Fiskars Maul and hookaroon question.

[OHGwp1]

I have all Fiskars splitting axes...

Also, I bought a Homelite 550 off of a con artist crook who lied about his entire listing of the Chainsaw condition and history... yeah his name was Den coincidence nope.

 

[Seachaser]

I don't think they do. The Montser Maul was made by Sotz, which has gone out of business. But the Fiskars X27 splitting axe, which I think has a 4.5 pound head, seems to split a bit better than the 8 lb Fiskars Isocore. I have all of these tools and an old hardware store 8 pound thing also. For splitting effectiveness, I would rank them as follows, from best to worst; Sotz Monster maul, Fiskars X27, Fiskars 8 lb Isocore and generic hardware store 8 lb maul. For the gnarly stuff, I use a wedge and a sledge. The twisted wedge seems to work best.

The monster maul will either kill you or make you stronger. Mine is going on 40 years old. Used my LogRite hookeroon today for the first time. Should have got one years ago.

 

[Den]

Used the Fiskars 8 lb maul yesterday. Fantastic results. Wish I would have bought a maul many years ago !!!
Forgot my camera though... maybe next time.
Seachaser, I'm going to look into that LogRite hookaroon. I will definately be buying a hookaroon of some kind, and a peavey.
Also hope to buy some chaps. The kevlar ones would probably do a better job of protecting the operator, but once you rip them substantially and they unravel, they are pretty much diminished in that spot. I always seem to tear my pants/coveralls in the same spot on the upper right leg. I think Stihl makes leather chaps for forestry use. If I remember correctly, leather chaps are expensive compared to cloth chaps.

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[Den]

Seachaser, after you mentioned Logrite I visited their website. I remembered I had looked at their hookaroons a couple years ago and had completely forgotten about them !!! Thanks for refreshing my memory... I bought the 36" Logrite hookaroon.
Logrite was very friendly on the phone. The hookaroon shipped promptly. Arrived in perfect condition. The build quality was perfect. I used it on some live and some dead red oak. Worked nice.
You will have to sharpen the point a little bit more so that it is not quite as blunt. With the factory ground point, in softwoods it works great, in hard woods you have to swing it pretty hard to snag it. So sharpening it a bit makes it easier to stab the wood with fewer deflections, or multiple swings. Swinging it at 3" or smaller oak rounds is kind of like playing croquet. Works better on bigger stuff. Also works good for snagging brush and pulling it, or using it as a cane to bend down when picking up small stuff.
The Fiskars maul works great. Most of the time I could split rounds without even putting energy into it when swinging. and just letting the weight of the maul do the work. I did have a giant red oak knotted crotch that was like rock. I hit it about 15 times to split it... and about swing number 7, I must have hit it cock-eyed. It really shocked my right hand, wrist, and thumb. Really hurt. So the Isocore works great when used properly, but its not invincible, and not a guarantee it wont jar you.
Got some pics of my beater Echo CS-4400, favorite gas can, and our firewood truck that we are putting a battery in and fixing tire !!!
I think this one widow maker tree over the driveway is maybe a river birch, maybe elm, have not looked that closely at it yet.

 

[sean donato]

I don't think they do. The Montser Maul was made by Sotz, which has gone out of business. But the Fiskars X27 splitting axe, which I think has a 4.5 pound head, seems to split a bit better than the 8 lb Fiskars Isocore. I have all of these tools and an old hardware store 8 pound thing also. For splitting effectiveness, I would rank them as follows, from best to worst; Sotz Monster maul, Fiskars X27, Fiskars 8 lb Isocore and generic hardware store 8 lb maul. For the gnarly stuff, I use a wedge and a sledge. The twisted wedge seems to work best.

I just recently got an x27 (they just call it a splitting axe now. Still a 36" handle) not disappointed with it, but it's no replacement for the iso core in my mind. Well just as much ad the iso core isn't a replacement for the splitter. I do appreciate the lighter weight of the x27, and find it much easier on my body.

Yep Sean, Fiskars says they make a 6 lb and a 10 lb IsoCore maul.

Hmm, never knew that. Heck haven't ever even seen a different one at the store. Wonder if it's a regional thing.

 

[Den]

I just recently got an x27 (they just call it a splitting axe now. Still a 36" handle) not disappointed with it, but it's no replacement for the iso core in my mind. Well just as much ad the iso core isn't a replacement for the splitter. I do appreciate the lighter weight of the x27, and find it much easier on my body.

Yes Sean, I'm going to be buying an X27 pretty quick. Soon as I make some time.
The different sized Fiskar mauls may very well be a regional thing like you suggested.

 

[Ol' Brian]

You will like the X27 or the "Super splitting axe", whichever you get... they're the same tool, only the X27 has the orange on the handle, from what I can tell they are identical except for the orange. My only complaint about it is you can get some good "biteback" through the handle. But it's a great tool.

 

[Den]

. My only complaint about it is you can get some good "biteback" through the handle.

