Tell me about Axes....

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zogger said:
It takes some time and thinking about it to get the different technique down, . . .The fiskars really only works well with speed, accuracy, reading the wood good, not half good, and the combo of all that plus sharp as the technique.
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zogger said:
I always have to find the easiest way that works for me, . . . . a lot of times I try different stuff and stop and think about it.
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So you're sayin' that the Fiskars is the thinking man's maul?

Philbert
 
Ambull01 said:
Just tried it on the biggest round. Went through it. Starting to love it already lol. The other rounds are some tough stuff. If I have to use wedges for each piece I'm going to throw it back into the woods.
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Why throw it away? Bust it with wedge sledge then try again with Fiskars or maul. Most of my clear grain wood splits with Fiskars except the big rounds. Halve them and back to Fiskars. Sometimes the Fiskars doesn't work then I pick up the maul with left hand, 10 lb sledge with right hand, set maul in Fiskars' mark and pound away with the sledge. Purpose of holding the maul and hitting with sledge is so the round stays in place to be "caressed loveingly" with the splitting tools.

Harry K
 
Got to have an axe plan as well as a saw plan. You can't just have "one axe fix all". I have a heavy bastard for the big and gnarly stuff, and then a 3 or 4pound (can't remember right now it's in the back of the car and it's dark and raining) Hultafors for fair splitting conditions. Got a short chopping axe for kindling etc. I think I've got 7 or 8 axes around. None of then are bad. Just better suited for various jobs. A one axe plan would be a hydraulic splitter! Pick the right tool for the job and get it done.
Just my humble opinion.

Motorsen
 
Motorsen said:
Got to have an axe plan as well as a saw plan. You can't just have "one axe fix all". I have a heavy bastard for the big and gnarly stuff, and then a 3 or 4pound (can't remember right now it's in the back of the car and it's dark and raining) Hultafors for fair splitting conditions. Got a short chopping axe for kindling etc. I think I've got 7 or 8 axes around. None of then are bad. Just better suited for various jobs. A one axe plan would be a hydraulic splitter! Pick the right tool for the job and get it done.
Just my humble opinion.

Motorsen
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What you said. I have different saws, axes and trucks, all have a different purpose.
 
zogger said:
Been saying that over and over again now for years. It just is not, ain't an 8lb maul. Swing it like that with a maul mindset (muscle memory from repetition in the past) and technique, you aren't going to get any sort of good results with it. It takes some time and thinking about it to get the different technique down, muscle memory doesn't happen with a few test swings. And learning it wrong, doing it wrong over an extended session or sessions, will give you muscle memory that is wrong, and it still won't work right. No amount of muscle is going to compensate and give adequate results.

I do the fiskars like the guy in the vid, but also drop my knees just a little, dropping my body in other words, just a hair before impact, that gives even more additional speed.

The fiskars really only works well with speed, accuracy, reading the wood good, not half good, and the combo of all that plus sharp as the technique. It's also a big plus to start at the outside and work in, right away exactly opposite from how most guys approach a big round with a heavy maul, they want to smack it down the center.
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Just found out you're absolutely right man. Swung the Fiskars for 4 hours. First I did my usual swing, fast and hard right in the middle. Didn't do much damage. Tried it a few more times. Then I started from the outside in. Big oak cookie round couldn't take it and split. Then I started on the big poplar rounds. They have a 2-3" circle of rot around the outer edge. With the poplar, I definitely had to strike it from the outside. I felt like I had to study the round a bit more vs how I used to split with a maul. I split the same way I throw punches in boxing, everything with bad intentions lol.

turnkey4099 said:
Why throw it away? Bust it with wedge sledge then try again with Fiskars or maul. Most of my clear grain wood splits with Fiskars except the big rounds. Halve them and back to Fiskars. Sometimes the Fiskars doesn't work then I pick up the maul with left hand, 10 lb sledge with right hand, set maul in Fiskars' mark and pound away with the sledge. Purpose of holding the maul and hitting with sledge is so the round stays in place to be "caressed loveingly" with the splitting tools.

Harry K
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I don't know dude, the stuff I'm talking about is sweetgum. Although, I've been talking to a wood burner at work. I let most of the people I speak to know I burn wood. Always on the lookout for a source. Anyway, the guy has been burning for 30 years. He knows all about tree identification. Well, I volunteered to clean him chimney for him since he has bad knees. Guess he was so appreciative he's letting me use his splitter, 24' ladder, and chimney brush. Now I can get all the sweetgum I want.
 
Big fiskars they don't sell in the US and a couple young dudes whacking some mambo rounds...I think I would get tired, too....

 
Philbert said:
"http://www.amazon.de/Fiskars-122150-Spalthammer-SAFE-T-X39/dp/B004ARHEY4"
82.95 EUR = 102.580 USD, plus shipping.

"http://www.fiskars.de/Garten/Produkte/Holzbearbeitung/Axte/122161-Spalthammer-X46"
These would be interesting to try. Since some of them appear more similar in appearance to 'conventional' splitting mauls, they could shine some light on the whole 'Magic Fiskars' mystique.

Philbert
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$102 for a maul, no thanks. So far the Fiskars works for my needs and that's all that matters. A Council Tool maul and some wedges is next then I'll be set for life (as far as a splitting axe).
 

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