyard slasher.
[$150; gerbergear.com]
4. Fiskars N7 Hatchet
Fiskars is known for making durable outdoor tools made mostly from plastic, but the new Norden collection, which includes this N7 Hatchet, has a satisfyingly sleek Scandi aesthetic that incorporates hickory handles. The smallest of three axes, the 14-inch N7 has a double-hardened, carbon-steel head coated in a low-friction material to limit getting stuck deeply in logs. A recycled leather sheath is included.
[$90; fiskars.com]
5. Timber Tuff Tools Manual Log Splitter
Splitting wood with a traditional maul can be a dangerous proposition. Work smarter in the woods with the Timber Tuff Tools Manual Log Splitter, which harnesses gravity and a simple slamming motion to quickly and safely separate logs into manageable chunks.
[$47; timbertufftools.com]
6. Hults Bruk Agdor 20 Splitting Axe
Creating kindling is an essential part of preparing a fire. The Hults Bruk Agdor 20 Splitting Axe makes it easier with its light, 2-pound Swedish steel head that’s cleverly configured to maximize splitting power. An American-made leather sheath adds protection and style.
[$124; hultsbruk1697.se]
