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Fiskars spalt axe

Comments

  • #2
    forgottenhills
    Registered Users Posts: 441 ✭✭forgottenhills


    Accidentally wrote: »
    Time to replace the handle on my old spalthammer, and thinking of trying one of the fiskars resin axes. Mainly for hardwood, particularly the joyous task of splitting elm.

    https://www.knivesandtools.ie/en/pt/-fiskars-safe-t-x39-large-splitting-axe.htm?gclid=CjwKCAiAzNj9BRBDEiwAPsL0d2t9Y7oDk1zMpfVma24r1015Yse8YHIZ0qNlhRmMp3a61MZi8MRE_xoCaV0QAvD_BwE

    Has anyone tried one of these, and are they as good as the reviews would suggest.

    I've never used one of these but thinking of trying one. There is a cheaper maul on that site https://www.knivesandtools.ie/en/pt/-fiskars-x27-large-splitting-maul.htm which is a good deal lighter so might be easier to use if you are doing a lot of chopping in one day. The dearer one has a piece of polymer at the back of the head which they suggest is better for hitting wedges.


  • #3
    Genghis Cant
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,980 Mod ✭✭✭✭Genghis Cant


    I have the X27.
    It's the best axe I've ever used. Absolute baste of a tool.
    Having used it all last winter on big timber I wouldn't go for the bigger axe. The X27 is big enough and still light enough to swing and swing hard.
    I've a couple of heavier splitting mauls here and compared them side by side on the same timber last winter. No comparison. The X27 hands down better. Buy it you won't be sorry.

    Edit. Just looking at the weights of the X39 vs the X27. It's 2600g vs 3900g. That's a big difference. I dunno would I like to be swinging near 4kgs for long!


  • #4
    Accidentally
    Registered Users Posts: 255 ✭✭Accidentally


    Thanks lads.

    I'm particularly interested in the polymer head, as I do use metal wedges sometimes and I had a near miss last year with a metal shard from one. Unfortunately this only seems to come with the heavier spalt axe. My current head is 3.2kg, so hopefully not too bad. I'll report back :)


  • #5
    Vittu
    Registered Users Posts: 299 ✭✭Vittu


    I have the x27, good value for money. Its heavy enough for a days work, not sure I would like heavier. Very little I couldn't split with it. A wedge could deal with the rest.


  • #6
    forgottenhills
    Registered Users Posts: 441 ✭✭forgottenhills


    I've just ordered the X27 and a round sharpening stone after spending probably too much time on that website. I never knew as much about axes in my life as I do now! So that's my fitness work sorted for the Christmas break.

    I think as well as the weight aspect of the axe head it is also important to check the length of the handle when buying online (I actually prefer to buy something like this in a shop if possible to get a feel of the balance etc). Some of the axes listed on that site seem to have quite short handles, 70cm or shorter, so not much use in my view for swinging at a piece of knotty hardwood.


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  • #7
    Genghis Cant
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,980 Mod ✭✭✭✭Genghis Cant


    forgottenhills wrote: »
    I've just ordered the X27 and a round sharpening stone after spending probably too much time on that website. I never knew as much about axes in my life as I do now! So that's my fitness work sorted for the Christmas break.

    I think as well as the weight aspect of the axe head it is also important to check the length of the handle when buying online (I actually prefer to buy something like this in a shop if possible to get a feel of the balance etc). Some of the axes listed on that site seem to have quite short handles, 70cm or shorter, so not much use in my view for swinging at a piece of knotty hardwood.

    The X27 is certainly the tool for the knotty hardwood.
    It's a long enough axe. Suitable for the taller user I'd say.
    For handy splitting I'd like to give say the X25 a go. Maybe I should buy one ! :=)


  • #8
    Large bottle small glass
    Registered Users Posts: 1,713 ✭✭✭Large bottle small glass


    Accidentally wrote: »
    Thanks lads.

    I'm particularly interested in the polymer head, as I do use metal wedges sometimes and I had a near miss last year with a metal shard from one. Unfortunately this only seems to come with the heavier spalt axe. My current head is 3.2kg, so hopefully not too bad. I'll report back :)

    I think the one you linked has a 3kg head, which isn't light. Hultafors reckon anything over 1.5kg can't be used for long by the average person.

    The problem with the heavy heads is they are hard work and to get speed up you need a long handle, and therefore less precision.

