I guess both are good in their own way, but wood handles feel and work way more smooth. I love that you consider price for the common people watching though
well my x27 still has Made in Finland mark. And its not cheap, (not extra expansive either). As far as im going to split wood for my house i dont thing ill need more expansive stuf,...
Well Gränsfors bruk, Husqvarna and Hultafors axes are still hand-forged in Sweden. Just to name 3 old and traditional axe makers. My personal favorite is Hultafors because they are made close to where I live. (Fiskars is something else. It's like a Mora knife. Fairly cheap but still very effective.)
@@hessuhopolainenIt's an old company. But they are big business nowadays. Fiskars Group is a giant also owning Georg Jensen, Royal Copenhagen, Hackman, Wedgwood, Moomin Arabia, Gerber, Iittala, Waterford, Rörstrand etc.
Good comparison! A nifty bit of trivia about Fiskars is the fact that Fiskars is one of the oldest companies in the world that is still in business. The company was founded all the way back in 1649 in Fiskars, Finland.
It's really old for a Finnish company, considering that Finland was basically still in the iron age around 1300's. Stora Enso is the only Finnish company that can trace its history further, but that old side is from the Swedish Stora AB that merged with Finnish Enso Oyj, resulting in a Finnish company Stora Enso Oyj. But in the scale of the whole world, Fiskars is not even close to being one of the oldest. There are over 60 companies from before 1300 that are still operational, and hundreds that are older than Fiskars.
@@wombat4191 Well.. Considering the company is still _at least_ in the top 0.1% of the oldest companies in the world, I think that still counts for something. And I got that number by giving a HUGE benefit of doubt by considering there'd be only one million companies in the whole world and 1000 (which is much more than what you said) older companies than that. In reality, it's much higher than that.
I've used a synthetic handle Fiskars splitting axe to split firewood for the past 15 years. 5+ cords a year, wore the orange paint off the handle. The best thing is the light weight and tip speed. Ypu don't get tired using it because it is light. I can split a cord a day and I'm in my 60's. I split wood lying on it's side, standing up, on a pile, wherever. Best splitting axe I've used and it is durable.
And if you spray expanding gap filling foam inside the handle, it become more vibration dampening than even the wooden ones (it also stiffens them up noticeably too).
@@Simobunjevac Are asking if you fill the handle with sand? It might, but it would make it way to heavy. The nice thing about this axe is how light but sturdy the handle is.
@Simobunjevac You shouldn't be feeling uncomfortable vibrations through the handle of a Fiskars if you know how to swing an axe. The transfer less shock than Hickory
I answered this question for myself years ago. I got my Dad’s axes long after he passed and they all needed work. I’m talking legacy brands that needed new handles and restoring. Now my daughter and I use them together and they’ll be hers and lord willing my grandchildren’s.
A lot of people justify `Gränsfors Bruk` as being "heirloom" that will pass down for generations. Which I have too. But, now that I have had 3 fiskars axes (a hatchet, splitting maul, and chopping axe) for 15yrs, I think the Fiskars are just as much of an heirloom. Probably the one my kids will cherish the most... because if there is a job needed to be done that requires an axe, it is the only one offered to them. These axes have been left out in rain and snow (for an entire season) and still going strong. They just work and don't care how they are treated.
This has been my experience also. The long handle fiskars I bought, I don't even know how long ago is still going. It gets left out at the wood pile often and sits out in all sorts of weather. I pull it out of the block and start cutting. It doesn't let me down.
I got fiskars splitting axe like 15 years ago from a woodworking company as a gift it was used. I chop 10m3 of fire wood every year for my house, also i sometimes chop wood in summer for my neighbors. The axe is still holds up no problem. Even tho i prefer human handmade tools, i really love that axe.
I inherited my dads synthetic handled Fiskars axes from the early 90s and they still work great. Sure, there's cosmetic wear on them, but functionally they're like new. A 30+ year lifespan seems pretty good already and I don't see myself breaking them with normal use.
