A splitting apparatus for splitting hard material, said splitting apparatus comprising a vertically aligned free-standing body including stationary cutting means, said cutting means located in a central area of the body, the cutting means including at least one cutting surface, said cutting surface including at least one upward facing cutting edge, wherein the apparatus further comprises: safety means to protect the user from injury from the cutting means and materials during splitting of the materials; and at least one elongate supporting means, having a top end and a bottom end; and wherein said safety means comprises a barrier between the user and the cutting means, characterized in that said safety means is configured to include a central aperture to either or both accommodate and guide therewithin the materials to be split, such that said safety means surrounds and contains the materials during splitting, the safety means being rigidly supported above the cutting surface of the cutting means by said elongate supporting means and being separated from the cutting edge of the cutting means; said cutting edge being upwardly facing towards the safety means and being a predetermined vertical distance from a surface on which the splitting apparatus is standing; and wherein said at least one elongate supporting means is of a predetermined length to vertically distance the safety means from the cutting edge and is positioned to allow adequate room around the cutting means so that the material being split does not jam between the cutting means and the supporting means; the vertical distancing of said safety means from the cutting edge is predetermined to accommodate one or more of a length and a thickness of the material to facilitate splitting of the material and to enable the split material to fall free of the surrounding safety means; and the vertical distancing of said safety means from the cutting edge is predetermined to prevent injury to a user from contact with the cutting surface. wherein the apparatus further comprises: safety means to protect the user from injury from the cutting means and materials during splitting of the materials; and at least one elongate supporting means, having a top end and a bottom end; and wherein said safety means comprises a barrier between the user and the cutting means, safety means to protect the user from injury from the cutting means and materials during splitting of the materials; and at least one elongate supporting means, having a top end and a bottom end; and wherein said safety means comprises a barrier between the user and the cutting means, characterized in that said safety means is configured to include a central aperture to either or both accommodate and guide therewithin the materials to be split, such that said safety means surrounds and contains the materials during splitting, the safety means being rigidly supported above the cutting surface of the cutting means by said elongate supporting means and being separated from the cutting edge of the cutting means; said cutting edge being upwardly facing towards the safety means and being a predetermined vertical distance from a surface on which the splitting apparatus is standing; and wherein said at least one elongate supporting means is of a predetermined length to vertically distance the safety means from the cutting edge and is positioned to allow adequate room around the cutting means so that the material being split does not jam between the cutting means and the supporting means; the vertical distancing of said safety means from the cutting edge is predetermined to accommodate one or more of a length and a thickness of the material to facilitate splitting of the material and to enable the split material to fall free of the surrounding safety means; and the vertical distancing of said safety means from the cutting edge is predetermined to prevent injury to a user from contact with the cutting surface. said at least one elongate supporting means is of a predetermined length to vertically distance the safety means from the cutting edge and is positioned to allow adequate room around the cutting means so that the material being split does not jam between the cutting means and the supporting means; the vertical distancing of said safety means from the cutting edge is predetermined to accommodate one or more of a length and a thickness of the material to facilitate splitting of the material and to enable the split material to fall free of the surrounding safety means; and the vertical distancing of said safety means from the cutting edge is predetermined to prevent injury to a user from contact with the cutting surface.