Fiskars Super Splitting Axe with 28" Handle (Model 7854)

[Gaillo]

Last Saturday, while shopping for a new pair of leather work boots, I came across the Fiskars super splitting axe at a shop near where I typically buy shoes. It was in the "garden and home" section of the store, and at first I passed it by - thinking it was just another axe among the 10 or so the store offered. It was only on my way out of the store that the thing caught my eye - it was the shape of the axe head that intrigued me. Kind of a "curved wedge" with somewhat of a high-tech futuristic design and look, attached to a polymer based fiberglass filled hollow handle. I ended up playing around in the store a bit with the thing, hefting it, feeling the weight, looking at it closely, etc. At first, I was a bit sceptical of it's light weight (the head is only 4-1/4 lb.) - but I had a few extra FRN's with me at the time, and they weren't getting any more valuable or useful sitting in my wallet. I finally decided to take it home with me for a test drive.

Here is a link to an amazon.com page of the axe:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004SD7B?tag=.twg-20

I paid about $5 more than the Amazon price, along with a bit of tax, but on the bright side I didn't have to pay any shipping - and I didn't have to wait a week for it to arrive.

I took it to the wood pile, and compared it to the "usual" 7 lb. wedge-style maul. It performed just as good, by any measure that I could subject it to, with far less swinging effort and was seemingly easier control. At first, I was a bit afraid of the thing due to it's shorter handle and lighter weight, I had visions of glancing blows ending up hitting my leg. After a few dozen swings, however, these fears completely went away - this thing is WONDERFULLY easy to control and has a long enough handle length to make it easy to "get out of the way" when something goes wrong. I hit the log behind the axe head twice during my testing, it bounced and hurt a bit, but it didn't seem to harm the axe any. I made one glancing blow into the gravel after placing the wood I was splitting too close to the stump edge, and it did make a few very small dings in the axe edge, but further cutting didn't seem to be affected, and it should "buff right out" with an application of extra-course diamond stone when I get around to it. The axe did not "stick" into wood being split very often, if it didn't have the power to split the wood, it typically bounced or stopped instead of becoming embedded and having to be worked out. It split some old Walnut I had almost as easily as the pine and cedar I typically have lying around, although just like any splitter it didn't do so well when encountering knots.

All in all, I am VERY, VERY impressed with this axe - it's a joy to use, works well, and is quite a bit lighter than mauls typically used. I highly recommend it to anyone who has a lot of wood to split and needs a good virtually indestructable tool for the job.

Available from: Most high-end hardware stores, Amazon.com link above.
Price: $45-$60, depending on source

[Quixote2]

Checked the reviews on Amazon.com and virtually 100% rated the splitting ax 5 stars. Lots of satisified people retireing their old maul to the shed.

Ordered one from amazon.com and it includes free shipping.

When pushing 70 need some help with better tools.

[Book]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80N9nojggOk

[skid]

I bought one a few years ago. It is much better than any other splitting axe on the market. I can split wood faster than with a hydraulic wood splitter. Even wood laying on its side is easy to split if you hit it square and hard. I have probably split 30 cords with the original.

I have bought two more, and one smaller hatchet sized one. Just in case the SHTF:)

[steyr_m]

Where is it made? I only buy things that are made in US/Can/Europe.

[Gaillo]

Where is it made? I only buy things that are made in US/Can/Europe.


Finland.

[Saul Mine]

http://www.thestickler.com/

[skid]

A good axe like the Fiskars is better than any contraption that requires lifting up the rounds and splitting them. If you have spent any time with a hydraulic splitter or similar, you know the first thing to go is your back from all the lifting.

With a good axe, you just walk up to the wood pile and start splitting from the edges. I don't even bother to stand them vertical. I just swing at the sides or what ever orientation the wood is. Big ones that don't split the first swing are pulled out with the axe, and stood vertical for another swing. No bending or lifting.

I usually do a cord or two a day, which is enough. I can usually do this in 2-3 hours.

On another note I counted my Fiskar axes:

3-28 inch splitting axes
1-28 inch cutting ax
1-16 inch hatchet splitter
2-12 inch hatchets.

I sharpened my first 28 inch splitting axe a couple of days ago. The steel is extremely hard. I used a new nicholson mill file, and it had difficulty biting into the axe to sharpen it. The teflon coating has worn off through use, but I don't really notice a big difference.

[Quixote2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoAOYLMU1Wc&NR=1&feature=fvwp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrLiSMQGHvY&feature=related

[skid]

Those videos show how good the Fiskars axes split wood. However, rather than going to all the trouble of tying a bungee cord around the round, if the piece of wood falls on its side, just split it where it sits. No need to bend over to stand a piece of wood to split it. Even big rounds split easy on their sides. There's enough bending anyways way splitting wood. No need to do extra...

Also, those guys sure split their wood in small pieces. I use most of any tree I cut down, and use the smaller branches unsplit to start fires and get them going hot. Then I put in larger pieces that burn longer so i am not always adding wood. If I need to split them a little smaller in the house, I use the Fiskars hatchet splitter. Of course I am doing this in the basement on a concrete floor and not in the living room...

