1. Get a good ax and make sure it’s sharp. Having a quality, sharp ax is key to a successful split. Zdon recommends a 36-inch handle with a 4-pound ax head (Zdon used a Best Made Co. Felling Ax for ...

In the southern Appalachians, where I live, fall means primo mountain-bike conditions and car camping without the mosquitos. It’s the beginning of bouldering season and arguably the best time to take ...

If, like me, your credentials as a woodsman come primarily from watching movies set in the woods, you might think you can just swing any ax down the center of a log to split it. That’s not quite right ...

I’ve been splitting firewood for more than 40 years. In that time, I’ve developed a strong sense of what the best tools for the job are. I’m squarely in the maul camp—at least 6 pounds, but preferably ...

While a short, light hatchet is great for intricate tasks such as making kindling, carving, or clearing trails, nothing beats a long-handled axe for chopping logs into firewood. With its two-part ...

If you asked 100 experienced survivalists to name their must-have tools, it’s a safe bet that an axe would be on that list. A standard axe performs a surprising number of tasks around a campsite or in ...

Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. The X11 is a splitting ax, which means it’s designed primarily ...

What’s better to savour as fall ticks down to winter than another crisp morning with a sharp axe and firewood to split, sort and stack? I know, one man’s joy is another’s tedium, still, I confess that ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. A Finnish wood-cutter has designed an axe that could make a significant difference in the lives of some northerners. Many people ...