Fiskars Question

[AmateurSawer]

I've been using a "black handled" model of the X27 to split some hard dry oak. Seems like I'm getting a good bit of shock in my hands and wrists.
Would adding spray foam to the hollow handle dampen the vibration? Any wrap I cold use probably wouldn't let my hands slide as they should.
Maybe i should go back to my wood handled maul?

 

[holeycow]

Yes.

 

[AmateurSawer]

Yes.

Which ? Foam ? Or Maul?

 

[holeycow]

Maul.

 

[Brushwacker]

I have the original version splitting axe and an isocore maul, neither of which feel above average for shock to me. If there is anything as effective with less shock for under $150 i would like to know.

 

[oldfortyfive]

Hydraulic splitter ;-)

 

[Dudders]

Try a different technique - instead of powering the axe all the way to the log, relax your effort just before contact. At the moment of impact, your hands are just guiding the axe, not forcing it down. It takes concentration, but gives much less concussion on the arms. Made it a lot more bearable for me, anyway. Just don't go too far and lose the axe...
I doubt that spray foam would allow your hands to slide as they should, and it's a critical part of the action.

 

[SuperDuty04]

Try a different technique - instead of powering the axe all the way to the log, relax your effort just before contact. At the moment of impact, your hands are just guiding the axe, not forcing it down. It takes concentration, but gives much less concussion on the arms. Made it a lot more bearable for me, anyway. Just don't go too far and lose the axe...
I doubt that spray foam would allow your hands to slide as they should, and it's a critical part of the action.

I’m pretty sure he was saying put the spray foam on the INSIDE of the hollow handle

 

[Dudders]

I’m pretty sure he was saying put the spray foam on the INSIDE of the hollow handle

 

[gordonst]

Hi,
The X27 is a great splitter, I've used loads and it's one of my favourites, the one I used had little vibration/shock.
My question would be 'how does it split?' Are you going too hard and not letting the axe do the work?
If it is splitting logs easily, then less aggression and as mentioned before relax at impact. Or just wear gloves

 

[Brushwacker]

I've been using a "black handled" model of the X27 to split some hard dry oak. Seems like I'm getting a good bit of shock in my hands and wrists.
Would adding spray foam to the hollow handle dampen the vibration? Any wrap I cold use probably wouldn't let my hands slide as they should.
Maybe i should go back to my wood handled maul?

My isocore maul splits the more difficult grained wood much easiar and in less swings then the splitting axe. I haven't used a wood or plastic - fiber handled maul of any brand that feels better shockwise or more effective splitting. I haven't tried everything out there , mostly the stuff they made 25+ years ago and a recent cheaper 8 Lb maul from Lowe's that I threw the towel in on when comparing it to the fiskars axe. It didn't seem to have any advantage, even splitting difficult stuff. Try the isocore, if it doesn't feel better then your present maul , you will have a backup maul or could resell it and recover most your money. If i didn't have 2 already i would take it off your hands should u not like it. I keep 1 in both my pickups.

 

[Brushwacker]

Hydraulic splitter ;-)

Under $150 ?

 

[holeycow]

I don't have a fiskars axe or maul. I do have a pair of fiskars hand pruners, some loppers, a folding saw, and a hatchet. All junk as far as I'm concerned. Ergonomically **** and not particularly well made, imo. I doubt their other tools are any different.

my old maul splits nearly (nearly that is) anything with very little effort and almost no shock to the hands. Technique has something to do with it, and so does a good wooden handle.

 

[Philbert]

Let us know if you foam the inside of the handle: inquiring minds want to know!

(P.S. note that some insulating spray foams at the home centers will not fill and harden in a deep void without exposure to air. Check the foam you choose).

Philbert

 

[Brushwacker]

I don't have a fiskars axe or maul. I do have a pair of fiskars hand pruners, some loppers, a folding saw, and a hatchet. All junk as far as I'm concerned. Ergonomically **** and not particularly well made, imo. I doubt their other tools are any different.

my old maul splits nearly (nearly that is) anything with very little effort and almost no shock to the hands. Technique has something to do with it, and so does a good wooden handle.

What kind of wood u splitting?
Pine-fir splits different then oak.
When i was in WA state I felt an axe split the softer woods easiar and I expect oak being harder will produce more of a shock and softer woods would absorb much shock.
Besides the axe and mauls I bought fiskars shovel, rake and wedge. Haven't used them much but so far but they worked well for my purposes. The rake is more of a light duty tool so using it mostly in short grass, lighter material. Use the wedge when i need to split something in the porch on cement. So far liking the shovel well but haven't used it on big jobs.

 

[holeycow]

I don't have real wood, unfortunately. Aspen, pine, spruce, a wee bit of tamarack and birch, a wee bit of other woods, but predominantly aspen and pine. All of it is pretty easy splitting when it's dry. A knotty jack pine can be a *****, even dry. Though usually you can find a "fault line" for an easier go of it.

I always thought the fiskars stuff looked pretty good, but I have a better one of everything I have in fiskars. All of that stuff is 25-40 years old, like my old maul. You can't even buy a decent shovel in a hardware store anymore. Perhaps that is why folks think fiskars stuff is premium, idk. It is certainly better than the average hardware store stuff available today, but not better than the average hardware store tools available in the past. Most of my shovels, rakes, picks, pitchforks, etc, etc are commercial quality from years ago, so hard to find equals in a run-of-the-mill hardware store today. Impossible, in fact. I have broken the odd thing from being rough, but most have survived the farm for many, many years. I just drug out a couple of axes I hamfistedly broke a long time ago. One of them looks decent and deserves a new handle, I'd say. One day.

anyway..

my Dad had a splitter he called a "motor axe" haha that had two cammed wedges that opened when you struck the wood. That thing worked great, but sometimes was hard on the hands because it had a plastic handle, or at least that's what we thought. I don't think those are available anymore. I think some of those broke the wedges or pins or springs or something. My Dad's never broke, as far as I know and I don't know where it ever got too...

 

[Philbert]

my Dad had a splitter he called a "motor axe" haha that had two cammed wedges that opened when you struck the wood.

There are some references to those in some of the threads:

https://www.chopper1axe.com/
Philbert

 

[holeycow]

That's it! I see now they are available with a wooden handle. Nice!

ok, so how does the "chopper" rate as a splitting tool these days? Years ago we thought it was pretty slick.

 

[holeycow]

Now that I think about it, I think my Dad's was a "chopper2". Is that even possible? I'm pretty sure it had some kind of a synthetic handle?

 

[Robert K Meyer]

I've been using a "black handled" model of the X27 to split some hard dry oak. Seems like I'm getting a good bit of shock in my hands and wrists.
Would adding spray foam to the hollow handle dampen the vibration? Any wrap I cold use probably wouldn't let my hands slide as they should.
Maybe i should go back to my wood handled maul?

I was starting to split a lot until I found my stove likes big whole logs instead of split stuff. But when I was splitting alot, the Fiskars X27 orange handle seemed to have a slightly better grip and maybe better for shock. I have used both. The Gransfors Bruks 442 splitting axe is easier on the shock because of the wooden handle. Had to hammer in another wedge when the handle was getting loose early on. Both are a lot my pleasant and quicker than an 8lb maul and wedge which I had used for years. I only use that on the really difficult stuff. Most experience is on lodgepole which is so-so for splitting. Splitting birch in Alaska with an X27 is a dream. X27 vs 442, X27 has lifetime warranty, takes a beating, 442 is a pleasure to handle. I could probably go quicker with the X27.