Fiskar and old fart... a good match?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

SnapCracklePop

Feeling the Heat
Sep 29, 2010
269
Southwestern Penna
Hi, guys. Haven't been here in sooooooo long. Nights are getting chilly, though...

Anyway, I saw a Fiskar splitting maul at Tractor Supply for around $50, and am wondering if I can make it do anything. I'm 70, with enough upper body strength to paddle my kayak for miles, but... Splitting wood?

My electric log splitter died (a guy is gonna take a look at it, but I'm not optimistic). I'm buying wood from a tree service at $125 a cord. Some splits are larger than I'd like, so occasionally I'll want to whack 'em.

My wonderful neighbors split some big chunks for me, and they'll do more if I ask them. I just don't want to keep bugging them to split for me or to lend me their splitter.

I have an old no-name maul that's not very sharp. I've tried splitting with it, and it just goes thunk on the wood.

Whatcha think?

Nancy
 
Nancy - if you are bound and determined to pound on firewood - get ya the X27. The longer handle will allow you to accelerate the head speed better than the X25 short handle.

In other words - the long handle will have more oooph per swing when compared to the X25. Hand splitting is more form over strength.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BrowningBAR
Some will argue whether having a sharp edge on your maul is important or not. I think a sharp edge makes it split much easier than with a dull edge.

It sounds like you don't have a whole lot of splitting to do, but if you don't enjoy splitting by hand, a different maul may not be the answer. I'd be sharpening up the maul I already owned, and giving that a few more tries to see how I tolerate it, before going out and spending money on a second maul I might never use.
 
Nancy, I've split wood since I was too young to even be splitting. Most times I've used only a single or double bitted axe for the splitting and if too much, used sledge and wedges. Someone bought me a splitting maul 30 some odd years ago and it worked good. Then life dealt me a strong blow and I acquired a hydraulic splitter. Heaven sent!

Last winter a friend purchased an x27 Fiskars and thought it was the tops. So, we tried splitting some of our white ash. As you know, ash is one of the easiest splitting woods there are. I tried and he tried to split that ash with the Fiskars. I would have taken it back for a refund as it was almost worthless in my book. However, as you'll see, many here think they are great. Use your own judgement. I can still split with a single bit axe or a splitting maul but not much. If I had to do without the hydraulics, I would definitely not buy a Fiskars. A simple splitting maul would do the trick for me nicely.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cptoneleg and quads
I have a Fiskar's Splitting Ax - one of the smaller splitting tools fiskar makes with the shorter handle and a 2.5 lb head. It is light enough for anyone to swing it well, and it can split most anything with enough effort. I take it to boy scout campouts and for the smaller scouts it always ends up being the favorite splitting tool among the various axes and mauls that show up in camp. In fact it is usually the favorite of the larger scouts as well because it is easy to swing. I personally often prefer a heavier splitting axe or a maul for the largest rounds because in many cases the larger tool splits in fewer swings than the Fiskars can. I recommend it for you. I think you'll do better taking a few more swings with a lighter tool, rather than save a few swings with a heavier maul.
 
Replacement of electric splitter is definitely a possibility. I'm waiting to see what my small-engine genie can do with the old one. I think it's toast. I think I used too flimsy an extension cord and burned up the motor. Bad me.

I tried my old maul again and was able to split some stuff with it, but not oak...

I wanted to check moisture content and, so far, the numbers are great. 15 to 18%
 
Snap - as a 65 year old, overweight, lungs working as any would after 45+ years of smoking I say go for the Fiskars...worst case - you put it aside and do something else. I'm not an exercise person but I like splitting with my
X25. It can take you to a sort of Zen like state which I find great. Mind you, I can't go for a long time straight, but after a rest, some cold water and a sit on the splitting stump I'm good to go again.

Happy Splitting,
Littlalex
 
  • Like
Reactions: blujacket
It sounds like you may not have the strength or the technique to get a maul/axe moving fast enough. Since you're not doing a lot of splitting, maybe you can make a dent/groove in the split with the maul, then start a wedge by choking up on the maul and tapping it through with smaller blows. This should work on easier-splitting straight-grained woods. Some wedges have a pretty fat angle and are hard to start; Grind the edge down to a sharper angle if you need to.

Maybe a replacement motor wouldn't cost an arm and a leg, if that's all that's wrong with your splitter...

Someone bought me a splitting maul 30 some odd years ago and it worked good.....Last winter........I tried and he tried to split that ash with the Fiskars....it was almost worthless in my book.
A Fiskars is pretty similar to an old-school axe. Maybe the "30 years later" part is what got you. ;)
 
Not only the tool used for splitting, sometimes the wood is a factor.