I liked your comparison. I'm 67. I split 2-3 chords a year. I have several axes and a couple of mauls. Some need repair and a couple are in midst of that repair. My common 'go to' are a 3 1/2lb ax with a synthetic handle and an 8lb maul on hickory. I love the maul. I use it 80-90% of the time. I get the 'handle shock' you mentioned with the ax. But I normally only use it on smaller stuff and the shock is minimal. Your closing is spot on. What feels good to you, what works for you, and what is your priority on spending. For me, splitting is therapy. Good exercise, but great for my emotional well-being. Nothing clears my head and sets the world right like swinging 8lbs of steel over my head and destroying a round. (gunpowder therapy comes close but doesn't provide the exercise as well) Thanks for a great video.
Spray expanding gap filling foam inside the handle of the synthetic axe and it will drastically dampen the vibration feed back. It also stiffens it up a bit. Since most inexpensive expanding foam nowadays is open celled foam, you do want to seal the end with something waterproof or at least highly water resistant, whether a layer of epoxy, really good tape, or what not.
I can't speak on axes, but my grandma has a Fiskars hatchet she bought at Lowe's when she worked there back in 2006. So pushing 19 years with it now. We forgot that thing out in the yard soo many times growing up. Sometimes for weeks. Would find it out in the garden by some mulberries covered in surface rust on the blade. Cleaned it up with a wire brush and good as new. Had to sharpen it a couple times cause I definitely was very careless with it; accidentally hitting rocks, blocks, bricks, etc. Used to try to throw it at trees when I was a teenager. Idk the exact model, but it looks similar to the modern X7. I loved that thing... man, I need to get my own Fiskars hatchet haha
I got that gränsfors a few years back and I definitely don't regret it. I used to split wood with a chopping axe, and the difference to me was just mindblowing. They are very nicely finished, like you said, just top of the line, great craftsmanship axe with great warranty, an heirloom to pass onto generations
There is an easy and inexpensive fix for the Fiskars axe. It both stiffens it up and absorbs vibrations well. Get a can of the largest gap spray foam you can find. Spray it inside the handle. Cut off the excess. Once it has fully cured, put a layer of epoxy over the spray foam, to seal it from water. (If the inside of the axe is dirty, before doing this, clean it out first with some soap and water but let it fully dry before spraying in the spray foam). That axe handle on average will outlive wood ones. You can also reinforce a wood axe handle with S grade fiberglass cloth and high strength lamination epoxy, but this is more time consuming and expensive than the above. Edited to remove solvent cleaning advice
I have to admit I'm intrigued to try, but the thought of trying to remove the foam in case I don't like how it feels seems a bit daunting. That said I don't feel the vibration issue is that big of a problem anyway once I've learnt the correct technique to use the Fiskars handle. For me the best way to use them has been to take advantage of the expanding width and relatively low friction of the handle by letting it slide slightly at the end of the swing, so that I don't grip the handle as firmly once it hits the log. This way the vibration doesn't transfer to my hands and I can keep chopping wood for longer.
Used the fiskars one for 5 years. It's wonderful. I often cleave during winter, if it's minus 20, the handle doesn't get too cold. I actually enjoy the flexibility, I have a joint condition so I can't really follow through with the strokes. I just use a long swing and momentum, and when it's not enough, I use a small sledge mallet to slam it the rest of the way. For the healthy, young strong cleavers out there, a heavy wooden axe is probably more effective. Wooden handles are easily cared for with bees wax treatments. I carry a box on my vest, and whenever I'm done I give it a rub down the length, keeps the hands healthy too.
I absolutely agree with what you are saying. For me right now a synthetic axe is enough, because I don't chop that much wood. But if it would be my profession, I would definitely get the tool made by a real craftsman! The Greanfors you have is an absolute amazing tool. While I'm writing this and think about it, it might be worth it even for me, because I could pass it down to my nephews. Thanks for your great work!
The shear joy of using high quality tools, even for smaller/less time consuming jobs is s real thing. If you chop wood for half an hour or more at a time, the lesser buildup of shock in your joints alone will be worth good money. The experience of the whole chore will change. I myself have mostly cheaper tools, and I would probably buy a Fiskars axe, should I ned to split wood one day. Great video 👍
I use Fiskars (synthetics) with a splitting maul and splitting axe. They work great! They feel good in my hands. They feel fast. I had to take down some trees in my yard because of bad weather. I saved a few bucks by keeping the logs. This is a great hobby and good exercise. I use the wood in a small patio fire pit. It's perfect in the winter.
