Split wood and have fun doing it

The perfect 2-in-1 solution scores big with exchangeable components

Whether it be surging costs for heating oil, gas and power or a supply of renewable resources and the bliss of enjoying balmy warmth within your own four walls – the reasons are legion for households to rely on wood burning stoves as a major heat source for their homes. A great many of these households have made it part of their annual routine to set out into the woods to restock their wood supply. And, they appreciate the fact that the right axe will turn this “back-breaking labour” into a fun activity that mixes up their daily grind. For Karl Sprenger and Sascha Mies, avid self-supporters hailing from the Westerwald region, the SIMPLEX splitting axe by Erwin Halder KG is exactly the right axe for the job.

Firewood aficionados scouring German forests for firewood fall into two camps: honest, arduous manual labour with the splitting axe versus the simple and time-saving way to chop wood with the hydraulic splitter. Those who prefer the axe commonly interpret harvesting wood as more than just replenishing their fuel supply. This activity allows men and women alike to blow off steam and stand up to the forces of nature. “To me, chopping wood is the perfect remedy for any nuisance I may have experienced at work. And, the SIMPLEX splitting axe is the perfect companion for this activity. Why? When I cleave logs, I want to do so with the lowest possible number of strikes. The SIMPLEX spitting axe penetrates the wood with such efficiency that one strike is at times enough to do the job - not always, but more often than not. It is tremendous fun!”, beams Sascha Mies.

Just as excited about the professional quality of the tool is Karl Sprenger, the other half of the well-rehearsed team: “I decided on the SIMPLEX splitting axe because I had already been using a SIMPLEX soft-face mallet for a number of years - both in my workshop at home and in my job as a metal worker. I stuck with it because this axe is the sharpest I have ever used since I started making my own firewood. Better yet, its initial sharpness is there to stay: Since we started working with SIMPLEX splitting axe – for quite a few years now – we have been using the same blade, and it has remained perfectly sharp.“

A knock-down argument: axe and hammer merged into one 

The SIMPLEX splitting axe is more than just a simple axe: one side houses a ground and polished axe blade made of drop-forged and hardened steel while the other is equipped with an insert made of superplastic. “This combination is another major strong point: aside from providing an excellent way to chop one-metre pieces, it also makes it possible to drive splitting wedges made of metal into the wood. However, for the majority of our use cases the SIMPLEX splitting axe has allowed us to stop using wedges altogether. The axe blade is all it takes to get the job done”, rejoices Karl Sprenger. And, if we do need to resort to wedges to help with the splitting, the insert made of superplastic minimises the risk of injury from splinters chipping off from the wood. 

Other features that won Sascha Mies are the balanced weight and the surface feel of the splitting axe: “my ventures into the woods to make firewood began in my youth when my father started to take me. I have held scores of axes in my hand over all these years. The SIMPLEX splitting axe is not as lightweight as other axes. This heft lends you great impact force and keeps the axe from bouncing off. It will also not rebound and contours to your hand. Ideal for making fast progress in the forest.” These outstanding qualities can be attributed in no small part to the material selected for the handle: hickory possesses one of the highest green densities found in any type of wood. It dampens vibrations while retaining its full elastic properties. What is more, its long-fibre structure provides for maximum safety even if the handle should break.

Also, the built-in handle protection sleeve of the cast steel housing ensures that the axe will remain a long-term, reliable partner for day-to-day use. The sleeve keeps the handle protected against damage and breakage if a strike fails to hit its intended target.

Simply exchange the components

“Some people may be turned off by the slightly higher purchase price compared to other axes. My response to these reservations is: if you buy cheap, you will end up buying twice. Lasting longer thanks to its exquisite quality, the SIMPLEX splitting axe also offers the option to easily and quickly exchange all components separately as needed – handle, housing, axe blade and insert. This saves the customer the trouble of purchasing a new tool every time one of the components wears out. A win-win situation from the start!”, explains Karl Sprenger.

The exhaustive selection offered by Erwin Halder KG is sure to also include the matching forestry tool for any larger or smaller project: the SIMPLEX splitting maul or the hand axe. Sascha Mies on the subject: “So far, we have been working exclusively with the SIMPLEX splitting axe. We are not yet familiar with the other forestry tools, but that may change the next time we need to purchase a new hand axe. That thing is a true eye-catcher!” Forged from a single piece of special heat-treated steel, the hand axe comes with a hand-made, non-slip leather handle. All of its sides are finely honed, polished and protected against corrosion. It is hardened, sharpened and balanced to perfection.

“One thing is for sure: they will have to pry our SIMPLEX splitting axe out of our cold dead hands. It converts the chore of making firewood into an activity that is easy and a lot of fun”, both agree.

 

The keen self-supporters from the Westerwald region, Sascha Mies (left) and Karl Sprenger (right), put their trust in the SIMPLEX splitting axe by Erwin Halder KG when making firewood.

Since we started working with SIMPLEX splitting axe – for quite a few years now – we have been using the same blade, and it has remained perfectly sharp”, raves Karl Sprenger.

Sascha Mies is especially satisfied with the balanced weight and the surface feel of the splitting axe: “this lends you great impact force and keeps the axe from bouncing off. It will also not rebound and contours to your hand. The ideal conditions for racking up serious amounts of wood in the forest.”

Karl Sprenger and Sascha Mies are in agreement: “they will have to pry our SIMPLEX splitting axe out of our cold dead hands!”

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