Fiskars Super splitting axe review

[Butch(OH)]

I have been splitting wood for 40 of my 50 years and had learned one thing (I thought) When the going gets tough, get a bigger/heavier tool. My old 8lb maul has logged a lot of miles. Seen you guys talk about Fiskars splitting axes and I tought ya right what do them Europeans know about splitting anything tough. I do like the quality of Fiskars stuff and since they don't make a 8 lb maul I bought one of those #7854 Super splitting axes yesterday. I can sum it up in one word, WOW. Only thing laying around here to test it on was some hackberry that I intended to cut up with a saw. We had beat on some of it previously and just piled it up for sawing later. Stood one up and gave it a couple whacks and split off a big slab. Thinking it was a fluke I grabbed my old 8lb and no go. Now the Fiskars will often not split the tough stuff on the first go, it is light but like all their tools VERY sharp. A few well placed hits will split wood that will leave you shaking your head. My son and I soon learned to not swing it like your trying to kill something and concentrate on aim and the darned thing will split some pretty tough blocks with little effort as compared to a std maul.

I give it a big thumbs up, it isn't going to split crotch oak but any reasonable splitting its going to do with lots less effort than a standard maul, I think it weighs around 4 lbs, I didnt weigh it. One complaint is the short handle. I like to split up off the ground and that short handle will cause the head to get an ankle if you are not careful. Id like to see a similar tool with 6" more handle myself.

Oh ya, was about 40 clams

 

[jetskiman]

my dad has one of those and it does work very good but I agree the handle could be longer

 

[Richard_]

another thumbs up here , nice and light

 

[hickslawns]

$40? Got one at Menards mis-marked for under $20. Might need to go try it out. Sounds like I got a good buy. Only thing I used the axe for lately was to tear up one of my rental houses for repairs. Didn't want to use the new axe for that one. Too many nails.

 

[pdqdl]

Fiskars makes a great pruning saw too!

I get them at Walmart, and they are my favorite pruning saw. Unlike all the rest of the professional pruning saws that have hundreds of tiny triangular teeth, these have notched teeth with an offset and a circular cutting face (not much different than chainsaw chain, actually) that uses the same 5/32 round file to sharpen as my MS 200T.

Cheap and practical, its greatest value is how easy it is to sharpen. It never seems to gum up on sawdust or tree sap, either.

 

[Dalmatian90]

I bought one a couple years ago...

1) I was amazed what it would split;

2) I promptly hung it up because it far exceeds my comfort zone. Maybe it was the shorter handle or something, I had enough "short misses" that landed near my feet in the first few logs I tried it on to decide it's danger exceeded my hand-eye coordination.

I keep looking at it wanting to use it some more...and have to keep reminding myself I like all my body parts.

 

[strongback]

Fiskars is getting a lot of electrons on AS today.

2) I promptly hung it up because it far exceeds my comfort zone. Maybe it was the shorter handle or something, I had enough "short misses" that landed near my feet in the first few logs I tried it on to decide it's danger exceeded my hand-eye coordination.

I like mine alot. Especially the indestructable handle part. The swinging at your ankles thing is a common complaint and someone even had a thread on here about 4-6 months ago because he actually cut his foot with one. I got mine this past spring and used it to pile up more than 5 cords this summer. Unless your four-foot-tall, you've got to split on a sufficiently tall stump. The rule of thumb I've heard offered is that the top of the log to be split needs to be approx belt high. That's what I use and I've not lost any body parts nor have I had a close call. I've also bolted an old tire (I personally prefer a 17 inch truck tire) to the top of my stump so that if I happen to blow through a piece of wood faster than intended the tire can catch what the stump doesn't. You'd think the tire would make the maul bounce but it doesn't. I can swing the axe at the tire and still not have to worry about rebound. So, get that thing off the pegboard and get to work!

 

[ASEMASTER]

we have two

I lost one and went out and got the longer handle version that same day only to find the first a week later. on the smaller and straight grained wood I dont even stand it up just walk around swinging and it will split most all that is in the way. or use it to pick up the wood to go no the hyd. spliter saves bending over and also saves on the hands grabbing ,as the joints are not what they used tobe.

 

[excess650]

I bought both the splitting axe and the much lighter chopping axe. I also have a maul, but haven't used it since getting the Fiskars. You wouldn't think the featherlight chopping axe would split, but it blasts through straight grained stuff. I suspect its the speed combined with the sharp edge that gets it done. If the chopping axe doesn't get it done, the splitting axe usually does. If it doesn't get the job done in a few swings, the chainsaw gets the duty.:censored:

I've found that using a large round of oak for a splitting block lessens the worry about hitting myself with either Fiskars. Quite often, the split wood blasts away, and the Fiskars are stuck in the splitting block.