Certain types of wood split easier than other.
Green birch, no knots or twists split with just a little touch with an axe or maul & becomes tougher when it dries some.
Green spruce, the maul bounces back at you but -10° spruce splits fairly easy.

Without a hydraulic splitter, my selection of wood would change, & I'd have to noodle gnarly rounds.
Even in my macho days, I ran into rounds that refused to split. :)

Gray hair brings wisdom, repair or replace the electric splitter IMO
 
I have three Fiskar axes. I like them. But, in the end, it is just an axe. It works for me, but, like any product, your mileage may vary.

I like Bart's idea. I might grab one of those next year.
 
I like Bart's idea. I might grab one of those next year.

Maybe not an awful idea, but it can only do splits up to 20" L x 10" dia. I dunno about you, but all my splits are cut to 20"+/- long, and there aren't too many splits < 10" diameter I need help with. To most who hand split, I suspect a splitter is most useful on the larger rounds.
 
It sounds like you may not have the strength or the technique to get a maul/axe moving fast enough. Since you're not doing a lot of splitting, maybe you can make a dent/groove in the split with the maul, then start a wedge by choking up on the maul and tapping it through with smaller blows. This should work on easier-splitting straight-grained woods. Some wedges have a pretty fat angle and are hard to start; Grind the edge down to a sharper angle if you need to.

Maybe a replacement motor wouldn't cost an arm and a leg, if that's all that's wrong with your splitter...

A Fiskars is pretty similar to an old-school axe. Maybe the "30 years later" part is what got you. ;)


Woody, I am not the man I used to be but when I was trying the Fiskars there was a man half my age and he did not better. Therefore my review won't change. I can still split wood by hand but just not the whole year's supply. Probably could if I was forced but lets hope we don't see that. I like the hydraulics.
 
Maybe not an awful idea, but it can only do splits up to 20" L x 10" dia. I dunno about you, but all my splits are cut to 20"+/- long, and there aren't too many splits < 10" diameter I need help with. To most who hand split, I suspect a splitter is most useful on the larger rounds.

Mine are 18-24" for the most part. The Encore can do up to 22", but you can't top load it and fill it with 22 inchers. And the 30 can only fit up to 20" splits.

Some of my splits are pretty wide slabs. I know I am going to need to split some down as the winter progresses. So, something like the splitter Bart linked to may be a simple solution.
 
I can still split wood by hand but just not the whole year's supply. Probably could if I was forced but lets hope we don't see that. I like the hydraulics.
I heard that. I'll hand-split some easy stuff now and then but if I didn't have a splitter, I'd be hard-pressed to get enough wood for us, much less the others that I'm now supplying. I'd also be passing on a lot of the gnarly stuff that I couldn't handle without hydraulics.
 
I heard that. I'll hand-split some easy stuff now and then but if I didn't have a splitter, I'd be hard-pressed to get enough wood for us, much less the others that I'm now supplying. I'd also be passing on a lot of the gnarly stuff that I couldn't handle without hydraulics.
I still easily split my year's supply by hand, and then I split several other families year's supplies by hand also, upwards of 25 full cord per year.....all with my ancient 6# maul. And I hope to be able to continue to do so well into my 90s! HAHA!

My advice to Nancy is if you need something lighter than a 6# maul, a normal ax with practice would do just as well as a Fiskars. But my opinion is biased because I have never owned a Fiskars; it's hard for me to convince myself to spend money on stuff that I can't see a real need for.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Backwoods Savage
Maybe not an awful idea, but it can only do splits up to 20" L x 10" dia. I dunno about you, but all my splits are cut to 20"+/- long, and there aren't too many splits < 10" diameter I need help with. To most who hand split, I suspect a splitter is most useful on the larger rounds.

indeed

if i were splitting 10-12" rounds i probably wouldn't have even bought a hydraulic splitter. it was the 30" green oak rounds that were gonna be the death of me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ashful
I still easily split my year's supply by hand, and then I split several other families year's supplies by hand also, upwards of 25 full cord per year.....all with my ancient 6# maul. And I hope to be able to continue to do so well into my 90s! HAHA!

My advice to Nancy is if you need something lighter than a 6# maul, a normal ax with practice would do just as well as a Fiskars. But my opinion is biased because I have never owned a Fiskars; it's hard for me to convince myself to spend money on stuff that I can't see a real need for.

Quads, you have my blessing and I hope you can still split when you are at the century mark! Good advice on the axe too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: quads
Status
Not open for further replies.