X27 test on some big rounds.

[Whitespider]

I'm a fan of 8 pound mauls and am skeptical on the performance of the x27. I'm interested in an honest view in it's perfomance.

I ordered one earlier today because I have been reading about them for some time now. I do hope it splits BETTER than my mauls…

I’ll give you an honest review tooold.
First of all, you didn’t waste your money; the Fiskars Splitting Axe is one heck-of-a-lot of tool for the $50 (give or take). Don’t form a first-swing impression, it requires a little different swing technique than a maul; catch-on to the swing and it works darn well… on the wood it works well on.

If I put wood in six splitting categories for illustration… and if you’ve split a lot using a maul you’ll nod your head as you read them. It’s possible for all six to come from the same tree, depending… ya’ just kind’a “know” when ya’ set the log on the splittin’ block and look at it…

1. Half swing – splits go flying
2. Full swing – splits go flying
3. Full swing – splits fall off the block
4. Full swing, with extra grunt – splits still held together with one or two strings, easily separated by hand
5. Full swing, with extra grunt – Nope, still gonna’ need another whack
6. Aw man, this one is really gonna’ suck… might even need the wedge

The Fiskars works really well on the first three types… faster while swinging a lot less weight.
Using it on the fourth type will likely result in two swings, and you’ll still need to separate the splits by hand; kind of a toss-up… swing 8-pounds once, or 4-pounds twice (I usually choose 8-pounds once and use the Fiskars to finish).
I won’t consider the Fiskars on type 5; I see no sense in swinging 4-pounds four or five times when I can swing 8-pounds twice.
And type 6… well, that’s why they make mauls in weights approaching 15-pounds.

The Fiskars will work “better” on some, different on some (not necessarily better), and not worth crap on others... it ain't magic, and it does not replace other splitting tools, but it is a nice addition to the toolbox.

 

[mizzou]

Great review Whitespider, as usual. I have one of the older supersplits. I haven't split as much with it as I used to(got hydraulic splitter working). Still wouldn't cut firewood without it. I find it useful for limbing small branches and it saves me from noodling about 75% of what I would have before without taking a maul and axe to the woods.

 

[zogger]

14-16 long its not gonna be easy but i bet i can bust em up.

Theyll bust, just start at the outside and slab off the bark slabs (use for stacking square at the end of the stack or for a rain roof on top), then go for it. Oak is easy for the most part. One o the primo fiskars foods. Only ash is easier for the hard hardwoods.

big ones just round and around, works great, no need to bust into halves and quarters if you can deal with that size. I only do that when in the field and cant load the rounds easy.

The largest rounds I have done with the fiskars were running proly around 350 lbs per 16 inch round. 30 to 38 inch. Could only haul three at a time in the tractor tote box, and the front end was getting a little light, had to back up hills..

 

[cafo1.618]

Theyll bust, just start at the outside and slab off the bark slabs (use for stacking square at the end of the stack or for a rain roof on top), then go for it. Oak is easy for the most part. One o the primo fiskars foods. Only ash is easier for the hard hardwoods.

big ones just round and around, works great, no need to bust into halves and quarters if you can deal with that size. I only do that when in the field and cant load the rounds easy.

The largest rounds I have done with the fiskars were running proly around 350 lbs per 16 inch round. 30 to 38 inch. Could only haul three at a time in the tractor tote box, and the front end was getting a little light, had to back up hills..

Yea thats exactly what i did.
Busted the outside first and then got to the savory delicious red core!
Those core splits are gonna make some darn good firewood!:msp_biggrin:

 

[cafo1.618]

Have three truckloads to split, did about half of it this afternoon and this morning. Used the X25 on a high splitting block, old pine stump actually. Dont know about you guys, but i got my endorsement check yesterday. Fiskars other garden hand tools are awesome also, loppers, pruners, etc., heck they even make a decent plain ole scissors.

I just bought the fiskars box knife with titanium blades and it is just a great as everything else they make!
Its nice to see a company still making good quality products, its just sad they are not American made.

 

[Nosmo]

Fiskars 27 Axe

Thanks for the info about Amazon having the Fiskars Axes. I went to the site and they have both the 28" and 36" length handles offered for sale.

Right now either of them is $39.97 with free shipping included. The free shipping must be the slowest method but I'm supposed to get mine January 14-16 .

Haven't split much of anything by hand the last 2-3 years but I do have some rounds laying around that I just don't want to move things around in the shop to get the log splitter out.

Let you guys know later how it works for me.

Nosmo

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

guess im gonna have to pick one up and see what all the fuss is about. I can't imagine it being much better that what i already have but i need a spare splitting axe anyways. $40 at walmart i see.

 

[tld400]

Thanks for the info about Amazon having the Fiskars Axes. I went to the site and they have both the 28" and 36" length handles offered for sale.

Right now either of them is $39.97 with free shipping included. The free shipping must be the slowest method but I'm supposed to get mine January 14-16 .

Haven't split much of anything by hand the last 2-3 years but I do have some rounds laying around that I just don't want to move things around in the shop to get the log splitter out.

Let you guys know later how it works for me.

