Recommendations for a kindling cracker

Got the XL Cracker in from Northern today they have on sale, this thing flat out changes the game I took a wheelbarrow full of oak firewood and turned it into kindling in about 5 minutes.

Didn't bother mounting it with bolts to the stump just set it on there it's so heavy it stays put just fine and makes it easier to take back in out of the weather.

Started with a small 3lb hammer just to see how it went and never thought to go bigger it ran right through that stuff like it was nothing! Can't begin to make kindling this fast on the gas hydraulic splitter just due to the ram return time.

This is going to be a great addition to the stick burner cooking routine for managing smaller fires at lower temps when wanted.

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InThePitBBQ said:
Northern Tool has the original and the XL on sale right now, this is the first time I've seen the XL model marked down it's $99.00 plus free shipping in the lower 48.

I ordered one last week, when it comes in I'll get it on an oak stump and post some pics.
Click to expand...

You just cost me $99! :doh:

or...to put it another way...you just saved me $30! :whoo:
 
Amazon has the same unit Northern sales for 99 as well.
 
gtr said:
You just cost me $99! :doh:

or...to put it another way...you just saved me $30! :whoo:
Click to expand...

I just shook my head after the first couple splits and wondered how this wasn't a thing decades ago, you'll love it!
 
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gtr said:
You just cost me $99! :doh:

or...to put it another way...you just saved me $30! :whoo:
Click to expand...


Wise decision!


Some friends of ours got me the regular size a few Xmas's ago. Wouldn't want to be without it, though would prefer the XL, but it wasn't available then.
 
I just ordered a 2nd one to leave in the catering trailer, the splitting maul's and axes can collect dust from now on this is so much easier, faster and safer to use.

Best thing about this XL size is it allows you to pick a line of grain on a piece of firewood that may be mostly off to one side and it allows enough clearance for the fat side to pass through when it splits.
 
I just ordered the XL. Can't let Springram's be bigger than mine! Do ya'll think a 3 or 4 pound hammer would work better?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
I used a 3 pound today and was only splitting oak, for the nice heartwood pieces with clean straight grains end to end it took a light tap to set it into place on the blade and one hit to drive and split it not much effort required.

Had a few pieces with curved and uneven grain that took a couple hits to get down far enough to pop apart but those were 2 seconds start to finish with the 3 pound.

I think a 4lb would be good to have on hand if you were dealing with splits that had less desirable grains patterns, box suggests a 3 or 4 pound .
 
Kindling cracker (XL) and the Black and Decker alligator lopper completely changed the game for me. Chainsaw, mauls of different sizes, axes, and hatchets are all just sitting in the garage unused bc of these two brilliant inventions.
 
pjtexas1 said:
I just ordered the XL. Can't let Springram's be bigger than mine! Do ya'll think a 3 or 4 pound hammer would work better?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Mine will always be bigger..... I find the 4 lb hammer works best for me.
 
I just bought one from Northern Tool $40 off and free shipping I could not resist . Going to use it for splitting a stick small for start up on my Shirley . have been chunking up wood and using a hatchet and this will make quick work for what I want it to do .
 
BBQ Freak said:
I just bought one from Northern Tool $40 off and free shipping I could not resist . Going to use it for splitting a stick small for start up on my Shirley . have been chunking up wood and using a hatchet and this will make quick work for what I want it to do .
Click to expand...
Why don't you just use lump or charcoal? Just kidding... I've watched your videos. :heh:

I bought the XL. Went back and forth between the 2 sizes for days. I'm hoping it will split the perfect size for the shirley. It takes pretty small splits.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
My splits are a great size after the kindling kutter. It sounds like a lot of folks have caught one and like them. I know I do. I use the 4# hammer and it works fine. If I was 50 years younger the 3# would be fine, but now I let the tool do the work. Now someone needs to invent a grabber to pick up the splits and save my back.
 
Joe Black said:
My splits are a great size after the kindling kutter. It sounds like a lot of folks have caught one and like them. I know I do. I use the 4# hammer and it works fine. If I was 50 years younger the 3# would be fine, but now I let the tool do the work. Now someone needs to invent a grabber to pick up the splits and save my back.
Click to expand...

Oh they did that before the kindling cracker, Northern Tool sells the PikStik you'll never have to bend over again.
 
Joe Black said:
My splits are a great size after the kindling kutter. It sounds like a lot of folks have caught one and like them. I know I do. I use the 4# hammer and it works fine. If I was 50 years younger the 3# would be fine, but now I let the tool do the work. Now someone needs to invent a grabber to pick up the splits and save my back.
Click to expand...

I agree 100% to every single sentence! :clap2:
 
I have the smaller kindling cracker already and the XL en route, since some of my pieces are too big. Really happy with the smaller one otherwise.
 
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