I highly recommend both of these!:spam:

 

[AKKAMAAN]

I like Fiskars quality tools, especially the 4 1/4 lbs splitting maul. Made a couple videos earler this year

Fiskars of the ground with a rubberband and a piece of rope

How I use rubber on smaller rounds on top of a chopping block

 

[coog]

I used mine the first time in New Mexico on some pine.It worked great.
Tried it when I got home on some Hickory...scary! It kept bouncing off the round, and with the short handle you couldn't control it.I must admit I am used to a Monster Maul, so I was probably over-swinging. I'll try it again on some other spcies.

 

[Dalmatian90]

The rule of thumb I've heard offered is that the top of the log to be split needs to be approx belt high.

That makes a lot of sense thinking about it.

When I was splitting, I was just using a typical 18-20" high piece as the block.

Sounds like I should look for a nice, fat base to turn into a dedicated chopping block.

 

[AOD]

I love my Fiskars, the only complaint I have about it is I wish it had a 34" handle. I have had close calls with almost cutting my foot or shin on a missed swing, and its a bit scary. 28" is a bit short for someone over 6 feet with long arms. I also wish they made a bit heavier version of it to bust through tougher stuff, if there was a 6# version it would be unstoppable!

 

[Elim]

+1 Butch! They truly a great tool!

 

[JTElectric]

I bought one as well, the 7854 4 pounder. I think it's fantastic, I compared it to the old trusty Plumb we've had on the farm for years, and it seems to split better. Of course, in nice straight grained wood, anything will split that easily, but the Fiskars really shines in the tougher stuff in my opinion. Plus, the concave shaped head makes it so it very very seldom gets stuck in a log!

I was put-off by the short handle as well, and the first few times I used it, I had a couple near misses, and the pair of blue jeans I'm wearing right now has a nick in the cuff to prove it! Another inch or two would have been very bloody....I started splitting on a stump or a fat log as well, but then I learned an easier (better?) way....

Stand with your feet farther apart! lol I keep my feet pretty far apart, and focus more on aiming, rather than driving the log into the ground. Since then, I've never come close, I've only had the axe glance off of the log once, and I was swinging too hard, too close to the edge. Power isn't key with this axe, consistency is. It's actually weird how sometimes the wood will split where the axe ISN'T, it will break apart a half an inch from where they axe is. Never seen that before.

I also picked up the little 14" Fiskars hatchet, I keep it with my chainsaws when I'm out cutting, it's razor sharp and makes it really nice to get rid of little bothersome branches when you're blocking out logs, or getting access to a tree! I HIGH:Y recommend any Fiskars (Or Gerber, same owners I think) Tools!

 

[slofr8]

All right already! I'll get one!!

 

[archer39]

i ordered mine yesterday, should be getting it tomrrow. Cant wait to try it out!

 

[TreePointer]

I Cut My Foot!!!

I bought one a couple years ago...

1) I was amazed what it would split;

2) I promptly hung it up because it far exceeds my comfort zone. Maybe it was the shorter handle or something, I had enough "short misses" that landed near my feet in the first few logs I tried it on to decide it's danger exceeded my hand-eye coordination.

I keep looking at it wanting to use it some more...and have to keep reminding myself I like all my body parts.

There may be prudence in your decision.

I GOT MINE TODAY AND PROMPTLY CUT MY FOOT!!!

I finished my day of cutting over a half cord of sugar maple with the chainsaw, so I decided to try the Fiskars Super Splitter that FEDEX delivered today. Went out to the white ash pile, didn't place the log on a big block, and split the first piece in half--Wow! I took a second swing to quarter the log, and it split the log, went into my thick leather boot (above the steel toe), through two pairs of socks and cut a 1" gash on the top of my arch.

After visiting the ER and 4 stitches later, I am here writing about it. I was very fortunate that there was no important tissue damage and the X-rays showed no bone damage.

I like the splitter, but it is dangerous if one doesn't follow the tips here (that I knew and should have followed). Elevate your target log on a block. Feet apart. No big arcing swings are necessary--shorter downward chops into the target log may be safer.

And I'm usually the one stressing safety to friends and co-workers!!! Even though I'm upset with myself for doing it, I think it's a reminder to keep myself humble before all my tools. Again, I was lucky.

 

[southbound]

Sorry to hear it!!! Hope you are alright too..

I am 6 foot 2 and I set the round to be split on a big maple round. I have it set so when the Fiskars goes strait though the round it goes in the maple round a inch or two... Right dead center too...

Good luck and be careful...

 

[TreePointer]

Thanks, southbound.

I'm feeling OK. Surprisingly, it doesn't hurt, but here is a little discomfort from the skin being stretched for stitches. I'll have to be off it for a few days, but that's it. If all goes well, the stitches come out in ten days. I do plan on using the Fiskars, but I will be much more careful. It might have to be locked in the gun safe, too, because my brothers and nephews like to split wood when they visit.

I went to a local Irish pub with my family after the ER visit. They all gave me a good (deserved) ribbing for my incident. Pretty good fish and chips, too.