Good comparison. I made my own a year ago, when I had to chop about 10 cubic meter of fresh birch and pine wood logs. Diameters of thickest logs were over 2' or 60cms, but mostly around 1'-1,5' or 40-50cms. There was a lot of under 1' or 30cms logs. Lengths were around 1,5' or 35-45cms. I had 2 axes; Fiskars and old Swedish blade with selfmade wooden arm. Axes were abot 1 size smaller than yours at the video. Old axe is heavier than Fiskars, and I noticed it way better with thickest of logs and Fiskars with smaller ones. Even the old one was heavier to raise up to top point, it needed much less effort to swing down, gravity and weight helps a lot. With Fiskars, it really needed to hit hard and fast to get even close effectiveness of that older one. Maybe, if you have shoulder issues, Fiskars would work better than heavy old one, but without them, I felt old one lighter to use in long run. It doesn't require so tight grip to swing, no need to use so much muscle strenght and effort to get the power to chop the log. But with smaller logs, Fiskars was on the spot, easily handier than old one. Maybe it was also better after long run of chopping thick logs, when arms were bit tired. Of course, technique with them is bit different, because of "recoil" in handles, but as always, when you learn to use them proper way and proficient, they are worth of money. It just might take some time and reps.. and willing to learn. Anyway, great video! Keep up good chopping! And Merry Christmas!
Snapped my x27 at the collar, probably wouldn’t get again, but the isocore 8lb fiberglass handle is my go to out of many of my wood handle options, it’s a tank and takes a beating still goin strong over the years
hey pal. i bought a fiskars builders axe iso core. coming from older conventional wooden axes, this thing is a century ahead. While a *sledgesplitter* and not an axe its heavy but man with force you can cut even very difficult pine woods, but the best pros of the fiskars is that its almost indestructible (you would actually have to try hard to break it) and will never fail you during work, and its much less tiring than a wooden thanks to the iso core. now when it comes to the axe being hardly stuck in the wood, i never remove by hand, i just throw a hammer kick in the tip of the handle and comes out like nothing, cant do that with a wooden one cause after a few hits it can get damaged. my father has a cheap synthetic axe like 20-25 euros.there i would then pick a wooden one, but when going top of the line its fiskars all the way.
I have been splitting firewood by hand for 50 years, I’ve used dozens of different malls over the years, I bought a Fiskars X 27 a year ago, and it is my favorite.
My oldest Fiskars is from the 90s....its been abused in so many ways and there's no sign of it failing in my life time. Just don't leave them too close to the camp fire, i guess.
My opinion is if you have good technique, go with the wood. If you're worried about a newbie abusing it, go with the synthetic. Spot on video about them.
I have both - and a lot of them. The one thing I would not do is fill the coffers of the moderm designer brand axe companies. There are simply so many good solid old mauls and maul heads out there looking for some love and attention. Most folks buy wood handled mauls new, use them a few times until they wreck the handle or simply snap it from the head and discard them. Quite often they just tire of doing the work. In general the steel used is just as good as branded products, but rarely are they profiled well or properly sharpened, relying on brute force alone to do the work. Once you know what you are doing, it is an easy and satisfying job to get them into great shape and put a good handle on, properly seated and wedged. On the odd occasion I get some help to split wood for the winter, I hand out the plastic, fibreglass etc mauls until am happy they know what they are doing. For me, It is a wood handle every time :
I have both, but I definitely have found myself moving more towards tools that have a longer life span than the throw away tools our economy is more geared towards now. I purchased the Gransfors Bruk 7lb Maul after having the vibration in my hand from the x27. Additionally, the Maul tends to take the ripe and ready rounds out in one swing and even green rounds too.
Homeowner with some forest. I have a Fiskars synthethic for splitting which I store under rain shelter but ourside, always ready to split for our fireplace or smoker. Worry free and always works. I also have a Gränsforsbruk cross cutting axe with a shorter and a bit curved handle for felling trees and converting them into firewood logs. I mainly use a chainsaw of course, but I the wooden curved handle for trimming smaller branches instead of using my chainsaw. The weight profile of the wood and the handle shape gives it a lot of options for what kind of swings you can do with it for trimming and felling. I also use the back side as a hammer if I need to put in wedge. Had to use it once to free my pinched saw.
