I don't heat with wood anymore, but when I did I split with a fiskars. I know, plastic handle and all. Honestly it split like a dream. And I split about 15 or 16 ricks a year. For handwork around the woods in back, it's a crkt woods chogan. It's more of a tomahawk than a hatchet, but I love it. Sharpens well and seems well balanced (at least to me).