That's no axe...

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cygnus

Feeling the Heat
Oct 23, 2010
376
Central, NJ
A local tree guy was working at clearing some small trees/brush and posted his standard CL ad for free firewood. I showed up and started loading the small boxelder rounds when he pointed me to 'two hunks of Oak from the last job.' One was large. Oblong from 26"-32" with a flair at the bottom. There was no way I was getting that into[del] the trunk of my car[/del] my wood hauler.

Out came the Fiskars!

At about the 3rd whack he sadly says, 'Ohhhh...you're not going to split that with an axe!' Whack! Crack! Split. 'Oh, no?'

Never underestimate the Fiskars. I love the way it bounces off those big Oaks 2-3 times and gives that delicious crack on the 4th. Priceless.
 
And yet there are people that still swear the Fiskars is a gimmick... even though they've admittedly never used one ;)
 
I must admit I was one of the skeptics and thought that why would I need a better splitting maul than my 5 year old 6 lb, fiberglass handled maul. Well at least till I cracked the handle during winter. Then I bought the X27, after I read about it in this and other forums. I have found that I am able to split stuff that my old maul wouldn't (at least easily). Not to mention that it's lighter and easier to swing. Not having to start up the chainsaw as much as I used to either. Arguably the best $54 I have spent in quite awhile.
 
I have a Gerber XL axe & Gerber splitting axe, which are the exact same as Fiskars axe & axe/maul, & they haven't failed me yet! :)
 
I was on a scrounge that was at a construction site once with huge rounds of maple. I busted out the fiskars and got the same reaction. One worker actually went to his truck and grabbed a sledge and wedge to bring over for me and said that I would need this. I rolled my eyes and said that I was too lazy to split wood the hard way.

I popped the first round on one swing. I love that crack. Then continued to make big wood small. Soon the cement guy comes over and picks up my super splitter and asks if he can give it a try.

The power of demonstration. I was a maul believer, it only took three swings with my fiskars before I was converted.
 
I'm a firm believer now as well. I just bought one of the original super splitters yesterday. It's definitely not a gimmick. I split some really knarly knuckles and forks with it yesterday - even after everything I read on this board, I was still pleasantly surprised at how well it worked. I was worried I might find the Super Spitter too short, but I really didn't mind it at all.
 
I have one and still would have said the same thing! lol Its great you can pull it off and the work ethics to do it may have been a bigger impact.
 
CountryBoy19 said:
And yet there are people that still swear the Fiskars is a gimmick...
I've only popped a couple of easy, straight Black Oak rounds, about 12", but I can already see that it's no gimmick. I'm going to leave the tough stuff for the power splitter, but save some time and have some fun with the easy stuff.
 
It is the best all around splitter I have used. I do have a heavy maul I sometimes use on real knotty stuff that seems to help better in that situation, but 99% of all my splitting is done with the SS.
 
Well now I am going to get one at lunch and see if it is any better than my home depot splitting ax, they look similar and mine has not been sharpened in 3 years so I have high hopes.
 
I love sitting watching people split wood. I don't care if its a maul/sledge/wedge or this Fiskars thingamajig
 
mecreature said:
I love sitting watching people split wood. I don't care if its a maul/sledge/wedge or this Fiskars thingamajig

Hey, you gotta let me in on the info... where did you find the wood that splits itself? I'd like to pick some up. :)
 
CountryBoy19 said:
mecreature said:
I love sitting watching people split wood. I don't care if its a maul/sledge/wedge or this Fiskars thingamajig

Hey, you gotta let me in on the info... where did you find the wood that splits itself? I'd like to pick some up. :)

From what I gather. If I get this Fiskars Axe, bust up a few round, people will be standing around just waiting to bust up my wood.

Now, how do I get them to stack it.
 
mecreature said:
CountryBoy19 said:
mecreature said:
I love sitting watching people split wood. I don't care if its a maul/sledge/wedge or this Fiskars thingamajig

Hey, you gotta let me in on the info... where did you find the wood that splits itself? I'd like to pick some up. :)

From what I gather. If I get this Fiskars Axe, bust up a few round, people will be standing around just waiting to bust up my wood.

Now, how do I get them to stack it.

Hater
 
Bigg_Redd said:
mecreature said:
CountryBoy19 said:
mecreature said:
I love sitting watching people split wood. I don't care if its a maul/sledge/wedge or this Fiskars thingamajig

Hey, you gotta let me in on the info... where did you find the wood that splits itself? I'd like to pick some up. :)

From what I gather. If I get this Fiskars Axe, bust up a few round, people will be standing around just waiting to bust up my wood.

Now, how do I get them to stack it.

Hater


LOL..
 
mecreature said:
From what I gather. If I get this Fiskars Axe, bust up a few round, people will be standing around just waiting to bust up my wood.

Now, how do I get them to stack it.

Ice cold beer or sodas.
 
I have a pile of oak and hickory here and the fisk does fine on the hickory. The older and larger the more difficult it is. As for the oak... its already black on the ends and has the natural cracks from drying out...and is tough as hell. It has worn out the edge of the fiskars and I have decided to saved it for my future log splitter.

The fiskars is nice and I own two. (my son and I compete)... but it certainly has a time and place.
 
What size ya recommend?Weight i should say. Length would be preference.
 
Size? I think the X25 and X27 have the same size head, but the X27 is 36 inches long compared with the X25 at 28 inches. I am p!$$ poor in the accuracy department, so the farther away from the business end of a very sharp axe, the better.
 
10-4 lol I'm 6'2" so the 27 might be better.
 
I've given the original 28" Fiskars Super Splitting Axe (precursor to the X25) many good workouts over the past couple years, and I finally was able to get a good session in with the X27 this week. I'm 6'0' tall and think I like the X27 a little better. However, I only tested it on white oak, so I need more time in the laboratory, er, woodpile.
 
Keep us informed.At 47 i want the easier side of a good splitting maul. I ache too much already.
 
I just got some spare cash to be able to get the x27. should be here on Tuesday. In your OP you mentioned 4 whacks or so and it split the round. Are these precision placed whacks all in a line across the center, closer to the sides or all in the same spot until it finally gives?
Thanks for the help.
Mike
 
I was whacking at an oak so, working across the grain I placed one on the far side of center, one on the near side of center and one about the middle. I'd then try it again and watch for some cracking and build off of that. Oak is brittle so once it starts to fracture you are home free. If it were maple, I'd use the peeling technique and take shots at the outside with the grain to peel off splits and work toward the middle. My aim is pretty good...until I get really tired.
 
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