Bro can u do a video on proper technique and safety using the axe .. so many people think they know how to wing but the amount of injuries caused by not knowing the risks and right way to chop / split logs .. shout out from uk 🇬🇧 brah
Thx for putting this together and sharing. It’s very helpful. I use my gas powered log splitter way more often than a hand axe / maul. I’ve been looking at the Fiskars as a good combo. of quality & price. You sold me on this particular axe. Unfortunately, i frequently use (& desire) an almost never ending list of other tools. I suspect that a handmade axe like the Granberg will forever be edged out by other tools that will make my work faster / easier.
I'd say that it depends on the analysis. Personally I don't share Thoren's notion that fibreglass, composite or hybrid synthetic handles transfer vibration. I find it very hard to justify a wooden handle for myself. But, if you want to be fair and complete, many would rather buy a more expensive and marginally inferior product from an artisan who lives in their area/region/country, rather than a superior device manufactured far away. Just an example. Macro economics, aesthetics, individual ergonomics, and straight up "getting exactly what I want" factors can matter a lot. Those Stanley and Yeti tumblers are ridiculously expensive, but people buy them anyway. Are they wrong to buy them? ... Well, in my world, yes! But if it's something they put to use, and they like them.... Hard to argue with that. Go get your hand made axe, bro. Don't let Fiskars and their amazing axes stop you.
@@julianzacconievas There is a bit more vibration with the fiberglass handle, mainly just because they tend to be hollow. Really easy fix for this though. Spray expanding gap filling foam inside the handle, and then it is even more vibration dampening than a wood axe.
I'm a fan of wooden handle and things made by hand by artisan who learned the job from their master in time..... BBBBUT fiskars it's the same thing in modern key (they made the norden series for those who want the wooden handle), plus the price and the 25 years warranty have convinced me to try the x25, for now I'm happy in future maybe I'll go for one of the top Italian axes with wood (I'm Italian)
Glad your Father was able to pass along some of his tools that you may continue to use yourself, Brother. I pray your thoughts and memories of your time with him carry you well in this life. GOD Bless, Thor 🔥✝️🙏🏾
I have a Gransfors Scandanavian forest axe AND a Fiskars splitting axe (long handled one). Both are nice but I've split almost all my firewood (heated two years exclusively with wood and now keep it for power outages) with the ONE fiskars axe and it's still in great shape. I keep it in my shed and just have to sharpen it once in awhile. No worries about loosening head or anything else as long as I keep it try. While the Gransfors is nice, the real workhorse is the Fiskars. Though, if I was off into the woods without ever being able to come home...I'd take the Gransfors just because I CAN re-handle it with some basic tools if needed. I hardly ever overstrike anything any more so keeping it dry and oiled would make it last many years. At home, though, it's the Fiskars all the way.
@@tylernicholson1155 No...both axes but one is meant for splitting and the other is not...even though it's nice. The "workhorse" is the Fiskars. The NICE pack axe I'd take with me on a winter backpacking trip is the Gransfors. If I was off in the woods for an extended period, Gransfors. I can compare them as far as one being a very nice axe but not as useful as the fiskars due to design. The fiskars would generally suck at felling compared to the Gransfors.
As a believer in the ‘Trigger’s broom’ paradox, I’ll always choose a wooden handled axe. If you look after it and maintain it, the axe will last a lifetime. 😊
I have a cheap ass ax ($30) from Tractor Supply and even it has a wooden handle.... So far it has served me well. I would like to upgrade to the maul for splitting though or maybe a heavier ax with wider cheeks if nothing else. Also inherited a small hatchet for making kindling. The head keeps trying to slide off, but I keep whacking it to reseat it. Maybe one day I'll fix it right but for now they both work and do the job. 😊😁
I like to buy synthetic axes with eyes and rehandle them with wood. It’s a bit of work getting the eye cleaned out, but I’ve saved some good money doing that and it’s a fun project. Obviously the Fiskars style won’t work.
I have a number of Gransfor Bruks chopping axes, but only one Gransfor splitting axe (the small one). I decided that my big splitting axes and mauls tend to get abused so I just prefer to use Fiskars - usually the X25 but sometimes the X27 - and I that way I won't be upset if one breaks (which they never have). The X21 and X17 are too light for most logs but good for kids to learn with.