I only know of one anti-bite splitting axe. There is a company that makes an elaborate red and white axe that has some kind of "floating" axe head. I cant remember the name of it. The floating head is pinned on to the wooden handle with a bolt run through the wooden handle and a metal sleeve. I wish I could remember the name of the company. It seems like you would crack the wooden handle pretty quick though. I could be wrong.


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[Ol' Brian]

Hmmm... I don't know if I'd like a splitter with a wobbly head on it, LOL

 

[Den]

Yes, I know what you mean !!! I'm going to search for it online. Cant remember the name of the company.

 

[Den]

Muller Dynam-Ax.
Has a red floating head. They make a 2000 and a 2500 series. The 2500 has a longer wood handle.


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[Den]

Finally took delivery of my new Fiskars 6 lb maul. As you face the monitor, the 6 lb maul is on the right, 8 lb on the left.
Got the wood hauling truck running nice also.


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[sean donato]

I must have the 8lb version, the hammer side looks just like yours.

 

[Den]

I must have the 8lb version, the hammer side looks just like yours.

Yep Sean, the 6 lb is not widely available, the 8 lb is the most commonly sold.
I really like them both. I take both mauls and the hookaroon whenever I go splitting wood.


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[sean donato]

I've found it to be about the best maul I've used, but I've since picked up an x27 (now just called a splitting axe) and I find they compliment each other rather well. Got fat this winter, so I figured I'd give the hydro splitter a rest unless it's a big nasty. Been quite happy with the isocore and x27 combo.

How do you like your hookaroon? I've contemplated buying or making one from an old axe head.

 

[Den]

How do you like your hookaroon? I've contemplated buying or making one from an old axe head.

The hookaroon is great. If its a log that is 4" diameter or less, I usually just use the hookaroon as a cane to lean on and just bend over and pick the log up, or else its like playing croquet and batting the small log around.
Also, keep the hookaroon away from your feet/shins. Don't swing at logs right near your feet. If you order one from Logrite, go ahead and get an extra tip. Its worth it to have it on hand.


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[OM617YOTA]

No clue on the Fiskars pickaroon, but I have this one.

https://www.westechrigging.com/pickeroon-36.html
A back saver! If you're choking up on the handle and bending down, you've missed the whole point of the tool. Doesn't take long to get the right flick to grab a piece of wood, and the right jerk to let it go. Also likely to be my preferred zombie apocalypse weapon after I run out of ammo.

 

[michael j]

Well, I've got an x25, x27 and 6lb and 8lb isocores. Personally, I see no advantage to any of them over my old 8lbr.
The x25, the handle's too short, and I'm not a tall guy. The axes can't take a beating either. If my stuff sticks, I don't wear myself out reefin' it out, I beat it through with my hammer.
I did buy a council pickeroon, but I found a cheap harbor freight hammer with the claws sharpened up work better than anything.

 

[quahog]

You will like the X27 or the "Super splitting axe", whichever you get... they're the same tool, only the X27 has the orange on the handle, from what I can tell they are identical except for the orange. My only complaint about it is you can get some good "biteback" through the handle. But it's a great tool.

I can't figure out why Fiskars has two seemingly identical axes in the X27 and SSA.

Around here, Home Depot sells the X27 and Lowes has the SSA. Interestingly Lowes sells it as a 31.5", but it is really the 36" SSA. I bought the SSA from Lowes as it was the best price around. I like it and will buy another if my current one breaks.

Concur with the biteback on the handle. Even through gloves, the first time I missed and hit the handle had me stop splitting and walking towards my beer fridge with numb and stung hands. The steel on the edge seems soft though. I have a nice nick in mine that I need to take out.

Also on the Fiskars topic, their curved brush axe is great at some light duty clearing/chopping. I use it to clear lanes for game cameras and similar.


I have a Council Tool hookaroon that is one heck of a back saver. It can bight and move stuff with ease. Only complaint there was the handle came unfinished, but some BLO and then poly fixed that up.

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[melnik]

I've been lurking for a while, this site is very good. Perhaps the best forum I've ever lurked. Thank you all!

I have the 28-inch Fiskars Hookaroon. I love it. I'm 63 and it keeps me from bending over as I move the wood I split. I also use it to move rounds from where I buck them to my trailer. Two days ago I was moving heavy ash rounds by sticking the hookaroon in them and carrying them one handed to the trailer, like a suitcase. I thought they seemed extra heavy, so I took the bathroom scale to the shop and weighed them; they weighed around 100-lbs. So the hookaroon gets very good purchase, at least on the hard ash. I've also moved wet basswood rounds, softer wood, that weighed about the same.

When using the hookaroon for moving split wood, I "hook" a split, put it under my arm, then hook another and leave it on the hook and walk the to pieces into the shop to stack. So I get two at a time. This is all done at a leisurely pace without any bending over. You young guys might like doing it faster by just bending over and grabbing the splits, but I'll take the slow easy pace with no bending over.

If I break my hookaroon, I won't process wood until I buy another. I doubt I'll break it though, it's a quality piece.