What maul/splitting ax were you used to using?
Well, to be exact, none. I have split a little bit of stuff with this MilSurp Swiss axe... that worked nice, even on some fairly gnarly pieces of apple wood.
very nice and congrats on the good purchase. i have yet to bite the bullet and just get one myself but reading all the good success stories of them im getting closer. i wish someplace around me had them on hand. id like to look at one up close before i buy one. i spent half the day with the old 8 pounder splittin up a load of dead-fall in the woods and was wondering if a fiskars would make it any easier.
It was totally worth the 53 bucks from our local Family Farm & Home store. I just happened to stumble into the last one they had on the rack.
A Fiskars would make it much easier. It is lighter so it is easier on your back and does not take as much energy to swing it. I was using an 8lb maul but after using a Fiskars, that 8lb maul feels like a ton. I will never go back to an 8lb maul for splitting unless I need to use wedges.
To the OP, my back would bother me after swinging an 8lb maul, sometimes go completely out. After I got the Fiskars, it does not bother me as bad. I wish I bought one when they first came out.
Yes... much easier than lifting an 8 or more pound triangle "back breaker" maul. I've never used one, and with this Fiskars being here, I hope I'll never need to swing one of those overweight bone breakers.
I can see how one of those big mauls could completely throw one's back out of its proper form... such an occurrence is the last thing anyone needs and wants.
my x27 arrived Friday via UPS......already split 1-1/3 facecords today........nice axe..went right through the 8" rounds. The 12-16" rounds took about 2-3 swings to go completely through.
Yep... blasts right through smaller stuff, sometimes so well that it gets into the splitting block. This thing is amazingly sharp as it is, and when it does need to be sharpened, I'll bring it to a local guy that makes razor edges on everything. He knows what he's doing. We hit dirt twice, I did once, pops did the other time. No dulling noticed on the edge. Kinda went completely through the split piece and missed the splitting block, lol.
I can see why some recommend steel toe boots, especially if they're using the shorter handled X25. The times that the X-27 met pay dirt, the end of the axe was about 1.5 feet from our nearest foot. Yeah, you muck up a swing really badly, you could end up removing a couple of toes...
I got through a pretty gnarly piece with 4 swings, it was about 10" in diameter.
If there is one in the area, Wal Mart should have them...or at least on-line. Baileysonline.com does also.
Harry K
Check there, or if you have a Family Farm & Home, check there too. I don't know if TSC carries them or not. We were originally going to order one from Bailey's, but when I found it at the store, I grabbed it. Couldn't wait any longer, and pops knows why that is. I heard so much good about them here it just couldn't wait any longer. I knew from the get go that I would use it, and so would my pops.
I found the best way to swing it, for me anyways. I grab the axe by the end of the handle, left hand farthest back, and the right directly above it... then I bring the axe all the way back until it is nearly touching my ass, and then swing with some (not a crap ton, mind you) force. When I swing, my back kinda does a little 'wave' and the axe picks up some wicked speed. I sent a few pieces flying a couple of feet off of the chopping block.
Other than me and pops using it... I'm not sure about that slightly lazy chemist brother of mine though...
In all seriousness, I think a demo is in order the next time he comes home to visit from college.