    Getting speed up is beneficial; if you double speed of head you quadruple the energy hitting wood.

    It's a pity we don't have a well developed wood cutting culture where you can walk into local hardware shop and test different makes, handle lengths, weight etc.

    I love to give a Leveraxe a go for the craic, needs a completely different technique to a regular splitting maul. There are quite a few other manufacturers other than Fiskars making nice axes/mauls, gransfors, wetterlings etc

    I'm a complete pussy when it comes to splitting, I split fresh and don't bother at all with knotty wood, so any old thing will do me.

    There must be good stuff on Youtube etc on improving splitting technique that some lads might know?
    Nice to see not all lads have gone hydraulic!


  • #9
    forgottenhills
    Registered Users Posts: 441 ✭✭forgottenhills


    Large bottle small glass wrote: »
    I think the one you linked has a 3kg head, which isn't light. Hultafors reckon anything over 1.5kg can't be used for long by the average person.

    The problem with the heavy heads is they are hard work and to get speed up you need a long handle, and therefore less precision.

    Getting speed up is beneficial; if you double speed of head you quadruple the energy hitting wood.

    It's a pity we don't have a well developed wood cutting culture where you can walk into local hardware shop and test different makes, handle lengths, weight etc.

    I love to give a Leveraxe a go for the craic, needs a completely different technique to a regular splitting maul. There are quite a few other manufacturers other than Fiskars making nice axes/mauls, gransfors, wetterlings etc

    I'm a complete pussy when it comes to splitting, I split fresh and don't bother at all with knotty wood, so any old thing will do me.

    There must be good stuff on Youtube etc on improving splitting technique that some lads might know?
    Nice to see not all lads have gone hydraulic!

    The best splitting technique is to choose your wood carefully! I had to split elm once and I said never again! The most energy sapping part of chopping by hand is if your axe is getting stuck in the wood and you have to free it regularly. That's a real no-no in terms of efficiency.

    Its impossible to avoid wood with some knots and it just takes lots of practice to look at a hardwood round and to know where exactly to hit the wood along the grain so that it will split as easily as possible. If I hit something a few good whacks and its not splitting then I throw it aside for the chainsaw. Otherwise you can waste 90% of your energy on the 10% or less of logs that are tough.


  • #10
    Genghis Cant
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,980 Mod ✭✭✭✭Genghis Cant


    Elm can be outrageous to split. Hard and knotty.
    The first thing I do to make it easier to split is cut the rings as short as possible. Maybe even 6" or so.
    It makes a world of difference!


  • #11
    Accidentally
    Registered Users Posts: 255 ✭✭Accidentally


    Genghis Cant wrote: »
    Elm can be outrageous to split. Hard and knotty.
    The first thing I do to make it easier to split is cut the rings as short as possible. Maybe even 6" or so.
    It makes a world of difference!

    Seasoned elm is a nightmare, when it's fresh it's not as bad. If only everything split like ash.


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  • #12
    Dinzee Conlee
    Registered Users Posts: 2,138 ✭✭✭Dinzee Conlee


    Accidentally wrote: »
    Seasoned elm is a nightmare, when it's fresh it's not as bad. If only everything split like ash.

    Splitting elm that was in the shed with 12 months+ at the minute, with a hatchet (and sledge)

    Tis slow going...

    I was looking at either an x27 or an x37 - but it seems the x27 is the most recommended... So, we'll treat ourselves to that for Christmas... :D


  • #13
    49801
    Registered Users Posts: 1,844 ✭✭✭49801


    Another +1 for fiskers x27


  • #14
    forgottenhills
    Registered Users Posts: 441 ✭✭forgottenhills


    I ordered the x27 off the website on the 20th but no sign of it here yet. Looking at the tracking it seems to be coming from Germany (last tracked in Cologne on the 24th) but is hasn't being handed over to An Post for delivery yet. So I wonder is it stuck in a warehouse somewhere in Germany.


  • #15
    Lime Tree Farm
    Registered Users Posts: 2,607 ✭✭✭Lime Tree Farm


    forgottenhills wrote: »
    I ordered the x27 off the website on the 20th but no sign of it here yet. Looking at the tracking it seems to be coming from Germany (last tracked in Cologne on the 24th) but is hasn't being handed over to An Post for delivery yet. So I wonder is it stuck in a warehouse somewhere in Germany.

    My experience, you wont get an update on the An Post page, but you will get a text the evening before it is delivered.


