Abstract: A wood splitter which includes a supporting surface for receiving a section of wood to be split; the supporting surface having a cutting box on one side and a reciprocating moving head on the other side; the cutting box providing a series of spaced stationary knives through which the wood can be forced, to cut the wood, said stationary knives including a horizontal knife along the uppermost margin of the cutting box; the moving head being arranged to be reciprocable towards the cutting box so as to engage wood placed on the supporting surface and push said wood through the cutting box, and then away from the cutting box to allow a fresh piece of wood to be placed on the supporting surface; a top plate connected to the moving head by a connecting arm and movable between a first position in which the lower edge of the top plate overhangs said horizontal knife and a second position in which the top plate is raised vertically relative to the cutting box and is moved horizontally away from the supporting surface.