Got my Fiskars today

I got one this week out of boredom. The weather has been very wet and the woods and everything is mud. Tornado warnings etc. So, lacking common sense, I got a big fresh 20" long oak split and decided to try out the X25 on the concrete patio from my knees. The first swing popped that split with a bang and the Fiskars continued down to the concrete. Fortunately, there were no witnesses. So, it is in the vice, waiting for me to calm down and sharpen it. I have to wait. I might start beating my head on the vice otherwise.

weatherguy said:

This thing is almost cheating

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"Did ah say almost?" :lol:

JimboM said:

I got one this week out of boredom. The weather has been very wet and the woods and everything is mud. Tornado warnings etc. So, lacking common sense, I got a big fresh 20" long oak split and decided to try out the X25 on the concrete patio from my knees. The first swing popped that split with a bang and the Fiskars continued down to the concrete. Fortunately, there were no witnesses.

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:lol: Well, it ended the boredom and gave you something to do...fix the Fixkars.

weatherguy said:

doesnt get hung up if it doesnt split on the first whack.

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Mine's gotten stuck a couple times, even before the coating started wearing off. Still works great, though.

Okay, me too, me too. Swung by Walmart and found a 25 there--they had two left. Took it home at the end of a long day, and didn't even change out of my office clothes. Took it over to the wood pile, swung it, and BOOM--it bounced off the wood. Tried it again, and got the same results. Managed to get a few pieces chopped, but thought I'd come inside and see if I can figure out what I'm doing wrong.

I'm only 5'4", so I thought that would be an okay length, maybe, but it sure feels short.

ETA: so I went inside, started dinner, changed clothes, went outside again while dinner cooked, and gave it another try. This time it did some pretty impressive cutting, demonstrating that, like so much else in life, it's all about the clothes.

I was bouncing with my PS Axe yesterday it seems like you have to hug the edges of the round and not go right for the center

What works for me is to take a careful look at the wood, like a sculptor. I think we do that with each piece we bang apart, but I find this is critical with this splitter. Look for any checking or cracks that indicate that you're working with a stressed part of the wood that will give more easily, and aim for that.

And I hit it from the far side of the round, and come down straight from overhead, with body parts so arranged as to not be next on the menu if the wood proves unsatisfactory. It sure does skitter if you come down wrong. But it does the job when you hit it right.

Will keep my eyes peeled for the longer one. I wish I knew more about what the designers were thinking, because I feel like I'm missing something here.

snowleopard said:

Okay, me too, me too. Swung by Walmart and found a 25 there--they had two left. Took it home at the end of a long day, and didn't even change out of my office clothes. Took it over to the wood pile, swung it, and BOOM--it bounced off the wood. Tried it again, and got the same results. Managed to get a few pieces chopped, but thought I'd come inside and see if I can figure out what I'm doing wrong.

I'm only 5'4", so I thought that would be an okay length, maybe, but it sure feels short.

ETA: so I went inside, started dinner, changed clothes, went outside again while dinner cooked, and gave it another try. This time it did some pretty impressive cutting, demonstrating that, like so much else in life, it's all about the clothes.

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See, there's your problem. A Fiskers won't take you seriously if you're not properly dressed to do the job.

I look for weak spots. For larger rounds I stand at the six o'clock position to my targeted area then try to bring the head right down in the 12 o'clock position of the round's end. For smaller rounds I just whack the sucker right in the middle but it still helps to line up with an existing crack or check.

Must say I was grateful that one of the wardrobe changes was from sandals to work boots. We shall say no more about this.

I had a couple of big suckers that yielded to the pre-existing-check/crack technique. Crossed my mind to wonder if pre-whacking the big ones and letting them sit a few days would stress the wood enough for the sun and drying to do some of the work for me, and make for easier splitting later. I know that would be too much fa-tootzin' for high-production, 6'2", 19-year-olds, but I am none of these, and looking for ways to make my joints and muscles last as long as possible. Most of the wood I've got is in the mid-sized range, but most of the time this takes is with the big honkers. Nothing to lose by trying . . .

snowleopard said:

...looking for ways to make my joints and muscles last as long as possible...

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One word...hydraulics. ;-) Rick

fossil said:

snowleopard said:

...looking for ways to make my joints and muscles last as long as possible...

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One word...hydraulics. ;-) Rick

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seven words: grab the phone number of the fellow posting at the feed store for birch firewood cut to length, split, delivered, and stacked for $160 a cord, and call before driving out of the parking lot, ask the right questions, and order ten cords. (Did this.)

Or move someplace where it's warm all year long.

I'm so looking forward to having all my wood seasoned, split, stacked within easy reach this winter. Ha!

I had a helluva time with my fiskars. It was fresh cut oak and it was a real pain in the everything. Got tired of wacking ...getting stuck etc...
I left the wood in the yard till it started turning dark and cracking on the ends... and now I can split it will a one handed swing. But I imagine a different axe on the same wood would give the same result. The sun did most of the work

I have a maul and the x25. I couldn't decided which one I liked better until my nephew came over. I let him use the x25 while I used the maul. We split for a while and then I could tell he was getting tires (he is only 16 and not too buff). I didn't want him to get hurt so I told him I needed the x25. WOW, I was getting tired with the maul but the x25 was so easy to swing. I realized that both would do the job at about the same pace, but the x25 was lest exhausting. I only use the maul when I have a stubborn round and need to get a divot in it to start the wedges. I want to get the x27 but just found out I have a ruptured disc so it looks like I'll be going hydraulic for a while.

fossil said:

snowleopard said:

...looking for ways to make my joints and muscles last as long as possible...

