Fiskars experience

[2broke2ride]

Dad bought me an x27 for Christmas (I asked for it mostly out of curiosity). I have to say that if I had known about this a year and a half ago when I bought my splitter I probably wouldn't have bought the splitter This thing works as great as everyone says it does! We cut 8 white oaks in the yard a couple of weeks ago and I have been processing as time allows and have done all of the splitting thus far by hand. This thing doesn't not beat me up or wear me out anywhere near like my 8 pound maul used to. What makes these work so good? Is it the sharpness? I've tried splitting wood with a regular axe and it just can't compare.

 

[TheAardvark]

I think sharpness, weight and speed. Its like driving a sports car compared to a dump truck 8 pound maul.

 

[Hasufel]

The Fiskars are EXTREMELY sharp. I didn't realize just how sharp until I thwacked myself with one. They work great, but don't let their light weight fool you--they can do serious damage!

 

[CountryBoy19]

I think it's the sharp, concave wedge design. It works well for 2 reasons. #1 As it drives deeper it forces the wood out in a non-linear fashion. (hard to explain). #2 the wedge design ensures very little surface contact between the wedge & wood, this means it drives deeper for X amount of energy because it loses less energy to friction and it has a MUCH lower tendency to stick in the wood.

The "sharpness" of the edge only has marginal benefit. Having a razor sharp edge doesn't really gain anything over having a "relatively sharp edge". The edge doesn't have to be sharp enough to slice meat, just can't be blunt & rounded like most "mauls".

 

[Rossco]

Yes. Excellent tool. I have an X25 that's more of an all round maul / axe. Short enough to do damage, light enough to generate head speed.

Probably works allot better on soft woods like Fir compared to knarly hardwoods.

 

[2broke2ride]

I was just looking on fiskars website, apparently what I have is not an x27 but simply a 36" super splitting axe, they show two different models, mine which has a black head and all black handle then the x27 which has a gray head and black and orange handle. I wonder if there really is any difference, the descriptions seem the same.

 

[jatoxico]

Great tool. Not just for the easy stuff at all, cuts through knots and crotches nicely too. The head speed and sharpness combined really lets it penetrate into the rounds.

 

[Omaha419]

Got one for Christmas as well. I love it.

 

[Paulywalnut]

The hollow handle also allows you to get maximum speed without making your hands numb.
You don't get that "clunk" sound like a maul does.

 

[AmbDrvr253]

I was lucky enough to have started with the X27. Glad I did. Tho I have NO experience with a maul. Do not believe I need to based on what I have read.

 

[KenLockett]

I was just looking on fiskars website, apparently what I have is not an x27 but simply a 36" super splitting axe, they show two different models, mine which has a black head and all black handle then the x27 which has a gray head and black and orange handle. I wonder if there really is any difference, the descriptions seem the same.

I believe they are the same thing. I heard they changed the colors.

 

[Hasufel]

I was lucky enough to have started with the X27. Glad I did. Tho I have NO experience with a maul. Do not believe I need to based on what I have read.

Starting with a maul just gives you a greater appreciation for the X27. Once you've used a Fiskars, going back to a maul makes it feel like you're clubbing the logs to death.

 

[2broke2ride]

Starting with a maul just gives you a greater appreciation for the X27. Once you've used a Fiskars, going back to a maul makes it feel like you're clubbing the logs to death.

This

 

[mass_burner]

This

The Axe cover is pretty tough too. I swung on a round without taking it off and it only suffered minimal damage.[emoji15]

 

[bad news]

What makes these work so good? Is it the sharpness? I've tried splitting wood with a regular axe and it just can't compare.

A combination of the sharp edge, the long narrow profile, and it being more reasonable weight than many traditional American options are mostly what make it work so well. There's nothing particularly special about the Fiskars outside of price and availability. Several other Scandinavian companies (Wetterlings, Hultafors) have produced similar tools for a good long time but they're much more expensive and not commonly found on store shelves in the US. The Fiskars is a good value.

 

[jatoxico]

A combination of the sharp edge, the long narrow profile, and it being more reasonable weight than many traditional American options are mostly what make it work so well. There's nothing particularly special about the Fiskars outside of price and availability. Several other Scandinavian companies (Wetterlings, Hultafors) have produced similar tools for a good long time but they're much more expensive and not commonly found on store shelves in the US. The Fiskars is a good value.

