Fiskars Axe, just arrived.

[c5rulz]

That's pretty big kindling Harry.

I shoot for about a 4x6 split size, something I can grab with one hand when moving it. At 4x6 max size, that's 36 pcs in a 30" round. A couple are "kindling size", but most are good sized chunks.

At 6x6 max it's still 25 pieces.

Crude drawing shows a 30" round (in scale of course). Black lines are 6", blue lines are 4" apart:

Thanks for the graphic!:msp_biggrin:



When I said 30" that was very conservative on the diameter of the rounds. I do not split things small, actually they could be smaller and often get whacked again before going into the stove. But it is good enough to dry. I counted 40 pieces from one, and that didn't count the bark that came off which I discarded. This particular tree was cut down because it had another tree just as big hung up in it after it tipped over from ants.

 

[turnkey4099]

I just picked up an x25 a few weeks ago. It is a good tool. I swung it at my current set of 20"+ rounds though and it just bounced of course so did my heavier splitting ax, and my maul. Although the maul made a better slit for starting the wedge....

They do work great on everything else though, and a lot less fatigue from the swing.

dw

Every so often I run into a green round of BlackLocust that will not accept a wedge, a maul or, as I found out the other day, a Fiskars. Theyjust bounce off. I have had to resort to cutting a shallow kerf with the saw at times to get a wedge to stick.

Harry K

 

[zogger]

I just picked up an x25 a few weeks ago. It is a good tool. I swung it at my current set of 20"+ rounds though and it just bounced of course so did my heavier splitting ax, and my maul. Although the maul made a better slit for starting the wedge....

They do work great on everything else though, and a lot less fatigue from the swing.

dw

---depending on how good your aim is yet with the fiskars, on those rubber rounds, come in as close to the edge as you *safely* are comfortable swinging it, then shave the bark off. Go around and get it off. Now wait a few weeks until you see cracks. Now do the same thing, going around and round, carve off chunks. Work your way to the heartwood. You'll have to play with it some to get the technique down and figure how much you really can take per chunk. The outside splits should come off once you see cracks. It might be the heart wood is still rubbery, it doesn't matter, just put it back on your rounds pile, and wait for it to crack further.

Go cut more wood while waiting for it to crack, ha! It is loads better to have more rounds at home while you can get them, you never know when you lose access to the woods due to weather, etc. You can *always* split once the rounds are home.

Some I have to do that "rubber round" way, but they eventually succumb to the fiskars. The worst here are real real old hickory and sweetgum. Once they are dry and cracked though, they can be split. Poplar is kinda rubbery fresh cut green, but dries so fast I only let them hang out a week or two, then they split like a dream.

On those rubber rounds, by all means try to get the bark off as soon as possible, this will greatly aid in drying and splitting. The bark tends to act as a band to hold the log together. Not all the way of course, but it helps bunches to get it off. The fiskars will shave the bark off if you can hit at the first ring in. Even on rubber rounds. Takes real good aim though. Be careful! It might tend to swing out on ya.

I am only doing that on stuff I know is gonna be a bear, that and from now on any hickory I get. Keeps the bugs out of them a lot I noticed, looking at my year old and change hickory pile. The chunks with bark still on are loaded with bugs, the pure splits, just not so much. A little but not much.

 

[memory]

I just got my Fiskars X27 today and I really like it. I had a few small pieces that an 8lb maul couldn't split and the Fiskars was able to split them no problem. The handle is the perfect length for me, I have 2 other 8lb mauls and they are exactly the same length so didn't have to adjust to much on that part. It is going to take some time to get accurate with the Fiskars.

One question, is the whole handle hollow or just the end of it? I noticed the end on the handle is open, I figured it would be closed.

 

[user 64030]

---depending on how good your aim is yet with the fiskars, on those rubber rounds, come in as close to the edge as you *safely* are comfortable swinging it, then shave the bark off......

Thanks, I have slabbed of the side of a lot before.... I really just was trying th ax out on these rounds. I ring counted the tree to ~80 years. It has been down, but off the ground the last 2 years, root balled because of our Jan '09 ice storm. It probably still needs to dry since it was still the entire tree not cut up.

Just watching the news we have an 1" of rain coming. So much for drying out

dw

 

[zogger]

I just got my Fiskars X27 today and I really like it. I had a few small pieces that an 8lb maul couldn't split and the Fiskars was able to split them no problem. The handle is the perfect length for me, I have 2 other 8lb mauls and they are exactly the same length so didn't have to adjust to much on that part. It is going to take some time to get accurate with the Fiskars.

One question, is the whole handle hollow or just the end of it? I noticed the end on the handle is open, I figured it would be closed.

Have to say I just don't know! Never stuck a long skinny stick up there to see how deep the hole went.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

Have to say I just don't know! Never stuck a long skinny stick up there to see how deep the hole went.

I just went out and stuck a small bamboo stick up the handle of my X27. The handle is hollow all the way up to the base of the head.

 

[memory]

Quick question, would the Fiskars sharpener work on regular knives like a Leatherman as well?

 

[zogger]

Quick question, would the Fiskars sharpener work on regular knives like a Leatherman as well?

I am not a big fan of the fiskars sharpener. I just went and dug it out of the drawer and tried it again (on a pocket folder). Either I don't know how to use the thing, or..something. Not a fan. I start to almost get an edge on one side, the other side, not so much, and even switching it around it doesn't help. I can't see how the roller stones are supposed to work..because they roll! There's no friction possible. I just don't get it.

If someone here has one and really knows how to use it, I would certainly appreciate it!

I use some no name don't know the brand sharpener I got some time a long time ago that is just two flat pieces of hard steel in a V inside a housing. Seems to work much better, axes or knives.