Man my family comes from a long line of ranchers and farmers I will always go with the craftsmanship over anything new. I’m not saying it’s off the table but I do miss things that are handmade.
agreed! It's hard to argue when the price for the composite is so much lower for people....but If you have a few extra bucks...I do prefer the craftsmanship
As you said i use my x27 most because i have snapped the handle and the exchange for a new one was so easy. I dont personally feel much shock throughout my wrists and such (nothing fcks my carpal tunnel more than a reciprocating saw or weed Wacker). I like wood though because its fun to make handles from scratch and rehang as you said. But yeah, i keep both types of axes. All the axes. Every axe..i need 😂
As an x military , I prefer for survival purposes an axe with an eye. Why? Because in nature you can find wood to make a handle in case of broken one. With the plastic handle it would be very difficult to fix it.
I've had a couple Fiskars and eventually gave them away. I still have a Husqvarna A2400 that's good as a beater/splitter/plastic wedge driver. It has much more flex to the handle, so less shock is transmitted into my arms (and I know to relax my grip before impact). I like wooden handles, especially after I have thinned them down so they're "whippier". Council Tool came out with a couple of interesting splitting axes a year or 2 ago, but I can't justify buying any more than the ~20 I already own.
As Kevin McCloud once said “ spend the money on things you touch and hold” He was talking about house things, like door handles, light switches etc. but the comment can apply elsewhere- Snap On tools for the mechanic for example. And remember also Henry Royce“ the quality remains, long after the price is forgotten”
Not everything expensive is great quality, and not everything inexpensive is crap quality. Project Farm fairly often proves this point. There are general trends yes, but there are more often than not, exceptions to the rule.
I bought one of those Fiskars Splitter-Axes and I was shocked how much I liked it. I had a nicer wood handled ax that was maybe 20+ years old, and needed a new handle but I needed wood chopped and I was just too lazy to re-handle the old ax... Figured I would shelf the old ax and give the Fiskars a try, and I was shocked how quickly it chewed through my lumber pile. I agree with all your points. The Fiskars Poly-Handle feels slick and fast. You DO notice that "give", however I liked it. Yes, you lose a little bit of impact force due to the handle "give", but I noticed less impact shock transferring back up the handle. I was able to cut more wood with the Poly-Handle than a wooden one that transfers more impact force back up my ax handle. After using both, my conclusion seems similar to yours. If you need a "Nice" tool and you intend to use it often (when you will maintain it), go with wood. But if you just want to chuck it into a shed and use it once or twice a year? Those Fiskars are hard to beat...
I have a synthetic handle axe. It is surprising how well it does with little to no maintenance. Splits oak like crazy. Fun to use. Maybe I'll find an heirloom axe head one of these days at an estate sale. Who knows. For now my axe works fine for me. Thanks for the video.
I still heat my house with firewood. So i need to make approximately 25 cubic meters of firewood every year. I split my wood by hand and am using a x27 fiskars. Had some grandfathers axe for a season, the pain I was experiencing after a day of splitting wood was incredible. And my Fiskars was 45€ on sale. I have 5 fiskars axes and they’re still the best on market.
1:39 U could still use the axe head as a splitting wedge...ino it would be impractical if u have other bits of equipment...but then again... limited resources can make this as a broken axe and turn it in to a wedge ..
An ax head should not be hit with a hammer like a splitting wedge because the ax is made of harder steel. An ax head is likely to chip and you don't want to be hit with flying steel chips. Because it is softer the top of a wedge might mushroom but you won't be dodging bits of flying steel.
@@zone4garlicfarm i wasn't aware of this...but doesn't this depend on what type of metal its made from? From carbon steel and Rockwell hardness? Not all steels are created equal...so although you may be right...u may also be wrong...
@@toonyoshi3324 I'm not a metallurgist but I do know my way around wood processing tools. As a rule you don't hit a striking tool with another striking tool because one of them is likely to fracture and chip.
@@zone4garlicfarm does it depend on the metal or Rockwell type? ...does it depend on how its quenched? I understand what you are talking about...but i always view a tool as a tool...and if im not mistaken... despite the metal or the quench ..or the handle...a tool will always fail...i only made the comment in regards to those who know knowledge on tools...not to mislead people from using them as no tool is permanent...they all have a breaking point..
