Fiskars for a one-hander?

[bluedogz]

I've been using a plain old splitting maul one-handed for years, which is at best challenging.

I'm wondering whether the X27 would be a suitable option. Anyone who has one want to give it a one handed swing and chime in?

 

[pen]

I'm guessing your good arm is much better than any one of mine. However, if it were me, using one arm, I think the x27 would be too long and I'd go with the x25.

 

[NRGarrott]

I use my x27 one handed occasionally. I am 5'10 and it really is too long for me to do comfortably. One thing to keep in mind is that a fiskars splitting power is derived from speed. Kinetic energy is mass times speed squared. So if you can swing a 8 lb maul at 10 mph you have 800 units of energy. If you can swing a 4 pound fiskars at 20 mph you have 1600 units of energy. This is what makes the fiskars split so well, plus a good head design. Now I cannot swing my fiskars nearly as fast one handed as I can two. The maximum speed is probably pretty close to what I can swing a maul. So I don't think you will see what everyone is raving about when you try one. I just saw you are in NE MD, if you ever stop by Annapolis I can let you try mine, Or you are more then welcome to borrow it for a weekend if you want to drive down here.

 

[pen]

Forgot to add, wear steel toe boots

 

[bluedogz]

I use my x27 one handed occasionally. I am 5'10 and it really is too long for me to do comfortably. One thing to keep in mind is that a fiskars splitting power is derived from speed. Kinetic energy is mass times speed squared. So if you can swing a 8 lb maul at 10 mph you have 800 units of energy. If you can swing a 4 pound fiskars at 20 mph you have 1600 units of energy. This is what makes the fiskars split so well, plus a good head design. Now I cannot swing my fiskars nearly as fast one handed as I can two. The maximum speed is probably pretty close to what I can swing a maul. So I don't think you will see what everyone is raving about when you try one. I just saw you are in NE MD, if you ever stop by Annapolis I can let you try mine, Or you are more then welcome to borrow it for a weekend if you want to drive down here.

Actually, I might just throw a couple of rounds in the trunk and sashay down there of a Saturday morning.
Offhand, Pen, I'd agree that the shorter X25 might be a better bet... in fact, it's cheaper than hoofing down to Annapolis to try out NR's!

I saw a video on youtube of a fella splitting a round pie-style with a bungee around it to hold the splits... he was using a Fiskars and not winding up very hard, so I thought it might work one-handed...

 

[NRGarrott]

My wife works in Glen Burnie if it is more convenient for you, Or I work in DC.

 

[Flatbedford]

I often use my Fiskars Pro Splitting Axe which I think is similar to the X25 one handed when working with easy splitting Red Oak. I think that if you have been doing well with a traditional maul one handed, you will be very happy with the smaller Fiskars tool. I agree that the X27 might be a little hard to handle, but if you are used to a long handled traditional maul you might do just fine with it. If you feel like spending the money get both. You may find that one is better than the other in different conditions. Being down an arm, I think you should have as many options as possible to get work down efficiently and safely.

 

[midwestcoast]

I've tried my older 27" Fiskars one handed a few times, but it's too scary for me. I won't compare my flailings to anyone who actually splits all their firewood single-handed though.
How often do you miss with the maul? If the answer is never or almost never then I say grab an X25 and give it a go. I bet it'll be easier than the maul & you'll be less sore at the end of the day.
If you miss with the maul then I'd guess you'll miss with the fiskars & unless you are very careful about your set-up that could mean a very sharp blade in your leg/foot...

 

[salecker]

I'm sure you are way more coordinated with one arm than anyone of us using one arm.You probably have a lot of two armers beat too.
If you do end up getting one,try a tire on your splitting block.I like it to keep the splits on the block,and stops some of the missed strikes from heading towards your legs.
Thomas

 

[jeffesonm]

I find the x25 works better one handed than the x27 because of the shorter length.

 

[gerry100]

Admire your efforts. No one would question you if you didn't even try.

That being said, I once worked with a guy who lost his arm in an industrial accident and returned to golf in the 80s and be one of the best players on our drunken after work softball team ( of course, he was an exceptional athlete before the accident).

I'd go for the longer handle for more safety on mishits and defections.

 

[bluedogz]

Well, when I split by hand I use a block, and have rarely had the maul come anywhere close to me.

Now, my method is probably a bit odd- I stand the maul butt-end down at my left hip, like a soldier holding a rifle at parade-rest, and my grip just below the head. Then quickly lift straight up so that the handle slides through my hand and the head travels past the left side of my head. Then, re-grip somewhere in the neighborhood of the butt of the handle, and use my forearm to start the downward arc. (I am sure some of you pictured me winding up one-handed in a full circle and doing a Conan-the-Barbarian slam, but my remaining shoulder is held together with a lot of metal, so that's not in the cards.)

I usually end up choked up a bit on the handle, so a shorter-handled device would be ok.

This method means that the weight of the maul does most of the work, because I can not 'flick' my wrist to increase the head speed. However, the Fiskars doesn't have a 8-pound head, so maybe I could with that. This is the source of my questions.

 

[brian89gp]

I second the steel toe boots. I line up a small wall of wood between my splitting stump and my feet to catch the maul head when it comes flying towards my feet/shins on a glancing blow. Probably due to the increased speed of the x27 because I have never had this problem with normal splitting mauls.

My girlfriend who is not muscular at all was splitting with the x27 without too much trouble. Two handed, but she was not strong enough to swing a 6lb maul with enough speed to do anything but bounce off the wood.

 

[midwestcoast]

Perhaps the sharp flare at the butt of a Fiskars would help with your "re-grip" method? Since you usually choke-up a bit I still vote for X-25.