Not an expert, blade geeks all have their own secret "best" method, usually along the lines of virgin yak leather strop dipped in like deadly black mamba venom and only stroked in a north south direction during alternate equinoxes...

 

[Dalmatian90]

Not an expert, blade geeks all have their own secret "best" method, usually along the lines of virgin yak leather strop dipped in like deadly black mamba venom and only stroked in a north south direction during alternate equinoxes...

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mI8GEidaMMI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

(Haven't found the yak leather yet, but I did get some pointers from the USFS manual I want to try out this weekend )

 

[zogger]

*snort*

(Haven't found the yak leather yet, but I did get some pointers from the USFS manual I want to try out this weekend )

You a funny guy! hehehehe

I found a website with the sharpener I like at #2 position (because I don't have a rouge wheel, which is really my fav #1 for a fast real good sharpening)

Supposedly you can get them at home dictator, scroll down to the "axe and tool sharpener" It does axes, scissors, lawn shears, that sort of stuff. Now you are stuck at one angle for a choice, but once you have that angle, it will keep it there sharp and doesn't take long. The fiskars like I said I have no idea how it is supposed to work. It sits in the drawer now.

Sharpeners

 

[Bucko]

Welll, I got me an x27 this week....Baileys has the best prices out there. Best axe I've ever owned. I have nearly a weeks worth of wood ready now. Don't let them glance off and hit you. I now need to pick up a new pair of Redwings, socks and gauze.

 

[zogger]

Oh noes!

Welll, I got me an x27 this week....Baileys has the best prices out there. Best axe I've ever owned. I have nearly a weeks worth of wood ready now. Don't let them glance off and hit you. I now need to pick up a new pair of Redwings, socks and gauze.

You fiskared yourself? Ouch!

I highly recommend as soon as the round is manageable to put it inside a tire.

 

[TN_WOOD]

Quick question, would the Fiskars sharpener work on regular knives like a Leatherman as well?

Most of the sharpening aficionados would encourage folks to shy away from any of the pull-through sort of sharpeners (sorta like most of the folks on this site would recommend folks shy away from those Poulan chainsaws).

For my axes, I bought an inexpensive sharpening stone and simply run it across the blade a few times if/when needed (Lansky makes something called a puck, but I find a rectangular stone works just fine).

For knives, stones are the "best" way, but there is a little learning curve to make sure you keep your blade at a consistent angle. There are a few devices out there that can help (Lansky makes a clamping kit, others have rod systems).

 

[Bucko]

Yessir. I do not recommend 'Fiskaring' yourself and intend on using the tire trick. Since I couldnt stop the bleeding I went and got a little help. Cut artery cut tendons and several stiches later all is good. I still love this tool. I didn't even know I was cut until my boot got squishy. :msp_unsure:

 

[jerrycmorrow]

dang man

 

[zogger]

Yessir. I do not recommend 'Fiskaring' yourself and intend on using the tire trick. Since I couldnt stop the bleeding I went and got a little help. Cut artery cut tendons and several stiches later all is good. I still love this tool. I didn't even know I was cut until my boot got squishy. :msp_unsure:

Well, certainly glad you got sewed back up OK! I took a fair to middling cut on my lower arm/upper wrist from it once when it bounced on me. Well, that doesn't describe it, It had stuck some, not much, but rocking it out I grabbed the round to hold it and it popped out fast and slid over and I nailed myself. Not deep, not bad, but could have been. That was weird too, chocked it up to a brand new "style" of axe and getting used to it. I have huge respect to the fiskars head mass combined with the sharp edge.

The thing is, we have no real accurate word to describe the supersplitter. It is not *really* a traditional axe, nor is it *really* a splitting maul. So, when you first use it, I think the potential is there to get faked out, treat it like a regular axe..not quite right, it doesn't work, it doesn't even split like splitting with a regular axe, something I have a lot of experience with. Treat it like a maul..that doesn't work either, it's even worse to use it like a heavy maul, waste of time pret near.

I would class it as a "professional" grade tool, like they class saws say, and is worthy of being treated like that, just wish there was a better name for it.

Anyway, glad you didn't want to abandon it, and yep to the tire trick. The tire trick also keeps you from having to stoop over and re stand up rounds and chunks of rounds for further splitting. It should at least increase your splitting speed overall by 3 times or more, just from having to not chase chunks of wood around.

I just want to use a small rear tractor tire now and load up a dozen rounds! hahahahah

I haven't tried the rope and bungee cord trick yet, maybe sometime. That looks cool too, but the tire will for sure help eliminate 95% of the potential "whoops-fiskared"! potential out there, from over swing, side of the round blow out and axe goes flying off to the side and back, etc.

 

[7sleeper]

Hope you get well soon! I usually use steel toe boots for that reason when working with wood.
I have used the sharpener on knife blades and it works well. It is as far as I have understood two ceramic wheels that form a V shape. Rotating them always brings a new surface to your blade. They donot work on serrated blades. You can get them also from Ikea if you have one neer you, they cost about half compared to the original Fiskars, but if you look underneath then you can see that the Ikea model has been made by Fiskars.

7

 

[c5rulz]

Yessir. I do not recommend 'Fiskaring' yourself and intend on using the tire trick. Since I couldnt stop the bleeding I went and got a little help. Cut artery cut tendons and several stiches later all is good. I still love this tool. I didn't even know I was cut until my boot got squishy. :msp_unsure:

DAMM



So is it safe to say the Fiskars is plenty sharp?


Sorry, couldn't resist. Hope you heal up without issues.:msp_unsure:

 

[turnkey4099]

DAMM



So is it safe to say the Fiskars is plenty sharp?


Sorry, couldn't resist. Hope you heal up without issues.:msp_unsure:

I put a nice slice across the tip of a finger just flicking a chip off it.

Harry K