@@S.V.M-MCMXCIX Founder was actually a German that had moved to the area of Finland or grand duchy of Finland at the time. But yeah, you are right and with such an old company the world has changed quite much since. However, I would not say Fiskars was started in Sweden as it never moved. They still have facilities by river fiskars, where it all started.
I have something like 7 Fiskars axes and have used them some 30+ years both at home (fireplace & sauna) and at our summer cabin (big baking oven, fireplace and sauna, of course, and outside fire arrangement). None of them have broken the handle. Head rusted, yes, but that can be fixed easily. They are VERY durable. Can not say anything about the copies now put out by India and China, when the Fiskars patents have run out.
Thank man, appreciate the honesty, talking about a dude who has zero lifestyle for splitting wood, I'm it, lol, that said my home does have a traditional fireplace, and ive been looking into learning how to make differnt knotchs for log building, anyway I've been watching a business out of the USA, it's called The Northman, talking about owning the best, I just ordered there forest Axe, the craftsmanship is just insane to me, just 1 Axe cost almost 600 us dollars and takes over a year to make, I also ordered a few wood chisels to start off, yup call me crazy but I just love well made tools that i can possibly hand down to someone after me. Love your content and your mindset, keeping coming, Thank you again. Sorry for the short story. Lol
My favorite ax is a short handled one (20"-21") , that was left at this house by a previous owner, when I bought it 38 years ago. I replaced the handle once by shortening and reshaping an old mattock handle. The original was a straight handle and I really liked it and the mattock handle was what I had at the time. I bought a new short handled ax once, when I thought I had lost the old one.....damned kids....but I like my old one better. I've never had a synthetic handled ax, but I've always thought it was better to have something, that is possible to fix, if need be. And, I'm a big fan of handed down tools....or anything else, for that matter. I have many tools, as well as other things, that came from my grandparents and parents. And I never pass up an old hand tool at a sale, if I can afford it. Tools are like guns and ammo....you can never have too many. Just sayin'.
A simple way to stop that reverb is the raptor handle inductee when you do that it will absorb the impact and you will not feel it in your head because it’s a cell Porten because the number one problem I had splitting wood over the years was my head is breaking and I split probably 100,000 quarts in my life
Also worth mentioning is that the wooden axe can double as a sledgehammer is you need it to, but the shock of the synthetic axe will absolutely destroy your arms on the first or second swing if you try to do the same.
Question. Have you or will you ever make a video of harvesting a whole tree? I know you’re supposed to use a chopping ax when you chop down the tree and a splitting axe for the big logs but when the whole tree has fallen, how do I split up the whole tree? Use the shopping axe again? Probably a dumb question, but I can’t find any information on this. Thanks 💪🏼
If you were going super-old school, yes, axe. Less oldschool, a big frame hand saw saw called a bucking saw, or a 1 or 2-man crosscut saw would be used to cut up the log into rounds. Nowdays, chainsaw.
@ As I said, axe only would be ‘oldest school’; that is, very primitive. As such, one would be targeting logs small enough to not really require splitting before use as firewood, but simply being cut with an axe into manageable lengths. Realistically, ‘decent’ saws were invented in the bronze age, and before that there are known examples of copper age saws, and even a few items that seem to be flint toothed saws, but I doubt they were used for sawing whole logs into rounds.
@@ArtificialMiseryIt’s never going to be flat if you make crosscuts with an axe. Though you can trim it flat afterwards if you have an axe with a thin blade that is very sharp like a chisel. And if that axe is also asymmetric with a flat side it’s even easier. Takes time though.
As a Finn, I like that Fiskars is appreciated world wide. But a funny story about axes: My brother and I have a Polish made Soviet T-55 tank at my summer place, just for fun, driving in the forest. With it came all kinds of tools and spare parts. Pity that I can not include pics here, the saw looked like it is not actually meant to be used more than once, but the axe... If an 8 year old kid was told to first be blacksmith first time in his life and make the steel part, then make the handle from scrap wood as fast as possible (and if the time run out, just leave it like that), that is what the "axe" looks like. But it "works". Sort of. Comparing it to the about same size Fiskars camping axe You mentioned, the soviet one next to Fiskars looks like it came from a nightmare...