[steyr_m]

Where is it made? I only buy things that are made in US/Can/Europe.


Finland.


Thanks, I ordered a set of LH scissors made by Fiskars and to my dismay I saw they were made in China. I will pick that up since they're "Western" made.

[Fatboy]

Baileys free shipping went away after the 1st of the year but the super splitters are still $39.99.

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=78546984&catID=

Great company to deal with.

[bellevuebully]

I split 8 cords of maple last year with a Fiskars. Very satisfied on all accounts with this ax. We'll see over time if the head mounting setup will take some punishment.

I still carry a spare when I'm in the bush though.

[freespirit]

i bought a 17" fiskars splitting axe for camping last week, and was very happy with it...i could chop my way through a 10" log in about 5 minutes or so, and the splitting was like butter...well worth the $30 i paid (plus tax, obv.) not too heavy or long for the backpack, and a great edge!! too bad they don't make hunting knives!! or throwers!! lmao the only thing i don't like is the bulky plastic carry handle/edge protector...i think i'm gonna have to make a proper sheath for it out of leather...

[koala]

Walked into the canadian tire store today, just to browse. I could'nt believe my eyes, they sell fiskar axes, mostly they just sell china products. I walked out with a 28 inch splitting axe. Can't wait to try it out...I think my neighbor is gone for the weekend, he has a nice pine tree in his front yard.

[koala]

Just a warning to you all, alcohol and axes do not mix... my neighbor is going to be pissed.

[Glass]

Just a warning to you all, alcohol and axes do not mix... my neighbor is going to be pissed.


As long as you don't have a few "new" cords of timber stacked up in plain sight or there is a new architectural "feature" sticking out of his front wall you should be good.

[skid]

My son video'd me chopping some wood with my original Fiskar's axe. I've probably cut 60 cords or more with this original axe and it is going strong. The teflon has long ago worn off the steel, it is a little pitted from being left out in the rain, and the paint is wearing of the handle too. I've only had to sharpen it a few times as the steel is very hard and the edge lasts. Nice, light weight, and splits like crazy. Don't laugh too hard:)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l32UciuqUVM

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/l32UciuqUVM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[MNeagle]

My son video'd me chopping some wood with my original Fiskar's axe. I've probably cut 60 cords or more with this original axe and it is going strong. The teflon has long ago worn off the steel, it is a little pitted from being left out in the rain, and the paint is wearing of the handle too. I've only had to sharpen it a few times as the steel is very hard and the edge lasts. Nice, light weight, and splits like crazy. Don't laugh too hard:)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l32UciuqUVM


Nice technique (& physique) skid!!

[ImaCannin]

Dang skid... it almost looked like you were golfing in some of those shots! I have to agree with MN....

[LuckyStrike]

Thanks for the vid skid.

Looks like some nice wood to split, seems to split nice and clean. Down here it's all oak pretty much which tends stick together more.

[zap]

Nice skid great exercise too ! That will keep you young and healthy. :)

We used to split by hand, but since I am by-myself now , (and kinda lazy) I use a splitfire, although I still have axes.

http://www.split-fire.com/ (http://www.split-fire.com/)Wood Splitters - Double Your Productivity

http://www.split-fire.com/images/homepage/3255.jpgFor more than 25 years Split-Fire Sales Inc., has been the leading manufacturer of the highest quality wood splitters and wood chippers available on the market today. With a complete product line of log splitters and wood chippers for the agricultural, forestry and rental industry, Split-Fire log splitters provide the best possible return on investment (ROI).


But you gotta have gas and oil to run it !

[skid]

Lucky, The toughest wood to split here in the PNW is the softwoods (firs/cedars/hemlocks) near the tops of the trees where all the branches are. That's why I keep a splitting block as I sink the axe head in the round I want to split, then reverse chop the wood down on the chopping block hitting the axe first with the weight of the wood splitting it. The axe makes it easy. Alder always splits nice, and so does the birch and maple. That's all we really have around here for large native hardwood trees (except some rarer cherries and dogwoods) so I can't compare.

[skid]

Nice skid great exercise too ! That will keep you young and healthy. :)

We used to split by hand, but since I am by-myself now , (and kinda lazy) I use a splitfire, although I still have axes.

http://www.split-fire.com/ (http://www.split-fire.com/)Wood Splitters - Double Your Productivity

http://www.split-fire.com/images/homepage/3255.jpgFor more than 25 years Split-Fire Sales Inc., has been the leading manufacturer of the highest quality wood splitters and wood chippers available on the market today. With a complete product line of log splitters and wood chippers for the agricultural, forestry and rental industry, Split-Fire log splitters provide the best possible return on investment (ROI).


But you gotta have gas and oil to run it !




The trouble with the hydraulic splitters is lifting up the heavy rounds over and over again to split them in half. After a few hours my back starts to hurt. There's enough lifting and toting involved with splitting wood as it is. My neighbor offered to let me use his hydraulic splitter but I told him that it was too much work:)

[zap]

The one pictured doesn't show the hydraulic arm that lifts the log for ya ! Mine has one.;)