Swedish Log Splitter

A must have! After a lot of research I decided to take a gamble on this deceptively simple log splitter. It is well made and appears to be very durable. The only two parts that may wear over a long time being the rubber cushion washer, and the nylon washer, both of which will be easy to replace after tens of years use. Having drilled the hole, with the supplied wood drill, in an off cut of railway sleeper, assembly was child's play with the tightening of the single nut using the supplied spanner. It is portable, and requires only person power. I use it for splitting logs upto 50cm long, and upto 30cm diameter. I've had no problems splitting the logs, and have not had to use the two handed throw from the top of the bar, as shown in the videos. I have found that after placing the logs under the splitter, I can throw the weight from about half way up the rod, and this is sufficient to split most well seasoned logs. Logs with knots or stringy logs, such as eucalyptus, take two or three of my one handed throws to split. I use in two ways; sleeper on the floor and sitting on a low stool, or sleeper held in a Jawhorse and standing. Using the later method I was able to split a ton of logs in about 30 minutes. Another bonus is that it keeps you fit and agile.

I bought this because I can swing a maul accurately or hard but not both together. It works extremely well for logs or kindling. It is a simple device with little to go wrong. Instructions aren't 100% clear but nevertheless assembly is easy if you look at the picture on the box. It is much easier on the back than ordinary chopping(although you are still bending to pick up logs, position them and pick up and stack pieces of course). You can position the cut on the log with 100 % accuracy, where you can see the grain will split easiest. In the picture there are two horizontal green metal parts which attach the axe head to the lower height pole. It isn't clear to see, but the lower one of these (just higher than the main axe head) also has a cutting edge and is intended for chopping kindling. I have found this works well, although you can also use the main axe head. If the head gets stuck (as occasionally happens with a gnarly log)you slide the axe head part up the pole (with jammed log attached) and hold it whilst tapping the log gently with a lump hammer until it drops down. Gravity is helping you and it is much easier to release than a jammed maul or wedge. If you have a log that you haven't chainsawed quite square it is a bit harder to chop with a maul because it falls over easily and the maul is not striking the end grain square on. This splitter manages those type of logs much better.I am very glad I bought this and use it a lot, however I cannot compare it to a motor powered type as I have never used one.

Great product for those looking to split logs with children around. I was terrified at the thought of having to wield an axe - with two young boys watching and wanting to help. As a petite lady this was also impractical from a strength point of view. The log splitter is a great alternative. Both my 9 year old and my 6 year old have been able to use it with supervision in a way that I am happy is safe. It won't split logs with knots as these are too tough but a standard log is pretty straightforward. This is a good product for the price. However you do need a sturdy flat base log to mount it on.I would recommend this product.

I`ve Bought lots on Amazon over the years but never left a review before, but this thing deserves it. This is the best item I`ve bought in years! It actually works as well as it appears to, in various adverts I saw. I was a little sceptical but figured it was worth the risk for £80. I`ve been splitting ash and oak that I cut from our woods with an axe and wedges, and been on the lookout for a cheap 2nd hand hydraulic splitter, ( I`m getting old), so thought I`d try this as a stopgap until one turned up. Not sure I`ll bother getting one now. It`s so easy even my wife (who has a heart condition) managed to split a couple of 14 inch wide Ash logs and wanted to do more. I did the decent thing and told her to stop before she became too tired to make my dinner. Seriously though, it works great, you can throw the weight down to hurry things up a bit if you want, but just casually letting it drop does the job just fine. Highly recommended!

This is a sturdy simple tool. It's easy to set up and easy to use. There are no fiddly little bits to go wrong. To set it up, you need to find a good sturdy chopping block that sits flat on the ground with a fairly flat top. I asked a split log supplier for mine, which is about 40cm across and 25cm tall. The log splitter comes with a 20mm flat wood boring bit. All you do is drill a hole with it into the chopping block. The rest of the setup is even easier...In use, the log splitter is a bit like using a guided axe. Instead of swinging an axe down onto the log to split, you drop, or throw the striking weight down the guide shaft onto the cutting head. It's impossible to miss - as you've already placed that precisely where you want it.The log splitter is great for plain even grained logs. It also deals with twisty grained and knotted logs - though you need to be patient - you might need to throw the striking weight downten or twenty times, but that's easy. It's much easier than having an axe stuck in a difficult piece and dealing with that.The splitter has two cutting edges. One is really good for making kindling.I think this will pay for itself in two ways. I'll not have to buy any more kindling. Plus the chopping back is going to last much longer as the cutting edges never actually strike it.This tool effectively replaces a small kindling axe an a larger wood axe, it's safer and easier to use.

This is great for splitting kindling or small (as thick as your forearm) sticks. It is not suitable for logs and you will be quicker and find it easier with an axe. I still use it but only for kindling, which it is great for!