Itsme7
ArboristSite Operative
If you want a quality axe, Estwing makes some nice ones, made in America, all steel construction.
Estwing Axes and Outdoor Tools
Estwing Axes and Outdoor Tools
What a piece of crap
- Thread starter aarolar
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stihlavarna
ArboristSite Operative
I wrapped mine up in tape cause I did find the plastic a bit slippery.
stihly dan
Addicted to ArboristSite
That is where I used what was left of the handle to beat the head out of the piece of wood it was buried halfway into. You should really not be so quick to assume such because you just made an ass of yourself...
We have burned wood for 15 years now and I just got a hydraulic splitter this year I have split MANY a cord of wood with a wood handle axe and maul and I will admit I do miss but not very often. I can put the axe in the same hole pretty much every swing of the head...
iN HIS DEFENSE, IT DID LOOK BAD. sorry about all caps, mistake but did not want to redo.
aarolar
ArboristSite Operative
I started to say something in my initial post but figured with this being a firewood forum everybody would have enough sense to realize I wouldn't have beat the handle of the axe against a round of wood till the head broke off and then started yelling manufacturer defect. Guess I was wrong...
I like the look of the "Fireside Friend® Splitting Tool", does anyone have experience with it?
zogger
Tree Freak
got to be lebenty dozen wood handled cutting tools out there. Might want to skip tractor supply quality level and shop online then.
with that said, and not wooden handle but steel and rubber, check out some estwing stuff, they used to make a good hatchet, haven't looked for a long time now.
I like wood handles because in a pinch I can repair my own, and that's it. Feel is subjective, any of them feel OK to me. As long as we have technology available and affordable, I want something that works *well* and doesn't break. I have yet to see unbreakable liftime wooden handled anything.
Old engineering maxim, good fast cheap, pick two. Obviously you just got a factory defect, they might replace it free of charge if you bring it back in a timely manner. Hope they do. Really! I know all you wanted was an inexpensive servicable hatchet..seems perfectly reasonable to me. with a wooden handle, like ten zillion hatchets in the past had. No problem there.
In defense of modern tech..some of it anyway...
Striking tools, good, durable, cheap, pick two. I doubt you are going to get a "good" like ten buck wooden handled hatchet axe, brand new. Not today, gonna be dull, made of crap steel and like letover reworked broom handles... I doubt even for 20. Above that, might be possible. I don't know, several links and references to those more high end axes and mauls lately now, perhaps one of those kind might work for you. council wetterlings oxhead and husky and stihl branded and some more no doubt. If I knew of one, that I had used, personal experience, I would recommend it, but don't know of one that I could, sorry.
I have both sorts of tools, synthetic (various) handled and wooden. Wooden handles are long term emergency backup now.
Notice I didn't say the F word, but the F word striking tool I have is the *closest* anything I have ever seen or owned (since I started using some real tools in 1955) to hitting all three of the engineering criteria, instead of just two. The F company hit a bases loaded home run, outta the park, across the street, bounced of a hotdog cart, beaned a politician, ricoheted off a bankster, and landed in the poorest most deserving kid in the citys hands....just sayin... and yep, if it breaks and it is the zombie apocalypse and I can't get the free replacement, well, still have a sharp something to use...I'll switch to my backups then. In fact that reminds me I have one old maul head needs a new handle, might as well get to it.
ha, this is funny, reminded me of an "old school" endeavor i did sorta recently. For several years I had the big remnants of a whopper big oak I managed to beaver down awkwardly with a little saw and much cussing and home made wedge action and so on. Very little skill involved, just determination....Left the fat part of the big trunk. It sat around...waiting for "more saw"....which it eventually encountered.
The creek here has a lot of chert in it, so being sort of a caveman/ pleistocene type sometimes (I am a 50/50 modern nerd/caveman blend, my nick is a variant of my real world nick which comes from a gary larson cartoon caveman...), I fished around and found a suitable sharp hand axe shaped chunk of rock and went to debarking it now and then. Got a whole lot of it done over a two summers "every once in awhile for ten or fifteen minutes or so" manner.
Whoever invented the "handle" needs some serious attaboys! Big ups! \0/
Using just your arm gets to be a lot like work!
zogger
Tree Freak
Never have but it certainly looks cool!
flyboy553
Oakaholic
I am right with ya aarolar. I get so sick of hearing how great the Fiskars is, that now, you couldn't even give me one, let alone sell it to me! Unless of course, my child is sick, my dog needs healing, I have some water that needs walking on, and someone I know needs to be raised from the dead! Then you might could give me one! From what I understand, them there fiskars can do all of that before breakfast!
