Helko Vario 2000 Heavy Splitting Axe Maul German Made Highest Quality Preppers

Pricing & History

Sold for
Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
Sold Date
Source eBay

Helko Vario 2000 Heavy Splitting Axe German Made Highest Quality I've been heating my home almost exclusively with wood for about 25 years. I don't use a wood splitter, and in fact I enjoy the sort of dynamic exercise that wood splitting provides; strengthening my body in a healthy way and keeping joints limber. But no denying it, wood splitting is hard work. Anything that can make the job easier and faster is a blessing. That's where the German-made Helko Vario 2000 enters the story. About 5 years ago I went searching for a replacement splitting maul and was very disappointed in the poor quality tools available in local stores. Even online stores seem to have virtually the same crudely cast junk from China or India. Quality is poor and the designs are uninspired. After exhaustive searching, I finally found the Helko Vario 2300g Heavy Splitting Maul, and ordered one, along with a spare handle. After using it I was so impressed that I went looking to buy these in quantity to offer our friends and family, but alas, the 2300g model was no longer available in the U.S. and a quest was begun... Superior Design The Helko totally changed my mind about axes. First, it looks strange compared to anything else I used. But everything about the design is done for a reason. The unusual wedge shape blows through a round like nothing I ever used before, scattering the split pieces for several feet to each side. It rarely gets stuck, which is very nice. No crude casting here! This is a beautifully machined piece of steel that is ground to a nice edge. The way the head fastens to the handle is both unique and superior. Keeping the head tight is easy, as is changing handles. The bolt-through design keeps everything together snugly and easily. Also note the steel over-strike protector that takes the abuse when a round cracks wrong or if you miss just a bit. Oh, I forgot to mention that heads and handles are interchangeable within the Vario 2000 line. You can even get a composite handle, but I don't personally recommend that for reasons that I'll explain shortly. The Handle is Special The handle is a made from a piece of quality American Hickory. I really prefer wooden handles over composite, because wood has a better feel and transmits more energy into the target. Also, the composite handle is a little bit shorter and I wouldn't sacrifice the length. Something about the curve of this handle seems to apply more force to the swing, and the 36" length makes it both faster and safer by giving it a longer arc. A longer handle also makes it less likely that you'll chop your foot with a glancing blow or other mishap. Altogether, the handle just feels right in my hands, right down to the well-crafted flare at the end that I'm sure you'll appreciate. Oh, and I'm still using the original handle after 5 years, and the spare is well..., still a spare. Faster is Better If you're fairly new to wood splitting you'll have to take my word on this. If you're experienced you'll probably understand right away just by instinct. You see, the 2300 gram Helko Heavy Splitter translates to just a shade over 5 pounds. Most mauls in America are either 6 or 8 pounds (or more), the idea being to do the job with brute force. Very American of us. But a simple physics lesson is quite revealing. When you double the mass (weight) of a moving object, it doubles the force of impact. But impact force increases by the square of the speed. So, 10+10=20, but 10x10= 100 Increasing speed slightly makes a much greater force increase than adding weight. Of course there are practical limitations to how fast the human body can swing an axe, so a good design balances both of these factors. With the slightly lighter head on a slightly longer handle, the speed is increased substantially and more force is delivered to the cutting edge with less effort. You can really feel it! Accuracy Any experienced woodsplitter knows that the secret to success is putting the cutting edge in just the right spot. Helko's design gives you superior balance for an accurate... read more

Items in the Price Guide are obtained exclusively from licensors and partners solely for our members’ research needs.

Flag item for content or copyright

If this item contains incorrect or inappropriate information please contact us here to flag it for review.

If you are the originator/copyright holder of this photo/item and would prefer it be excluded from our community, contact us here for removal.