Splitting/Chopping Tool Review Thread

[Jere39]

Awesome morning for some wood working. I'm splitting up this nice dead Red Oak I took down a week or so ago. These rounds are about 28" here where I'm working, it was 32" at the base. I call this field dressing: splitting where I drop it. This was pretty typical. I set this round on another, then without a wasted strike, or resetting the round, I split it into 16 relatively equal splits.



I like the Fiskars x27 for size, weight, durability, and last but not least; Price. I am very fortunate, I am not splitting for time. I enjoy my time in the woods, with my partner. So, I split 4 rounds, then sit on a stump and think about life. Don't have it nearly figured out yet, so, I'll have plenty more thinking to do.
I'd love to take a couple wacks with one or another of the expensive splitting axes, but, if I were to lose this Fiskars, I'd buy another as fast as I could.

And, FWIW, I loaded up my small cart and hauled it to my stacks for seasoning:

 

[svk]

Awesome morning for some wood working. I'm splitting up this nice dead Red Oak I took down a week or so ago. These rounds are about 28" here where I'm working, it was 32" at the base. I call this field dressing: splitting where I drop it. This was pretty typical. I set this round on another, then without a wasted strike, or resetting the round, I split it into 16 relatively equal splits.

View attachment 452006

I like the Fiskars x27 for size, weight, durability, and last but not least; Price. I am very fortunate, I am not splitting for time. I enjoy my time in the woods, with my partner. So, I split 4 rounds, then sit on a stump and think about life. Don't have it nearly figured out yet, so, I'll have plenty more thinking to do.
I'd love to take a couple wacks with one or another of the expensive splitting axes, but, if I were to lose this Fiskars, I'd buy another as fast as I could.

And, FWIW, I loaded up my small cart and hauled it to my stacks for seasoning:

View attachment 452008

New wheeler? Looks nice.

 

[Philbert]

Fiskars hatchet on sale right now at Target.com, for about $19, if you are into those types of things . . .

UPDATE - Don't ever buy something off Target.com. Advertised items not in stock (and maybe out of stock until Spring?), unbelievably bad customer service, and new levels of incompetence and indifference ('wow, we really screwed up that order; no idea what is happening; maybe try canceling that order and ordering again?')

Not what I have come to expect from Target retail stores.

Anyway, this is not a complaint thread, but I felt obligated to follow up on my earlier post. No responses needed, but I apologize if I sent anyone to that site.

Philbert

 

[Jere39]

New wheeler? Looks nice.

No, same old 2002 Bombardier Quest 650xt. I don't really put many hours on it, because I am working so close to my house, my stacks, my driveway. But, all the hours are low-range and pulling something. I had it along side some things I was power-washing a couple weeks ago, and probably gave it a good spray. It has worked out perfectly for my little One man-One dog operation.

 

[Philbert]

Had to buy several of these for a project. Ended up buying them from two different places (long story). But I get to compare them side-by-side.


Obvious cosmetic differences include the two-color handle on one, and the black finish on the head of the other.

Other than that, it looks like cars that came down the same assembly line: one with the 'ES' trim, and one with the 'sport appearance package'. Both made in Finland.

Philbert

 

[tla100]

Picked up an old axe at a service call the other day for $5. It is an old Plumb brand. Decent head design. Pulled off the old handle. hit it with 120 grit on angle grinder. Cleaned up edge a bit. New handle and a little time. Soaked it in silicone spray. Hit a couple chunks of ash and works ok. Not prefect, but I did not spend a ton of time on it. Can shave with it.....

 

[Philbert]

Plumb good deal . . .

Philbert

 

[svk]

Picked up an old axe at a service call the other day for $5. It is an old Plumb brand. Decent head design. Pulled off the old handle. hit it with 120 grit on angle grinder. Cleaned up edge a bit. New handle and a little time. Soaked it in silicone spray. Hit a couple chunks of ash and works ok. Not prefect, but I did not spend a ton of time on it. Can shave with it.....

Looks great! I have an old plumb in my arsenal somewhere.

 

[Ronaldo]

Picked up an old axe at a service call the other day for $5. It is an old Plumb brand. Decent head design. Pulled off the old handle. hit it with 120 grit on angle grinder. Cleaned up edge a bit. New handle and a little time. Soaked it in silicone spray. Hit a couple chunks of ash and works ok. Not prefect, but I did not spend a ton of time on it. Can shave with it.....

Nice work on the restore! I have an old Plumb double that was my Grandfather's. I really like seeing these old quality tools brought back to life.

 

[zogger]

Picked up an old axe at a service call the other day for $5. It is an old Plumb brand. Decent head design. Pulled off the old handle. hit it with 120 grit on angle grinder. Cleaned up edge a bit. New handle and a little time. Soaked it in silicone spray. Hit a couple chunks of ash and works ok. Not prefect, but I did not spend a ton of time on it. Can shave with it.....

That sure cleaned up nice!

 

[tla100]

Yeah it turned out ok. Could have hit with 220 grit and up, smoothed it out a bit more, then hit it with the buffer. But, ran out of time. Need to get the polyurethane off the handle and get some boiled linseed oil on it. I think it will be ok on smaller rounds.

 

[Philbert]

This just showed up in the morning e-mails . . .



Philbert

 

[svk]

Saw that too. Looks similar to my old true temper axe.

 

[Jere39]

I may be missing something, but I haven't taken an ax into the woods for support of felling in a long time. I have a nice ax, but it's been sitting in the garage for years. Of course, if I ever do need it, I can stroll up to my garage and get it. I do carry one of the Fiskars hatchets that comes in handy for knocking off eye level branches, driving wedges, shaving off some bark, and a couple other things it gets pressed into service on.

But, I admit, I'm a small time enterprise, and have gotten well past the age of hurrying at anything.

 

[svk]

I only axe fell in non motorized areas and when I need to clear a tree from a road/trail and don't have a saw with.

 

[svk]

Made some kindling today. When the truck was 2/3 full I split the rest into fire pit sized splits. Love the smell of cedar.

Old True Temper splitting axe was up to the task. My 8 year old did some of the smaller splits with the Fiskars chopping axe. We kept the S2800 on hand to bust up the odd knotty piece.

I'll tell you one thing. The Fiskars chopping axe (blacked out version of the X15) splits wood far and away better than and traditional chopping axe I've ever used. It's definitely my canoe trip go-to axe going forward.

 

[Dalmatian90]

 

[TMFARM 2009]

Have I ever told you how much I like my fiskars!
Meet the trio!



i even use gerber knives.
still want a fiskars hatchet a brush axe and a set of loppers.

 

[dancan]

Am I the first on the block to get the new toy just out ?

 

[Ronaldo]

First I've seen anything of it. Details please;like how much, who makes it, etc.