On the other hand, if I ever run in to a chunk of wood my hydraulic splitter can't make it through, I might let someone at it with a Fiskars so it can be put in the stacks!
That has not happened yet.
Ted
On the other hand, if I ever run in to a chunk of wood my hydraulic splitter can't make it through, I might let someone at it with a Fiskars so it can be put in the stacks!
That has not happened yet.Ted
EXCALIBER
ArboristSite Guru
Well not sure how to respond to this thread. You care that much about a wood handle, just keep buying them. Problem solved. Perhaps you can buy them in bulk and get a discount, or by the dozen? Then you might be able to make it through a day.
Second thought, why not use your splitter for making kindling? Way faster and safer then useing a hatchet. Make up a bunch then you don't need to do it all the time.
Third thought, buy a fiskars and cover that hidious indestructable carbon fiber, resisn, fiberglass handle with several of your broken useless wood handled hatchets. Just hollow them out to fit the handle of the fiskars, wrap with duct tape and use. Problem solved.
Fourth thought. So against fiskars and want a wood handle, stop being a cheap skate and buy a quality tool, perhaps a Snow and Nealley. Shouldn't cost you much more than about 5 fiskars, but hey its got a wood handle. Perhaps there is a thread on here on why a craftsman saw is not on par with a 372 Husky...hmm, dam cheap craftsman saws anyway. After all my cavalier runs like a corvette right.
Now consider Fiskars has been in buisness longer then most any company I can think of, they have been making quality things since 1649. My guess is you do not stay in buisness that long making second rate products.
Second thought, why not use your splitter for making kindling? Way faster and safer then useing a hatchet. Make up a bunch then you don't need to do it all the time.
Third thought, buy a fiskars and cover that hidious indestructable carbon fiber, resisn, fiberglass handle with several of your broken useless wood handled hatchets. Just hollow them out to fit the handle of the fiskars, wrap with duct tape and use. Problem solved.
Fourth thought. So against fiskars and want a wood handle, stop being a cheap skate and buy a quality tool, perhaps a Snow and Nealley. Shouldn't cost you much more than about 5 fiskars, but hey its got a wood handle. Perhaps there is a thread on here on why a craftsman saw is not on par with a 372 Husky...hmm, dam cheap craftsman saws anyway. After all my cavalier runs like a corvette right.
Now consider Fiskars has been in buisness longer then most any company I can think of, they have been making quality things since 1649. My guess is you do not stay in buisness that long making second rate products.
iowa
Addicted to ArboristSite
I hope there isn't any plastic parts on that splitter of yours! Like the engine or handles, or fenders, etc.That is where I used what was left of the handle to beat the head out of the piece of wood it was buried halfway into. You should really not be so quick to assume such because you just made an ass of yourself...
We have burned wood for 15 years now and I just got a hydraulic splitter this year I have split MANY a cord of wood with a wood handle axe and maul and I will admit I do miss but not very often. I can put the axe in the same hole pretty much every swing of the head...
What's the deal with plastic? I guess maybe what you should look at is was it made in the USA! But I might be a little partial to plastics since I work in the plastics industry.
srb08
Doesn't play well with others
Holy crap guys, the only thing he said was, he didn't want a plastic handled hatchet. He didn't insult your mother or try to molest your daughter.
I own three Fiskars tools, two cutting axes and an x27. I love them but if someone else hates them, that's fine with me, I don't really care. The only reason I own them is because there is not a traditional, wood handled, tool that can match the performance
I have friends who shoot plastic guns. Fine weapons, some of the best, I just don't like them. They know I don't care for them but don't tell me I'm an idiot because of it.
So........wadda think, give a guy a break?
I own three Fiskars tools, two cutting axes and an x27. I love them but if someone else hates them, that's fine with me, I don't really care. The only reason I own them is because there is not a traditional, wood handled, tool that can match the performance
I have friends who shoot plastic guns. Fine weapons, some of the best, I just don't like them. They know I don't care for them but don't tell me I'm an idiot because of it.
So........wadda think, give a guy a break?
stihly dan
Addicted to ArboristSite
nope
The problem is he has apparently never used one, never seen one used but is willing to condemn a highly recommended tool solely because it has a plastic handle. Not at all a logical decision.
