Fiskars-Another Believer

[zogger]

I realized buying it that as a hand tool it was going to have limitations
But I purchased based on the reviews which I felt were hyped after I got to using the tool .
I guess in a nut shell the premise of my post was that if you were to buy a fiskars
Based on the reviews you'd expect it to do alot better than it actually does .its not junk but people need to realize its not going to replace a hydrolic splitter

It actually does do a great job for a lot of us here, not just everyone. Some folks report it doesn't work well, most here like them.

I use fiskars, conventional maul, wedges and a sledgehammer, adjusted to the wood I am working on. fiskars can does do quite a bit of it though, the majority of it.

And some I just go heck with it, break out a big saw and noodle them, did that today in fact on three crotchedy big rounds.

No hand splitter is going to replace a mechanical splitter, just ain't happening, even a big bucks euro axe with top shelf alloy steel and honed to perfection. Humans, even young strong athletes, put out between 1/4 and 1/2 horsepower.

You can do pretty good with that though, and in perfect or near perfect wood, you can split faster than a low end hydraulic can cycle, for some amount of time anyway. I know I have. Couldn't do it all afternoon, but say up to 1/3rd of a cord, sure, done it. Got to be good wood though, real straight grained well checked red oak rounds, stuff like that.

Timed myself once in good clear oak, 15 splits in 40 seconds. Got some pics of it someplace, man, like three years ago now? something like that. time flies...

lemme see if I can find that..

found them in my attachments folder but the site is screwing up and won't display them, rats.....

 

[milkman]

Humans, even young strong athletes, put out between 1/4 and 1/2 horsepower.

If that's true, I could run the crap out of a sewing machine.

 

[zogger]

If that's true, I could run the crap out of a sewing machine.

I used to own a treadle model, wish I still had it. And old tiny granmas could run them, so yep, bet you could power a sewing machine! HAHAHAHAHA

Wanna talk efficiency, a strong bicyclist on a modern lightweight well tuned road bike can cruise around 30 mph in reasonable terrain, as an average. Not bad for not much HP!


I just looked it up, going from memory before, a peak athlete can do a short burst up to 2.5 horse, but roughly only 1/3rd horse over a several hour span.

So..if anyone-you can hand split a cord in an afternoon, say two or three hours, using any tool, you are doing real good compared to the efficiency of the gas splitter, even the best. They can get it done, but at a shedload more energy being used.

Anyway, I like hand splitting a lot....for some reason it satisifes the inner cave dude and you got something to show for it when you are done.

 

[FLHX Storm]

I've been using the Fiskars to split the rounds from a very green Black Birch. With some rounds it was smooth as silk, but with others where the wood was curly gnarly knotted and crotchity, I would whack the snot out of it and barely even dent it with the fiskars. Then I would move on to the True Temper splitting axe and once I actually got it to penetrate the wood I'd take an 8# sledge hammer to it. But even then sometimes that wasn't enough. So far, and I'm still not done, I have had to resort to noodling at least 8 rounds. But my pile is growing and that's all that matters.

My neighbors think I'm a total nut bag for splitting all that wood by hand, but, it's the best exercise $39 (what I paid for the fiskars) that money can buy. I have split the majority of the rounds with the Fiskars, and yes, I hurt like the ####ens. But it's a good 2 to 3 hour workout giving it everything I have. Some days when I'm done, I can barely lift my arms. But there is something satisfying getting out and splitting the rounds into firewood by hand regardless of how hard it is.

So sure, Fiskars has it's limitations, but then so does everything else out there. I wouldn't trade my Fiskars for anything on the market let alone a $300 super duper smooth ever sharp high polished chrome plated (w gold trim) splitting axe. Shoot, I could purchase another chainsaw for that kind of money. :msp_smile:

 

[MuskokaSplitter]

thanks Philbert...

Really diving into the whole experience quite fast....but i do like splitting wood by hand. Just feels right.

 

[ttyR2]

I can swing an X27 for the better part of a day. A heavy maul...not so much.

 

[unclemoustache]

I'm not overly impressed with the Fiskars, so I also use my maul when splitting.

As for sewing, my wife taught me how to sew on a treadle machine, and I've made a few things - a sleeping bag for two, a work apron, a wrench pouch, repairs to my gloves and clothing, and a QUILT!

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

I'd put this up against a Fiskars any day. Not to heavy to swing all day but still has enough beef to get the job done in half the swings it takes a fiskars.

 

[Dalmatian90]

I'd put this up against a Fiskars any day. Not to heavy to swing all day but still has enough beef to get the job done in half the swings it takes a fiskars.

Not mathematically possible since I average somewhere around 1.1-1.2 swings per finished piece of firewood with the Fiskars. If you can't split with an equal or fewer swings than a maul in anything reasonable to split by a maul with a Fiskars, you're doing it wrong.

Haven't posted pics yet because of the hacker issues, I've also added a Stihl PA-20 splitting hatchet to my collection for making "cook wood" size splits. Break the log in six pieces or so with the Fiskars, then pop 'em even smaller with the Stihl. Could do it with the Fiskars, just more work. Also did the tire trick -- in my case I've piled up four tires around a splitting block, which gives me 1-1/2 tires above the block to hold the wood in. Holy heck that makes it faster -- I knew it would, and last year I deliberately wanted the extra exercise of setting up the wood to make the next split.

I've known for a while I've been neglecting sharpening my Fiskars, that hopefully will change tonight -- went to cut some stringers between splits last night and realized if I had to defend myself with it, the coroner would rule it "blunt force trauma." When I have that thing sharp, it leaves shavings behind on the splitting block.

 

[CTYank]

I'd put this up against a Fiskars any day. Not to heavy to swing all day but still has enough beef to get the job done in half the swings it takes a fiskars.