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One word...hydraulics. ;-) Rick

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A Fresh cut 28" Oak round, was the only thing that has been hard to split. I have used my new MTD 21 ton Splitter, quite a bit. But I still enjoy using the Fiskars from time to time. I always take it to a scrounge. In case I cant lift a round up ( Have a Lifted Ford FX4) to the bed. Tried it on those Oaks and had to get the Saw out and Noodle. Wanted to get it done quick. 1st come, 1st serve. But I still love it. I too am 5' 4". But i got the X27 (36" model). Gotta say. "I Love It"..... But Rick said it Best... Hydraulics....... I still love my Splitter.

snowleopard said:

Okay, me too, me too. Swung by Walmart and found a 25 there--they had two left. Took it home at the end of a long day, and didn't even change out of my office clothes. Took it over to the wood pile, swung it, and BOOM--it bounced off the wood. Tried it again, and got the same results. Managed to get a few pieces chopped, but thought I'd come inside and see if I can figure out what I'm doing wrong.

I'm only 5'4", so I thought that would be an okay length, maybe, but it sure feels short.

ETA: so I went inside, started dinner, changed clothes, went outside again while dinner cooked, and gave it another try. This time it did some pretty impressive cutting, demonstrating that, like so much else in life, it's all about the clothes.

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Proficient wood splitting is half taught, half instinct, half learned, and half brute force. Without the brute force all is lost.

(.5)4=1

(.5)4+(-.5)=0

Got it.

I'm a little light in the brute-force department, but “My poor body, sir, requires it: I am driven on by the flesh; and he must needs go that the devil drivesâ€. Was handling some wood today and pictured that same chunk of wood going into my stove next winter and turning to heat. If I don't split it, it turns to punk. It's that simple.

I've been splitting wood manually for almost 31 yrs now,since I was 16.I own & use a variety of tools,each good for the specific job at the time.From a 30yr old original Sotz 15lb Monster Maul (now weighs 18lbs) thanks to heavier thick wall pipe handle that fit over the original broken one with new welds. To my trusty 70yr old 5lb Plumb single & double bit axes and a couple 12 lb & 20lb sledges with assorted wedges.

Point is I'm not getting any younger,though still in very good shape for my age.The heavy maul is too much to swing now on a regular basis for all but the toughest biggest & gnarliest logs,where the 5lb axes arent quite enough except for the easy straight-grained stuff,due to their narrower heads.And the sledge/wedges arent so convienient & are much slower.They only get used to 1/4 or 1/2 the worst stuff when nothing else works.


Been thinking about an X25 for a while now,to add to my arsenal & take over the majority of the 'normal' splitting.While stopping at WalMart for a few things in small SW IA town this morning on way to family Memorial Day picnic,I decided to see if they had any in stock (3 local stores here dont stock them for some reason). They had 2 on the shelf so I grabbed one.$42.77 including sales tax.Dont have anything in my backyard that needs splitting now,but do have between 3 & 4 cords of dead Red,Bur & White Oak rounds up to 22" diameter at parents acreage 1 hr west of me.Hope to get out there later in the week to start reducing that pile.

Pretty sure I'm a convert now,& it takes a lot to convince stubborn ol' me to change my ways.It just looks like one helluva splitting tool,cant wait to use it! :coolgrin:

If I ever happen to see the long-handled version in a Walmart around here, I'm going to throw the 40 bucks at it just to say I have one and see what it will do. Yup, you heard it here first. HA!

quads said:

If I ever happen to see the long-handled version in a Walmart around here, I'm going to throw the 40 bucks at it just to say I have one and see what it will do. Yup, you heard it here first. HA!

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And now for the weather: the sun will be rising in the west today at 6:24 AM, and snow is forecast in hell . . .

snowleopard said:

quads said:

If I ever happen to see the long-handled version in a Walmart around here, I'm going to throw the 40 bucks at it just to say I have one and see what it will do. Yup, you heard it here first. HA!

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And now for the weather: the sun will be rising in the west today at 6:24 AM, and snow is forecast in hell . . .

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Right! :lol:

Battenkiller said:

snowleopard said:

quads said:

If I ever happen to see the long-handled version in a Walmart around here, I'm going to throw the 40 bucks at it just to say I have one and see what it will do. Yup, you heard it here first. HA!

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And now for the weather: the sun will be rising in the west today at 6:24 AM, and snow is forecast in hell . . .

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Right! :lol:

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HA! Better tell the devil to stock up on firewood! As soon as I see one for sale around here (I don't buy things over the Internet), and it's not much over 40 bucks, which is actually twice the price of a good maul, I'm buying one of those long-handled magic splitters. Don't know how long it will last, the way I split, being pounded into the dirt day after day, but it will be an interesting experiment for me. And since the firewood sales have been so good, might as well spend some of it on something I don't really need, just for fun. If I split and sell two loads of wood with it, then it's paid for and after that I can throw it away and not be out much if I don't like it.

If I split and sell two loads of wood with it, then it's paid for and after that I can throw it away and not be out much if I don't like it.

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When you get ready to throw it away. I've got first call and will happily pay the shipping cost to Texas!

Kenster said:

If I split and sell two loads of wood with it, then it's paid for and after that I can throw it away and not be out much if I don't like it.

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When you get ready to throw it away. I've got first call and will happily pay the shipping cost to Texas!

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Sure! Remind me....

Kenster said:

If I split and sell two loads of wood with it, then it's paid for and after that I can throw it away and not be out much if I don't like it.

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When you get ready to throw it away. I've got first call and will happily pay the shipping cost to Texas!

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Dang Well I guess I'll take the sloppy seconds ;-)


If they're as good as the "original" series, I won't be needing one any time soon....

Quads - If ya any good at sharpening knifes, the Fiskars should be second nature to ya. If not, like me :sick: , get the $7 sharpener also. Besides putting a nice edge on the Fiskars, it did a dang well job on the machete with all its dings!!