The slick coating doesn't hurt either and seems to hold up pretty well even after a good deal of abuse.

 

[Jeffm1]

Dad bought me an x27 for Christmas (I asked for it mostly out of curiosity). I have to say that if I had known about this a year and a half ago when I bought my splitter I probably wouldn't have bought the splitter This thing works as great as everyone says it does! We cut 8 white oaks in the yard a couple of weeks ago and I have been processing as time allows and have done all of the splitting thus far by hand. This thing doesn't not beat me up or wear me out anywhere near like my 8 pound maul used to. What makes these work so good? Is it the sharpness? I've tried splitting wood with a regular axe and it just can't compare.

Having both a fiskars and an 8 pound maul also, the fiskars is wayyyy better. I would never recommend a maul over a fiskars.

 

[Jeffm1]

I was lucky enough to have started with the X27. Glad I did. Tho I have NO experience with a maul. Do not believe I need to based on what I have read.

You don't....

 

[Jeffm1]

Yes. Excellent tool. I have an X25 that's more of an all round maul / axe. Short enough to do damage, light enough to generate head speed.

Probably works allot better on soft woods like Fir compared to knarly hardwoods.

I've spilt Russian olive with my fiskars that I couldn't spilt with anything else. It was difficult but still better than not being able to split it at all.

 

[Jeffm1]

I think it's the sharp, concave wedge design. It works well for 2 reasons. #1 As it drives deeper it forces the wood out in a non-linear fashion. (hard to explain). #2 the wedge design ensures very little surface contact between the wedge & wood, this means it drives deeper for X amount of energy because it loses less energy to friction and it has a MUCH lower tendency to stick in the wood.

The "sharpness" of the edge only has marginal benefit. Having a razor sharp edge doesn't really gain anything over having a "relatively sharp edge". The edge doesn't have to be sharp enough to slice meat, just can't be blunt & rounded like most "mauls".

What I like about the sharpness is I can drive in in till it gets stuck then flip the round over with the ax head still embedded and drop the whole thing down on the ax head upside down. The weight of the round splits it apart. This technique works really well for those stubborn rounds that don't want to split.

 

[peakbagger]

I have about 10 cord split by hand with a Fiskars splitting ax. I do find it interesting that they also sell a splitting maul and refer the X series as splitting axes.

 

[Mike Z]

I bought 3 different ones a couple of years ago to experiment with weight and type. I have a Fiskars X27, along with both an 8 lb and a 16 lb maul. The physics of the issue is to optimize over the mass of the maul and the momentum that can be generated by muscle power; the aging git part of the issue is to minimize back aches and heart attacks.

With my scrawny muscles, the 16 pounder (nicknamed mjolnir - the name of Thor's hammer) was the least effective for splitting wood. It worked ok on white ash but I couldn't generate enough, head speed to make it effective on other wood - although my kids loved it when I used it to pulverize some small pumpkins. The 8 pounder works ok on most wood, but leaves my 58 year old back aching the next morning - although by alternating left and right swings, it provides a nice upper body workout. The X27 is far and away the best for (it's) speed and (my) durability. With the Fiskars I can swing 100's of times without hurting afterwards (not much more than 100 whacks a day with the 8 pounder was standard).

On bitternut hickory and black locust the 16 pounder bounced, the 8 pounder was useful, and the Fiskars went through them 'like buttah'. Being able to generate the head speed necessary for getting the most out of mass and momentum is a key thing. On red and white oak, splitting with the Fiskars is incredibly easy.

The other mauls now mostly collect dust. The only time they generally come out is when someone new comes out to my woodpile and wants to try for themselves.

 

[mass_burner]

What I like about the sharpness is I can drive in in till it gets stuck then flip the round over with the ax head still embedded and drop the whole thing down on the ax head upside down. The weight of the round splits it apart. This technique works really well for those stubborn rounds that don't want to split.

Other than needing to pick up a heavy round.

 

[Paulywalnut]

The Axe cover is pretty tough too. I swung on a round without taking it off and it only suffered minimal damage.[emoji15]

That took a lot to admit that to everyone

 

[Rossco]

I've spilt Russian olive with my fiskars that I couldn't spilt with anything else. It was difficult but still better than not being able to split it at all.

Right on.

Being a Finnish product, I imagine it's geared towards the vast habitat of Pine / Fir / Birch in them areas.