Fair 
The Anaconda 878 Slide-Hammer is an inexpensive type of manual log splitter – safe, easy to use but also slow and not ideal for larger pieces of wood. Plus there are some quality issues as well.
Pros:
- Cheap
- Safe, easy to use
- Compact, portable
Cons:
- Build quality
- Slow
- Loud
Key specifications:
- Splitting force: –
- Operation: manual
- Max log length: –
More Videos
Compared to Sledge and Wedge
The slide hammer is an interesting concept – something like the wedge and sledge but joined into one tool. You place the tip on a log, start sliding the handle up and down and after some number of hits you slice through the wood.
Well, in theory that sounds cool – but how does it work in reality? Compared to using sledge hammer and splitting wedge it’s easier but also slower, instead of a few strong hits you have to raise and throw down the handle a lot more times. Take a look at the videos above, the smallest pieces go down after one or two hits, for the medium stuff you would need about 6-7 and users report that large logs require as much as 20-30 strokes!
So while you can tackle even 16-20" wide logs using this tool, you’ll have to work hard on those. Also try to avoid hard wood and work you way around knots or branch joints if possible.
The sliding handle doesn’t weigh much but raising it up and throwing down a few dozen times? That makes a solid workout. Good idea is to lubricate the slide shaft with some WD40 occasionally, it would slide a lot easier.
But on the other hand, the Anaconda slide-hammer offers some advantages as well – the cutting is precise, it always stays aligned straight and you don’t have to adjust it like the splitting wedge. It’s also much safer, there is no overhead swinging so even kids may use it under supervision. Plus it’s perfect for women, seniors, people with bad hand-eye coordination and others who would rather stay away from the wedge and sledge.
Inexpensive But Not Durable
When compared to other manual log splitters, it’s a lot cheaper and probably as compact and portable as it can get – you can store it easily, take it with you into the woods or use it while camping. However, it’s also louder than those other tools – you are smashing metal on metal all the time.
And many users complained about the build quality, the rubberized grip starts to tear after some time and the connection to the wedge tip is probably too weak – there were many cases of breaking it off after a few months.
Conclusion: If you need to split a few logs occasionally and don’t want to spend too much money, then the Anaconda 878 Slide-Hammer is worth considering, particularly if you would like to avoid the wedge and sledge.
On the other hand, the quality issues severely limit its use and splitting a larger amount of wood with it would be a nightmare – so we would rather recommend you some other manual splitters instead.
>> Read more or buy the Anaconda 878 Slide-Hammer here
Specifications:
- Brand: Anaconda
- Type: Manual
- Weight: 13.9 lbs
- Splitting force: –
- Max log diameter: up to 10″ ok, 14-20″ is hard work
- Max log length: –
- Cycle time (approx.): depends on user
- Operation: manual
- Warranty: unknown
Frequently asked questions:
Can it split large logs, for example 20" in diameter and 18" long?
Yes, but it’s not effective on these sizes, it takes a long time and many hits of the handle.
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