  • #16
    Bullocks
    Registered Users Posts: 5,890 ✭✭✭Bullocks


    I bought a X 27 during the spring. Great yoke. And I had a small fiskars.
    Some dick took them from the yard. I'll have to go again but keep them locked up!


  • #17
    SmartinMartin
    Registered Users Posts: 2,937 ✭✭✭SmartinMartin


    Another shout here for the x27, I'd be lost without it.


  • #18
    forgottenhills
    Registered Users Posts: 441 ✭✭forgottenhills


    Lime Tree Farm wrote: »
    My experience, you wont get an update on the An Post page, but you will get a text the evening before it is delivered.

    Got an update on tracking this evening that my delivery is with An Post down in the Portlaoise sorting centre and has been down there for 2 days now. No rush with these lads. The likes of DPD seem much quicker to deliver in this country. Anyway I'm not stuck for it and it will arrive in its own sweet time.


  • #19
    greysides
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 8,971 Mod ✭✭✭✭greysides


    Accidentally wrote: »
    Time to replace the handle on my old spalthammer, and thinking of trying one of the fiskars resin axes. Mainly for hardwood, particularly the joyous task of splitting elm.

    https://www.knivesandtools.ie/en/pt/-fiskars-safe-t-x39-large-splitting-axe.htm?gclid=CjwKCAiAzNj9BRBDEiwAPsL0d2t9Y7oDk1zMpfVma24r1015Yse8YHIZ0qNlhRmMp3a61MZi8MRE_xoCaV0QAvD_BwE

    Has anyone tried one of these, and are they as good as the reviews would suggest.

    [JOKE]


    I would like to take the time to thank you for the link in your opening post. Due to my ignorance of such matters I took it upon myself to click on the link. After a brief edification I left the site.

    However since, googleads has been populating my phone with pictures of axes of ALL sorts at every opportunity!

    Having seen the content on my phone recently, my other half is now scared to go to bed at night in case she's murdered in her sleep. This is having a deleterious effect on my social activity.

    The only positive is, it's replaced all the pictures of girls in underwear.


    [/JOKE]

    The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress. Joseph Joubert

    The ultimate purpose of debate is not to produce consensus. It's to promote critical thinking.

    Adam Grant



  • #20
    Genghis Cant
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,980 Mod ✭✭✭✭Genghis Cant


    greysides wrote: »
    [JOKE]


    I would like to take the time to thank you for the link in your opening post. Due to my ignorance of such matters I took it upon myself to click on the link. After a brief edification I left the site.

    However since, googleads has been populating my phone with pictures of axes of ALL sorts at every opportunity!

    Having seen the content on my phone recently, my other half is now scared to go to bed at night in case she's murdered in her sleep. This is having a deleterious effect on my social activity.

    The only positive is, it's replaced all the pictures of girls in underwear.


    [/JOKE]

    Contender for post of the day! :=)


  • #21
    Accidentally
    Registered Users Posts: 255 ✭✭Accidentally


    greysides wrote: »
    [JOKE]


    I would like to take the time to thank you for the link in your opening post. Due to my ignorance of such matters I took it upon myself to click on the link. After a brief edification I left the site.

    However since, googleads has been populating my phone with pictures of axes of ALL sorts at every opportunity!

    Having seen the content on my phone recently, my other half is now scared to go to bed at night in case she's murdered in her sleep. This is having a deleterious effect on my social activity.

    The only positive is, it's replaced all the pictures of girls in underwear.


    [/JOKE]

    I had a period of about two months where they bombarded me with ads for gay cruises. I'm not gay and I think of a cruise as being stuck on a car ferry for two weeks, so no idea where this determination came from.

    The axe adverts have now been replaced by sharpening stones and greenhouses, so don't give up hope :)


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  • #22
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,615 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    greysides wrote: »
    [JOKE]


    I would like to take the time to thank you for the link in your opening post. Due to my ignorance of such matters I took it upon myself to click on the link. After a brief edification I left the site.

    However since, googleads has been populating my phone with pictures of axes of ALL sorts at every opportunity!

    Having seen the content on my phone recently, my other half is now scared to go to bed at night in case she's murdered in her sleep. This is having a deleterious effect on my social activity.

    The only positive is, it's replaced all the pictures of girls in underwear.


    [/JOKE]

    It's Silky saws for me:D I'll help dispose of the body:rolleyes:

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



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