Splitting/Chopping Tool Review Thread

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Funny guys lol !
No , it was some guy from Finland that invented it , special steel and ergonomics but then he moved to Georgia after he heard about Oakzilla and was set to have an epic battle ;)

Please tell me you've used it! Can you take a video? haha
 
Here's a safety reminder .
One of my B'laws is a 300lb gorilla , he was splitting his firewood sledge and wedge on some gnarly stuff .
He has a 12 lb sledge cut at 18" that he likes , while he was driving the wedge he heard what sounded like a 22 round and then instant pain in the knee .

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A trip to the doc and then a trip to the ER .
The ER could see the chip on the Xray but could't remove it so 2 weeks later for a day surgery with a specialist .

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He brought them his metal detector and a super magnet because he wanted it out .
I've not seen the wedge in person but from the looks of it I wouldn't have used it from what looks like previous chipping .
 
Any one man crosscut saw users on this thread?
"User" is a relative term. I have several, and I have used them, just to see what it's like. I also have one my Dad used back in the 50's-60's, for limbing out big trees. They didn't have any little saws a few years back, and all climbers used big hand saws for limbing. Dad's is hanging on our family room wall. I posted pics not long ago, but it might have been on the ax thread. If you want to see a couple I'll post them again.
 
I've got a few wedges, but I seldom use them. It's not often that I could find the need to use one, if and when that situation presents itself, I'll either noodle it, discard it to the burn pile, or leave it to rot in the woods. Not worth my time and effort striking a few wedges with a hammer, just one more thing I have to schlep over to my work area and pick up when I'm done. If the log doesn't want to split, then the hell with it.
 
My old sledge did that before I over struck the handle and broke it. My dad has a chunk on a chisel in his arm from an exploding swing.

As for the wedge it serves a good purpose. And I love that final hit when the wedge shoots through the wood like a bullet. If I didn't use a wedge I would throw away a third of my wood. There's still the camp fire pile but a lot of it that wont split "easy" will split with a wedge or a saw cut and a wedge.
 
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I've got a few wedges, but I seldom use them. It's not often that I could find the need to use one, if and when that situation presents itself, I'll either noodle it, discard it to the burn pile, or leave it to rot in the woods. Not worth my time and effort striking a few wedges with a hammer, just one more thing I have to schlep over to my work area and pick up when I'm done. If the log doesn't want to split, then the hell with it.
Amen!
 
A new fiskars isocore 8# maul will be here tomorrow. They say its the best we shall see, I'll get back on this.View attachment 673960

I'd like to hear your evaluation of it, as I'd like to get more into splitting the oak by hand now that I should have more time to enjoy cutting/splitting firewood with as far ahead as I am.
 
I have the isocore. Unless I get strait grained stuff its the only tool I use. (if I am splitting by hand). It would be better I think if it didn't have such a hollow ground shape to it. It needs to be more wedge shaped than axe shaped. For my size it could be a pound(ish) lighter but it is what it is. I have a cheap Ace Hardware maul that I would like to reshape a little and I think it would be great but I have a hydro now. It doesn't matter what it shaped like a maul wont keep up with a 30T fast cycle hydro splitting 3yrs of wood at a time.
 
I've got a few wedges, but I seldom use them. It's not often that I could find the need to use one, if and when that situation presents itself, I'll either noodle it, discard it to the burn pile, or leave it to rot in the woods. Not worth my time and effort striking a few wedges with a hammer, just one more thing I have to schlep over to my work area and pick up when I'm done. If the log doesn't want to split, then the hell with it.

Agree, I hate wedges. I will use them occasionally but now I have the 365 I expect I'll use the wedges very rarely.
 
The 395 makes chunks out of big twisted wood pretty good, but its a gashog and its not a light saw. Only time I really do that is to make chunks smaller just so I can lift them off the ground to get them in the truck.
 

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Gave the 36" Fiskars iso a try out today in 80 degree heat on 12-16" dia cottonwood. Where my other two mauls wood get stuck or bounce off the cottonwood the iso blasted through like it was nothing. I love the low shock handle on the 63 year old hands. A big thumbs up on this heavy splitting maul. Best price I found was on Amazon at 45.00. I think its available in a 41" handle also.DSCN5177.JPG DSCN5178.JPG DSCN5179.JPG
 
I really like the isocore maul. I mostly split with my old fiskars SS but if that won’t get the job done I switch to the isocore. If that doesn’t get it it’s noodling time.

Sledge and wedge is like some kind of torture. I keep some wedges just in case but I really don’t like to use them.
 
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