I have made plenty of decisions based on my prejudices but at least I give serious considerations to the "opposition" before deciding.
Harry K
Hit the 'send' before I was ready. Addition to above:
I, too, like wood handled tools and am willign to put up witht he constant maintenance, replacing, retightening, etc. that goes with them. Were I to buy anohter sledge or maul I might switch to plastic handles.
Harry K
Iron Head
ArboristSite Operative
You need a hickory handle with a metal collar.
Justsaws
Addicted to ArboristSite
I bought a brand new little boys axe at tractor supply today to keep in the toolbox of the truck and for splitting up kindling. Got home and sharpened it up as it was dull as a butter knife took it out back and on the second swing the head broke off. :msp_sneaky: So I came inside and was going to sit down and write truper an email and came to find out they don't even have a english website. :msp_thumbdn: Guess I will just have to take it back to tractor supply and exchange it.
Before everybody starts recommending a fiskars x25 or 27 I am not a fan of plastic, I don't own a plastic handgun,shotgun or rifle and I would rather have a hickory or ash handle on my axe...
I think that you will be disappointed in that " brand" of wooden handled tools. Even thier fibergass handles are trash.
zogger
Tree Freak
He does have a break. There are options for quality hatchets with wooden handles, they just aren't going to be found at tractor supply for cheap money..that's all. If there was a cheap good quality wooden handled hatchet or axe out there, a whole bunch of us would go get one and it would be talked up here a lot. There ain't. The good ones cost serious money. There's certainly a market for a cheap one..I'd take one, just for grins. But it's unobtanium today.
The only *credible* option for "good + durable + cheap" for wooden handled striking tools is to haunt yard sales/pawn shops, etc and look for an old, old quality steel head one for cheap, then rehandle and sharpen, etc as necessary. Brand new..no option. You can get "good + durable" but it ain't cheap. You can get cheap, but as seen in the original post, it doesn't even hit good nor durable, just "cheap". Only makes a single one of the engineering criteria..cheap. It's his rant after all. Two minutes at home, it's dull and the handle broke. Then he goes "no plastic handles no fiskars" etc...and there's no answer. We've all looked, doesn't exist for cheap.
What are we supposed to say???
Back in the 50s and 60s and earlier they certainly made some decent wooden handled tools like that, but they only exist used now, so get to scrounging!
aarolar
ArboristSite Operative
Man I don't even know where to start on all this but I'm going to try who woulda thought something so simple could cause such an uproar?
Completely different in a plastic handle I am doing physical work with and the plastic cowling on my engine that I only touch to service the engine.
At least one person understands what I am saying...
For the third time now I have not ever condemned or degraded or said anything negative about the "highly recommended tool" for any reason. I simply stated that I for my own personal reasons do not like plastic handled tools so please quit saying I am insulting yall's beloved fiskars.
Can one of you fanboys please quote me as to where I insulted your fiskars products, I don't consider the fact that I don't want on on account of a feature I don't like to be an insult just simply a personal preference.:rolleyes2:
Completely different in a plastic handle I am doing physical work with and the plastic cowling on my engine that I only touch to service the engine.
At least one person understands what I am saying...
For the third time now I have not ever condemned or degraded or said anything negative about the "highly recommended tool" for any reason. I simply stated that I for my own personal reasons do not like plastic handled tools so please quit saying I am insulting yall's beloved fiskars.
Can one of you fanboys please quote me as to where I insulted your fiskars products, I don't consider the fact that I don't want on on account of a feature I don't like to be an insult just simply a personal preference.:rolleyes2:
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aarolar
ArboristSite Operative
My post (I don't remember ranting) is strictly based on the handle breaking, the dull part is easily fixed. There is no way the handle in this thing should have broken like that I have had many cheap handles and never had on break on the second swing that's what my post was about. I didn't ask for advice on a better product or anything else and am very fimilar with the good cheap durable theory and most of the time I do spend more on better things. However this was bought as a keep in the truck type deal which as I said before means it could get left behind or stolen most any time which is why I don't want to spend more in this case. If this was going to be used at home with any frequency I would have most certainly went with a better tool. The whole issue here is there is way too much assuming going on and it's getting ridiculous.
On the note of old tools I am always on the lookout for old tools I like to buy them and restore them to their former glory. I have several old tools that I use on a daily basis at my real job and on the weekends and they are vastly superior to anything you can buy new.
