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Searching for Tom Clark's "Buster" splitting axe


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Hello Friends,

 

I am searching for either an original "buster" splitting axe made by Tom Clark of Potosi. MO or the dimensions, profile and cross-section of the head.

 

Tom passed away back in 2009, and a number of us are looking for his original "Buster" splitting axe so that it can be studied and possibly replicated.

 

Thanks,

 

Rooster

 

 

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That is not long length Sycamore or Gum, but a straight grain wood  in short sections.

 

Impressive is the quantity of wood split AND stacked. You figure you lift that log about 4-5 times to get it from the log to stacked. That is a lot of work.

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Steve, 

 is there any chance you could send me whatever info you sent RoosterretsooR? We are about to try to forge busters in Austin Community College's blacksmithing program and since I was the most vocal proponent I've been charged with demonstrating for the class but I'd sure love to get the weight and dimensions as close as possible to the on Tom designed.

Thanks!!!

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Having recently split a lot of seasoned chinese elm firewood length logs and using 3 steel wedges and a sledge and an axe to cut cross fibers I was dreaming of when I used to split 12' ash logs with 1 wedge and 2 gluts or red oak firewood with an axe.  (of cource being 40 years younger probably helped too...)

 

Might check one of the very old Sears & Roebuck reprint catalogs to see the range of axes they carried back when a lot of people still heated and cooked with wood.

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I did some research on Tom's axe, as well as several other splitters on the market, intending to purchase the *best* available for splitting wood. Turns out that each has advantages and disadvantages. 

 

If you are splitting short sections of straight grain wood most anything will do. If you are splitting longer sections, then you start to need a specialty tool. For Sycamore and Gum you need a hydraulic log splitter and sometimes the heavy duty model. 

 

Tom's axe is very good (in my opinion) for short sections of straight grain wood that splits easily anyway. The axe head enters the wood at an angle and the weight of the axe head (away from the cutting edge) then wants to rotate causing the slab to pop off.

 

You use the axe to nibble on the outside of the log. I can not see this having much effect on a 28 inch diameter round 16-18 inches long. If the wood is not straight grained, then save your sweat, and bring out the sledge and wedge, Not even my 16 pound maul will make splitting a 28 inch diameter log in half, down the middle, easy.

 

Tom developed a tool for the wood he had at hand. Clever fellow, or cleaver fellow, your choice

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On 2/5/2014 at 2:45 PM, Glenn said:

If you are splitting short sections of straight grain wood most anything will do. If you are splitting longer sections, then you start to need a specialty tool. For Sycamore and Gum you need a hydraulic log splitter and sometimes the heavy duty model. 

I've been using a flywheel splitter to heat my home for a few years. For the wood I split (mostly locust and oak) superior to any hydraulic splitter i've ever used as the cycle time is <25% of the hydraulic.  Thinking about making some forging die shoes for it.  Check out  supersplit.com. There are also some amish built knock offs of these.

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