As other reviewers have stated, the axe blade is quite thin. So while it can make deep cuts, IF you cut with the grain of the wood (as one does when splitting) the blade tends to bind in the wood and you have to rock it back and forth to loose the blade from the wood. I did not sharpen my axe before testing it on a water oak stump, it was very sharp when I got it brand new. I've used quite a few axes, splitting mauls, hatchets, and sledge hammers in my time so I know how to swing one of these striking tools. This axe is very easy to swing and I did not find the handle to transmit too much shock to my hands. In fact, I didn't notice any more shock from this steel tool than I have from many of the hickory handled tools I've used. The weight of this tool is forward (in the head) which aids in giving you a good, strong strike. This is a "forest axe" blade design. Overall, the tool is light and is a very fast axe!