I have a few Fiskars axes. They are good tools that get the job done, nothing more. They are industrial identical products. They don't have the heritage. I sure as hell would like me a Gränsfors axe. For all the reasons he already explained. With a nice leather sheath, it's damn near art, as well as a great tool. It's something like your great grandfather used, and your grandkids might use it. Makes for a great gift too. Heritage.
I've took several older mauls and sledgehammers with busted wood handles and put synthetic handles on them. You can remove the synthethic handle if need be. Synthetic handles are virtually indestructible compared to a wooden handle where a miss swing breaks it. I also have the same fiskars axe you were using. My dad has the fiskars maul. I love both of them. I split several cords of wood a year. However, for a hatchet, I prefer wooden handles.
Another drawback with synthetic is that they conduct heat a lot better than wood. I mostly chop my wood when it's around freezing since that is a nice temperature for doing hard labour, but the Fiskars gets so cold to hold, I almost have to either put on gloves or store the axe in a heated space. With wood it's not a problem, even if it's like minus 10 outside.
Good points! I agree, except I do have a synthetic with a replaceable handle. I leave it out in the elements all winter by the wood pile and I have one on my truck with a farm jack. Can't do that very well with wood. I keep my good wood handled mauls and axes inside and sharp.
Hi, I just found your channel and Liked 👍 and Subscribed! 😊 One quick suggestion: I think that it is impersonal when people address their audience as "TH-cam!" 😮The vehicle by which we are watching 👀 and you are posting 📫 is "TH-cam!" However, I don't consider myself as "TH-cam," and I don't believe that anyone else does either! 😊 So, something like, "everyone" or "everybody" or "friends" would be much better and more personal! 🤔 Just an observation! 😊
I sell firewood and used to split it all by hand. Switching from wooden handled mauls to the Fiskars axes was a game changer for me. I don't care about the colour of my axe, or who gets to keep it when I die. I care how easily and reliably it splits wood and the Fiskars wins there for me.
I have a hatchet Fiskars one, and I got a dual sharpener for their knives, and the axes. Worked surprisingly well. Hatchet in the backpack is great. Not my best one, best one is my Gränsfors Ray Mears one. Not a splitting axe, it is more for bushcraft I guess. Not for splitting logs. Also I am a Swede, so it is just nice to have something made from "home". Swedish and Finnish stuff is all aIl I have!
I want to make a mild note about synthetic handles. While the Fiskars and other companies are made in a way that the heads cannot be replaced, not all synthetic handles are that way. Many are almost exactly the same as wooden handles. They are epoxied in rather than held in by friction. Is it a pain to replace? Yes. You have to chip away at the epoxy and might have to drill out the wedges but it's doable
@@justinw1765 Well 1) not everyone has a heat gun. 2) There is often a lot of epoxy. Most of the eye is often epoxy. The amount of mess and time it would take to melt enough to get the handle out might be worth just chipping at it. 3) most importantly, I didn't think about that.
Apart from the practical and financial aspects,there is also the æsthetic one.The Grænsfors axes are just so beautiful,and for me they just sit perfectly in the hand,which makes using them more pleasurable.
I have a plastic handle splitting maul my Dad got 30 years ago, and it’s disgusting, but we’ve used it all these years and never broken the handle 😂. I much prefer wooden handles, even with the breakage risk. Weirdly enough, I have a husqvarna splitting axe (it’s roughly a copy of the Gransfors Bruk splitting axe) and I *regularly* overstrike with it, despite it having a shorter handle than all my splitting mauls. I think I must be subconsciously reaching, and over-compensating for the shorter handle.
I use wood to heat my house, so I split a lot of wood. Always used a Fiskars and not had a problem. But I might get a wood handled and see the difference.
You do get more vibration feedback with the fiberglass/epoxy handles than wood, but if you spray expanding gap filling foam in the hollow handle of the Fiskar, problem more than solved. Not only does it absorb a lot of that vibration, but it also stiffens it up a bit. So what you get is an ax that weighs a bit less than most wood ones in the handle, while being nearly indestructible, and pretty comfortable. I'm not sure why more people don't do use this expanding spray foam hack. (You will need to seal the end with something more water proof once the foam cures).
For me, the shock of the synthetic handles is enough of a drawback for me to stick with wood. I also don't mind the upkeep, but that all depends on the person. Great video!
