Splitting/Chopping Tool Review Thread

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When I first started doing firewood I split my first 20 cords by hand with a sears 6lb maul. Then I built my first log splitter. I lasted for many decades. My second splitter had a 5”x24” cylinder with 10” H beam. With a hydraulic grapple crane. Sold it, too heavy to move it. Now I need something small for around the house. Something electric/hydraulic? Who makes the best one? Just something above a maul. Lol
 
I purchased many snap on dead blow plastic hammers. I gave my sons some too. My cracked and my sons did too all the same week. I wonder how long my fishers will last.
 
As I referenced in the scrounging thread, I’m very pleased with how the Fiskars Super Splitting Axe performs. Hits with a lot more authority than the X-25. Top view of the heads for reference, X-25 on left and SSA on right. FWIW the X-25 and X-27 use the same head.

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When I first started doing firewood I split my first 20 cords by hand with a sears 6lb maul. Then I built my first log splitter. I lasted for many decades. My second splitter had a 5”x24” cylinder with 10” H beam. With a hydraulic grapple crane. Sold it, too heavy to move it. Now I need something small for around the house. Something electric/hydraulic? Who makes the best one? Just something above a maul. Lol
I got rid of my full beam splitter for the same reason and pick up the 1/2 beam cub cadet w/honda engine. I can move it around the yard myself with no problem.
 
This looks interesting....really interesting. I'm tempted to try it, although at £105 delivered its really not cheap. anybody got thoughts?
https://www.workshopheaven.com/japa...ng&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=googleshopping
I happened across it when I was checking the cost of a gransfors maul after I saw one on ebay... rrp for those £150, current bid on the enbay one, £90+10. tempting to stick little go in on that but not if i try the japanese axe
 
This idea came up in CTYank's council tool thread, so I thought I'd kick it off. Thought is that each of us comment on the tools that we actually own and use. Pics if possible. Just share our personal opinions about what we like and don't like. Two suggestions that we ought to stick to so that this doesn't devolve into unnecessary arguments as has happened in a few other threads. Let's try and stick to talking about our own tools. Everyone is entitled to their own viewpoint about their own tools, so lets have none of that crap where guys step in and criticize people for thinking differently than they would. Let's keep it informative, constructive and friendly, OK?

So, here's my fleet of tools. 6lb. Yellow handle maul by Collins Axe. Second is a 6.5lb Total brand maul from Tilton. 5lb Husky splitting axe, Couple of old 3.5-4lb axes, and a couple of 3lb short handle axes, one Husky, one Collins.

Looking at the 2 mauls first. The Collins has a head similar to the council tool. Good and consistent taper. It came with the same 1/8 inch back shoulder that is on the councils, and I put the edge on it. The Total has a new idea type head that I'm not real fond of. It's taper makes a kind of abrupt transition from "not enough" to "too much". More prone to getting stuck than the Collins. When it splits, that abrupt change really shoots the two splits apart. They just fly in either direction farther than they need to. (insert ankle joke here). I do like the handle on the total as I prefer a flatter axe type handle vs the rounder sledge type. I'm just more accurate with a flatter handle. Used both of them last weekend on some large ash rounds. 20+ inches. Needed to half or quarter them to carry them to the truck. The Collins was a clear winner here. There were a couple that were ignoring the Total, but gave it up to the Collins. On smaller stuff, either did the job. Prices for both are in the 30-35 range.

I'll do the axes in the next post.

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SPIKE REMEMBER " THE HUMAN SPLITTING MACHINE"? I THINK HIS NAME WAS CHARLIE MOORE. GUY WAS INCREDBLE. BEING A BLACKSMITH BY TRADE HE INVENTED HIS OWN MAUL. IF YOU ASK ME I THINK FISKARS COPIED IT WITH THEIR X25 AND X27. HIS MAUL WAS RELATIVELY LIGHT ..SHAPED LIKE AN A WITH A 1" PLATE WELDED TO THE BACK FOR WEIGHT. MY OLD 6LB STANLEY WAS VERY SIMILAR. HAVE ANOTHER BUT ITS JUST NOT THE SAME!
 
Probably asked and answered before. But, maybe the products have changed enough to warrant a fresh discussion. How do you compare the Fiskars x27 to the Fiskars Isocore maul. I split between 12-16 cord of straight grained red oak per year, and have found the x27 a perfect weight for hours of swinging for this mature, retired outdoorsman. In every tree there are a couple pieces where the main limbs branch out from the trunk that I might typically noodle, and once the rounds get too big for me to lift, I'll pop them in half (or even quarters) with an old sacrificial hardware store maul on the ground. But 95%+ of my splitting is on a small block and with the x27. Should I be considering adding an Isocore to my equipment shed?

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I think not. What it adds is some ability to smash the major knots apart, or halve the big rounds, but you'll still need to noodle some. I have the Stihl/oschenkopf 8lb maul not the isocore but it'll be the same, too heavy for extended use, more capable then the x27, but still not a power tool.
If you are happy noodling, save your money for something else.
 
Probably asked and answered before. But, maybe the products have changed enough to warrant a fresh discussion. How do you compare the Fiskars x27 to the Fiskars Isocore maul. I split between 12-16 cord of straight grained red oak per year, and have found the x27 a perfect weight for hours of swinging for this mature, retired outdoorsman. In every tree there are a couple pieces where the main limbs branch out from the trunk that I might typically noodle, and once the rounds get too big for me to lift, I'll pop them in half (or even quarters) with an old sacrificial hardware store maul on the ground. But 95%+ of my splitting is on a small block and with the x27. Should I be considering adding an Isocore to my equipment shed?

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Isocore a a great tool for splitting the more difficult pieces. I now have two and wouldn’t hesitate to buy another if something happened to the ones I have.
 
Probably asked and answered before. But, maybe the products have changed enough to warrant a fresh discussion. How do you compare the Fiskars x27 to the Fiskars Isocore maul. I split between 12-16 cord of straight grained red oak per year, and have found the x27 a perfect weight for hours of swinging for this mature, retired outdoorsman. In every tree there are a couple pieces where the main limbs branch out from the trunk that I might typically noodle, and once the rounds get too big for me to lift, I'll pop them in half (or even quarters) with an old sacrificial hardware store maul on the ground. But 95%+ of my splitting is on a small block and with the x27. Should I be considering adding an Isocore to my equipment shed?

View attachment 872834
Yes, for me the isocore picks up where my splitting axe leaves off. I have 2 now. They are very comfortable to use . The x27 didn't work as well as my original fiskars splitting axe, would like to have another 1 of them also.
 
Been a wile since I've had to use a maul /axe, thought I'd give an update on my Wilton maul. I did not like the original edge. I ended up making it a slightly narrower profile, taking care not to heat up the head too much. After that I have been fairly happy with it, the handle is a tad short for my swing style, and it throws me off a bit if I used an axe right before switching to the maul. I've not so purposely missed a few times, and blasted the handle, which shows no signs of fatigue. It does get rather heavy after about 4 hours of continuous use, but doesnt have an issue splitting oak cut @24" lengths. The only thing that keeps popping up in my mind, is I wish the handle was about 6 inches longer. I've asked for an x27, or the newish isocore splitting axe for christmas from my wife, and am looking forward to being able to test them side by side. Cheers all.
 
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