Fiskars X27 What a Piece of Plastic
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Gypo Logger
Timber Baron
You're right I may be wrong, but I can't see using a splitting device wth a handle less than 36" just to dangerous and limited leverage.
Should the young guy in the vid have at least got a few pieces off that block curly or not?
Gypo Logger
Timber Baron
Speaking of wood you guys should see how cold it is here! Minus 39F!
Staying warm feeding two stoves to heat 300 sq.ft.
Staying warm feeding two stoves to heat 300 sq.ft.
He wasn't using it right. I have no problem with someone liking one tool more than another, and I have no stock in Fiskars. But hitting those monster rounds in the center with any splitting tool is not the right way to go. Just 'cause he got them to split eventually, does not mean that it was a good technique. Different tools for different tasks, but they still have to be used correctly to get good results.
That said, as I mentioned before, I will bet that there are guys who could reduce those rounds to stove wood using a Fiskars, even though I would not want to do it that way.
Best thing would be to try one side-by-side with what you normally use, in the type(s) of wood you normally split. Might work for you, might not. Try one at a GTG, or buy one from a store with a 'satisfaction guaranteed' return policy for low risk.
Philbert
(Weather here in Central Minnesota is only a few digits below zero, but the wind chill is pretty significant. Sun is out, so it is a cheerful cold!).
firebrick43
Life is all about big saws
Um, an x27 has a 36" handle. I have a 8lb snow Neely maul, a 6 lb Japanese maul(brand unknown but everyone that has handled it liked it, used to be my favorite) and an x27. Unless I have to drive wedges I use the x27 now. I does pretty good in most woods. Other day when cutting up a large sugar maple I ran out of gas on the saw. A couple of the 24" branches I had cut most of the way thru but couldn't roll the over to finish until other pieces where split and out of the way. When I got down to these last few pieces the neighbor chuckled and said we would have to come back later for them(no gas for the saw). Pulled out the x27 and 2 mins later had half a dozen rounds to finish splitting. It still functions somewhat as an axe. If I had the just the maul I would of had to come back.
Also broke one maul handle a year normally. Haven't broke the handle yet. Also hate fiberglass handles due to more shock, yet the Fiskars Handle feels just as good as a wood one.
Gypo Logger
Timber Baron
Sorry, didn't know they came with a 36"
I'll go crawl back under my rock. Lol
I have a couple of the Fiskars chopping axes. I use them for limbing smaller branches and driving plastic wedges. Light and easy to carry (28" handle?). I am sure that I could also split some smaller stuff with them.
Philbert
Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
I was breaking up 34" white oak rounds yesterday. About half broke with a few swings of my Chopper1 axe, and the rest went with wedges and the 8lb maul. A couple got noodled as they had knots/twisted grain and would have ruined my stacks!
Noodling is fun but slower, and it was good to get out and get exercise. I don't get enough this time of year and I lose my strength so fast it seems.
MechanicMatt
Cut Split Stack Burn
Gypo, I love my fiskars, but on the other hand I've seen pics of your wood pile. What ever your doing works for you.
Do whatever you have to, to keep your beer from freezing!
The thing I just don't understand is why a few people possess such hatred for the Fiskars. If it doesn't work as well for you or the types of wood you split, that's fine. But clearly it works really well for a lot of people.
mn woodcutter
ArboristSite Guru
I think lots of the "hatred" that people show towards the fiskars is based on expectations.
Good point.
I read all of the reviews on here and finally ordered one for myself. Was pleasantly surprised with my own results. Due to the weight and handling it made hand splitting enjoyable.
I do think it's funny how many people get a x27 and immediately attack their "noodle pile" with mixed results. It's no secret that a *good* maul will work better than a Fiskars in tough wood. But nobody I know can swing a maul effectively for several hours. You can with a Fiskars.
My issue with that is that there is a reason why those rounds are in a 'noodle' or 'fugly' pile to begin with - they did not want to hand split them with their exiting maul! If you want to compare tools, use them in similar wood. At least 'Thor' did that in the initial video, even if neither tool was optimal for the task!
Philbert
Also worth noting that the most vocal opponent of the Fiskars on the whole site has swung one less than a dozen times.....
Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
And I think a lot of that is from people who didn't split with a axe, but were used to a maul or somesuch. It takes a different technique.
To me the X27 is not significantly different from the axes I usually use, and I suspect once the coating wears off it loses much of that difference. It's OK, but I like my wooded handles better.
D
Deleted member 116684
Guest
holy crap thats cold
The coating is long gone on mine, never noticed a difference. If it gets into the wood deep enough to where the coating would make a difference, the piece is usually already split.
I like the @benp theory: If it doesn't show signs of splitting in 5 hits, it gets noodled.
This statement gives me a laugh as this was so angrily debated a few threads back with the haters vehemently stating there was no difference in technique.