I've taken a few of those rather blunt mauls, and flattened their faces with a 7" disc grinder. Put an edge on them too. Huge improvement.
Most cheapie mauls are hardly optimum IMHO as received. The mauls made by Gransfors, Hults, Wetterlings and maybe others are the real deal. Much better steel than cheapies (including fiskars), much better shape and much better heat-treating. IMO, around 5 lb is the sweet-spot for weight. Compare one of those to a fiskars and fuggedaboudit.

In TX they'd call fiskars "all hat and no cattle." Very effective packaging and marketing; steel, not so much.

 

[turnkey4099]

That does it. I'm getting an x27.

I just bought a Stihl splitting axe (the 4.4lb axe, not the 6 pound maul), and I'm pretty disappointed in its splitting
performance. My 10 year old big-box maul outperformed it easily.

I already beat up the paint on it, so it's not like I can return it. But it sure does look nice and it swings beautifully. I'm hoping it can serve some purpose, maybe as a limbing axe.

Agree. The Fiskar's is not a maul and it isn't a replacement for a maul. I do find that on easy split stuff the maul is only used to chop apart a round where I have stuck the wedge or to tap the back of the fiskars that needs a bit of encouragement to finish a split. I've used it on Black Locust and currently working uop a 4cord order of willow with it. Bust the big rounds at least in half with wedge/sledge, finish with mostly fiskars and go to maul when appropriate.

Harry K

 

[FLHX Storm]

There is a big difference between a "Splitting Maul" and a "Splitting Axe!" I know I couldn't use a splitting maul for more than an hour, but with most splitting axes I can go several hours. They still end up beating me to death due to most of their weights. The Fiskars brand is light weight and I can swing it all day long and it too is a splitting axe, not a splitting maul. Granted the metal isn't the same as other axes or mauls, being carbon steel rather than some steel alloy so it can be chipped much more readily than the others, but for what it does, for what it is, and for the price in my opinion, it does one heck of a job.

I have a true temper splitting axe that will likely have to be replaced after this year simply because it hasn't been able to stand up to my abuses. I tend to like to use it for breaking up the nasty pieces of black birch, and if it won't break it, I'll encourage it with a sledge hammer. And if that fails, then I'll noodle whatever piece. I have used the Fiskars on the black birch, black locust and maple and really it fairs pretty will until it gets into that knotty twisted gnarly stuff. But then I would think even a maul would have issues at that point.

Granted it isn't a magic splitting axe and an end all to all the others on the market, but for speed and accuracy, I love it. I wouldn't trade it for anything, not even a 50 ton hydraulic splitter (if there is such an animal) Hmm, I wonder how it will fair in hickory since I have some coming up!

 

[svk]

There is a big difference between a "Splitting Maul" and a "Splitting Axe!" I know I couldn't use a splitting maul for more than an hour, but with most splitting axes I can go several hours. They still end up beating me to death due to most of their weights. The Fiskars brand is light weight and I can swing it all day long and it too is a splitting axe, not a splitting maul. Granted the metal isn't the same as other axes or mauls, being carbon steel rather than some steel alloy so it can be chipped much more readily than the others, but for what it does, for what it is, and for the price in my opinion, it does one heck of a job.

I have a true temper splitting axe that will likely have to be replaced after this year simply because it hasn't been able to stand up to my abuses. I tend to like to use it for breaking up the nasty pieces of black birch, and if it won't break it, I'll encourage it with a sledge hammer. And if that fails, then I'll noodle whatever piece. I have used the Fiskars on the black birch, black locust and maple and really it fairs pretty will until it gets into that knotty twisted gnarly stuff. But then I would think even a maul would have issues at that point.

Granted it isn't a magic splitting axe and an end all to all the others on the market, but for speed and accuracy, I love it. I wouldn't trade it for anything, not even a 50 ton hydraulic splitter (if there is such an animal) Hmm, I wonder how it will fair in hickory since I have some coming up!

Well put. Although I'd trade my Fiskars for a hydraulic splitter .

 

[naturelover]

I swung the X-27 into a nice oak crotch and was amused to see its fiberglass handle shaking all about in a nice wavy motion.

I noodled that piece.

But for 90% of what I split, it works very well. The others are reserved for the Quake, then tackled with the fiskars..




Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

 

[MuskokaSplitter]

1. I like my x27 so I bought another onr on sale. Then decided to get a x25 aswell

 

[Weesa20]

Love my x25- busted apart a cord of 25" oak- able to do all but about 5 rounds, those got noodled. Didn't bother with maul or sledge/wedge. 10x better than maul.

 

[Niall_B]

A company here in Ireland had the x27 on a 40% sale for the last couple of weeks, I went on today to order one and it's back to full price. I can't believe it, I should have ordered one weeks ago.

Niall

 

[flotek]

As long as wood is short and straight the fiskars will tackle it start getting into nasty stuff or knots or twists or woods like elm your going to be hacking your brains out . You'd think you can just show the log the x27 and out of fear the wood will split itself ! Even with the patented swing and reciting the magic words and drinking the fiskars cool aid it still isn't much more than a typical axe . I'll take my gas splitter more production and leaves me more energy to do other chores like cutting and stacking

 

[mn woodcutter]

anyone know the difference between fiskars x27 and their 36" super splitter? The super splitter is all black where the x27 has that orange end of the handle. that's the only difference I see on their website. anyone?

 

[zogger]

anyone know the difference between fiskars x27 and their 36" super splitter? The super splitter is all black where the x27 has that orange end of the handle. that's the only difference I see on their website. anyone?

I called them, about the same. Just the finish and a real slight handle difference.