Fiskars x27 Splitting Axe

[UrbanTractor]

Well Jere,

I shopped around to see about renting a splitter for a day, and it was going to be in the neighborhood of $90. Plus, the units being rented around here are HUGE -- I wouldn't be able to get one into my backyard without a lot of hassle.

So, based on your solid recommendation, I have a Fiskars X27 on order ($49 including shipping.) It should be here in time for the weekend. It looks like I'll be getting some exercise.

I will report back when I make some progress on the woodpile.

[FrankMA]

I've got an X25 and that works well for me although I don't think I 'd have any problem with the X27. To be honest, if I could have bought the X27 I most likely would have but I found the X25 at Walmart during one of their end of season close out type pricing deals and scored the X25 for fairly short $$$. You know how that works at Wally World...right place, right time.

[grnspot110]

I bought an x27 last Fall, really like it! I have a 3-pt splitter but normally, I would rather split by hand. I'd been using an 8# maul, before that a Monster Maul. ~~ grnspot

[MF283]

I finally got to use mine some this weekend, "WOW" don't think i'll pick the wood maul up ever again

Ronnie

[UrbanTractor]

Originally Posted by MF283

I finally got to use mine some this weekend, "WOW" don't think i'll pick the wood maul up ever again

Ronnie

Well, I've had ours for two weekends now, and am equally impressed. The X27 slices through most straight grain wood with comparative ease. It is a very impressive tool.

The length of the handle is no problem, and I am three inches shorter than Jere's 5'10". I am certain that I would not want the shorter handled X25. The longer handle seems to give it an extra oomph, maybe by having a higher impact speed and force.

I have still used the sledge and maul on a few rounds that were badly knotted. But even in those cases, the X27 made things easier by getting it started and by finishing things off.

I would say that if you split your own wood by hand, this is an indispensable tool. I want to thank Jere for this review, without which I would not have been aware of this Fiskars splitting axe.

[MF283]

I was looking at a Gerber hatchet the other day, it is made by Fiskars as well, in Gerber packaging.

Ronnie

[MacLawn]

That does it! If any of y'all have a Monster Maul and like this splitter as good - I'm in! I will look and might buy today.

[MF283]

Originally Posted by MacLawn

That does it! If any of y'all have a Monster Maul and like this splitter as good - I'm in! I will look and might buy today.

I don't think you'd be disappointed, their website listed Ace Hardware as a dealer, they couldn't order one. Tru Value Hardware is also listed , they ordered mine even though they didn't stock it.

Ronnie

[Jere39]

Well, it's just getting too hot for working in the woods around here, so, I dropped my "you pick up" price to "Fire Sale" levels and sold the last 4 cords of oak I had split last week. The guy told me he'd take all I had (at least at my fire sale prices), so I pulled a couple more loads out of the woods and restocked my loading pile. I try to handle the stuff as few times as possible, so I pulled a small load with my tractor to my splitting and stacking spot and split them as I took them out of the trailer, then stacked them. The x27 went through this red oak fine.



Stack is more stable than it looks, but it should be empty again by the end of the week anyway.

I think this is the last load I'll pull out of the woods this year, time to get the snow blade off, and the mower deck on.




I still have 2 cord of red oak bucked and ready to split in case we have a couple more cool mornings and I feel the need to exercise the x27 some more.

[MF283]

I hear ya Jere, i've already mowed twice, i think we had more hail accumlation than snow this winter, i have about one more rick to split & the rest will wait til fall.

Ronnie

[UrbanTractor]

Nice work there, Jere. You don't waste any time, and that X27 looks like it handles the oak nicely.

Say, what is the going rate for a cord of oak cut and split like that?

Originally Posted by Jere39

Well, it's just getting too hot for working in the woods around here, so, I dropped my "you pick up" price to "Fire Sale" levels and sold the last 4 cords of oak I had split last week. The guy told me he'd take all I had (at least at my fire sale prices), so I pulled a couple more loads out of the woods and restocked my loading pile. I try to handle the stuff as few times as possible, so I pulled a small load with my tractor to my splitting and stacking spot and split them as I took them out of the trailer, then stacked them. The x27 went through this red oak fine.



Stack is more stable than it looks, but it should be empty again by the end of the week anyway.

I think this is the last load I'll pull out of the woods this year, time to get the snow blade off, and the mower deck on.




I still have 2 cord of red oak bucked and ready to split in case we have a couple more cool mornings and I feel the need to exercise the x27 some more.

[Jere39]

Cut, split, delivered, and dumped - $175, or Restacked - $200. I'm offering better prices for people who bring their own truck and load it here. I stand by and watch. Saves my back, saves my trailer, saves my gas.

BTW, I've accidently tapped into a whole new market, wood for smokers and barbecue pits. I had a hickory come down last October. It's miserable to split, but people love it for their smokers. They typically come for a trunk load, and have come back. I had one young couple drive over an hour to pick some up. I think they just wanted a drive in the country. I've included wild american cherry in my specialty wood offers. I've got plent of cherry here to cut, but it's rare for a hickory to die and/or fall. I have one more that completely lost its top in the october storm, so I'll cut it when I run out. It is a pain to split, but the prices are right.

[UrbanTractor]

Originally Posted by Jere39

Cut, split, delivered, and dumped - $175, or Restacked - $200. I'm offering better prices for people who bring their own truck and load it here. I stand by and watch. Saves my back, saves my trailer, saves my gas.

BTW, I've accidently tapped into a whole new market, wood for smokers and barbecue pits. I had a hickory come down last October. It's miserable to split, but people love it for their smokers. They typically come for a trunk load, and have come back. I had one young couple drive over an hour to pick some up. I think they just wanted a drive in the country. I've included wild american cherry in my specialty wood offers. I've got plent of cherry here to cut, but it's rare for a hickory to die and/or fall. I have one more that completely lost its top in the october storm, so I'll cut it when I run out. It is a pain to split, but the prices are right.

That is a great price. Around here, I'd pay that much for half as much or less.

The specialty wood is a clever market to get into. Much less volume of work, and better returns.

A variation on specialty wood down here, is local wood. There is a growing concern about these invasive beetle species, that are spreading eastward. There are increasing grumblings about the hazards of bringing wood into this metropolitan area, that was cut farther to the west in the mountains and foothills. Some people only want "local" wood as a consequence.

[cjet69]

Well, after checking the length of the axe I've been using, and comparing the X27 and X25, I decided to go with the X25. If I run into anything tough I'll fire up the splitter. I did some splitting with it and it works good.

[qball16]

I bought the x27 this spring. We brought it out to the cabin in the Black Hills in May for our annual trout fishing trip. My buddies were smirking at it more than a little. Then they used it. It sliced through that Ponderosa pine like nobody's business. I have not tried it on the hard woods yet - but I expect similar results. Keep it sharp and it will do things that you would never imagine! I bought the little Fiskars sharpener with it and it's a cinch to touch up the blade.