Nosmo

Everything that I have bought from amazon gives you a ship date but it normally comes with in 2 to 3 days where I live in nj

 

[zogger]

The half dead oak the OP is splitting is something I'm familiar with so his assessment will be benificial to me. Sometimes people write about splitting wood that doesnt even grow in my area. I've been swinging mauls for 40 years and enjoy it although it is starting to make my joints ache some now. I have read what people have said about the x27 and am interested in what the OP says about it.

I have thought about this a LOT, and I honestly cannot remember a single hand tool I ever bought that was such a sheer overwhelming engineering step up from what I was using previously. I am still using the original supersplit with the 28inch handle and narrower axe head, but it just freekin rocks. Upped my splitting production several hundred per cent time wise with much less effort. In good wood, I can outsplit the big hydraulic here, it just wont cycle fast enough. I can do roughly 90% of my wood with the fiskars.

Ha! Someplace back in another fiskars thread is some pics of me doing a decent oak round into 15 splits in 40 seconds, then some more pics where I split a wooden match lengthwise (that was just for fun because a video was posted off some champion ax guy/ hand splitter doing the same)(got it on the sixth swing, still have the two pieces in a baggie)

Fiskars is *not* hype, just a good product that actually does what the claims are, at a real good price. Some guys just cant use it, but if you can figure out the swing and technique, how it is not a maul and you have to swing it differently or best results, then it works real good.

Fiskars works from SPEED, accuracy, technique, reading the wood better, as opposed to a conventional maul, which is blunt force trauma. I call those anvils on a stick now.

Its not for every single piece of wood, but dang, most of em unless all you have is knotty twisted up gnarly stuff like elm or just all sweetgum, and it will actually split those too, just it sucks. Some wood just takes mass quantities of brute force, sledge and wedge, or lay on with the noodle action.

 

[turnkey4099]

guess im gonna have to pick one up and see what all the fuss is about. I can't imagine it being much better that what i already have but i need a spare splitting axe anyways. $40 at walmart i see.

Once you get it you will find all the other tools up to about a 6lb maul become the "spares".

Harry K

 

[blacklocst]

Split 20" straight grain Red Oak About 24" diameter with 1 or 2 swings love the hollow popping sound you get when it breaks through. Red Oak is my favorite wood to split with the Fiskars.

 

[tooold]

Well, the x27 was delivered today but I have no wood to split. I'll have to find some trees to wack! The x27 does feel good in my hands and is the same length as my mauls. As others have said, it comes already quite sharp.

 

[H 2 H]

Well, the x27 was delivered today but I have no wood to split. I'll have to find some trees to wack! The x27 does feel good in my hands and is the same length as my mauls. As others have said, it comes already quite sharp.

Just remember when you first use it make sure your feet are wider than your shoulders :msp_wink:

You'll find out why I say that after you split with it for a while :msp_biggrin:



JMO

 

[Foxfire]

It turns out that the Fiskars really cost me $200. $40 for the ax and $160 for a new pair of boots after I did this to my sneakers...

View attachment 272393

 

[tooold]

Just remember when you first use it make sure your feet are wider than your shoulders :msp_wink:

You'll find out why I say that after you split with it for a while :msp_biggrin:



JMO

I have never been a fan of splitting on top of another chunk of wood because it seems awkward and am more apt to hit feet and legs. I would rather split directly on the ground or on a stump that was cut flush to the ground. I've had 40 years of injury free maul swinging and don't want to start now. I did take a flying splitting wedge into the mouth when I was young though.

 

[brenndatomu]

It turns out that the Fiskars really cost me $200. $40 for the ax and $160 for a new pair of boots after I did this to my sneakers...

View attachment 272393

How'd ya get the bottom of your shoe??!

 

[cafo1.618]

Well i got another cord split and stacked yesterday.
Ive got 5 cord of wood for next year so far just another 5 to go and ill be good!
Who knew cutting wood could be so much fun?

 

[turnkey4099]

It turns out that the Fiskars really cost me $200. $40 for the ax and $160 for a new pair of boots after I did this to my sneakers...

View attachment 272393

My pair of sneakers had the neatest little slice between the big and 2nd toe. I was scared to look at first. That was about day 2 or 3 of first using it.

Harry K

 

[Foxfire]

How'd ya get the bottom of your shoe??!

Luck and I guess I rolled back on my heels bringing my toes up enough. My ninja skills taught me to do that when defending off an under swing. You can guess how happy I was when I saw that my sock wasn't red.

 

[Nosmo]

Report on mine as promised

Opened the front door at 5:00 AM as I was leaving as usual this morning and my package was on the porch with the Fiskars inside. Got back home a little after 8:00 AM after my morning coffee drinking and a 2-1/2 mile walk.

Mine is the X27 with a 36" handle. I tried it out on some hard maple which is still green.
These were not very large rounds and not very long. Guessing I'd say about 12" long and 10 to 12 inch diameter.

Some of these pieces were forks and ( were forks not now hah). Well the Fiskars performed just like all the good reports claim. I'll be using mine on a few rounds at a time -- some I pick up here and there and don't want to haul out the splitter .

This is a very good product and well worth the small amount of money I spent.

Nosmo