Every person must choose for him/herself, that’s the only way. Me, I’ve had both. Tossed the Fiskars. Kept the Hultafors. Looks a bit like your Gransfors, but a bit sleeker axehead. By far the best penetrating and splitting axe I ever tried. Recomend it. High maintenence on the handle? No way. Plenty of sap on the handle, keeps the moisture out of the wood, and keeps the handle securely in my hands.. 👍🏻
After much agonising over whether i was being ripped off to buy one,(im a traditionalist at heart), I bought the medium sized Fiskars when it was on sale at a local builders merchant's. Never regretted it. Great for back packing, festivals and outdoors stuff where it could end up wet and weight is a concern. Otherwise, i'd rather use a tractor mounted log splitter thanks!!
My small Fiskars axe and billhook are literally frozen in snow right now somewhere on my property waiting for spring. Synthetic handles haven't mind this kind of abuse. Both axe and billhook are like +10 years old. Only care that I give them is gentle grind with lamellar disc in anglegrinder to keep em sharp. Super durable stuff! 😅
Try using Danish oil. I soak my entire tool in it. This creates a very strong film on the surface of the handle that protects against most problems. There is no need to do long and multi-layered oil impregnation. You can do it in two or three layers of Danish oil.
I love my GB splitting maul. Absolute beast. I also have the American felling axe and the small forest axe. I am that guy who splits wood for his outdoor fire pit! 😂 Having a nice tool that you take pride and joy in makes the project more fun. Now my son gets to inherit some gems. GB did warranty my American felling axe after I chipped the blade. 😮 yes I chipped a GB with its first use.
Another issue is the mechanics of the way you split would you split wood in officially you try to split every piece of wood in half that is not the best way to split wood that it takes the most strength if you split the wood from the side it will split much easier so if you use a Fisker ax splitting wood from the side it will never break you will start much less energy and it will last forever
My favorite synthetic axes are the Bahco brand ones; check out the CUC-0.8-600 or the SUC-0.9-600, for chopping and splitting models at 24 inches, they have a curve which makes them feel (highly subjective, I suppose) much better to hold and use. Unfortunately, they don't make longer ("proper") axes with the same curved handle.
i have a fiskars super splitter axe its a good axe.I also bought a lexivon splitting axe which is a copy of the fiskars it only lasted 1 day splitting valley oak wood.And your 100% right a wood handle is always better thanks for the video. Greetings from stockton Ca. God Bless
My old wood handled ones are already on the wall. I use both 6lbs & 8lbs Estwing splitting mauls. They are ridiculously good, and last a lifetime without worrying so much.
I own both of these, and while I love the Gransfors at 6.2 the handle is way to short. I think the length of the Fiskars handle is what helps with head speed
Here in finland basically the Fiskars axes are only axes you can get. There are few that sell cheaper too. Wooden good ones are usually Swedish ones. But hey, Fiskars is for us, domestic :D My oldest synthetic Fiskars is now 30 years old. Have had few complete misses hitting the shaft on the log. Also forgotten out for weeks. There is no flaw in it.
Conclusion: I need both.
I got one need the wood handle
I guess both are good in their own way, but wood handles feel and work way more smooth. I love that you consider price for the common people watching though
Axes are like meth.
Bingo
This seems to be the most reasonable outcome
While Fiskars has moved a lot of production to Asia, thank God axes are still made here in Finland.
well my x27 still has Made in Finland mark. And its not cheap, (not extra expansive either). As far as im going to split wood for my house i dont thing ill need more expansive stuf,...
@marianmarkovic5881 Yes. Like I said axes are almost only Fiskars things made here.
Well Gränsfors bruk, Husqvarna and Hultafors axes are still hand-forged in Sweden. Just to name 3 old and traditional axe makers. My personal favorite is Hultafors because they are made close to where I live. (Fiskars is something else. It's like a Mora knife. Fairly cheap but still very effective.)
Fiskars is pretty old and traditional operator too.😄
@@hessuhopolainenIt's an old company. But they are big business nowadays. Fiskars Group is a giant also owning Georg Jensen, Royal Copenhagen, Hackman, Wedgwood, Moomin Arabia, Gerber, Iittala, Waterford, Rörstrand etc.
Good comparison! A nifty bit of trivia about Fiskars is the fact that Fiskars is one of the oldest companies in the world that is still in business. The company was founded all the way back in 1649 in Fiskars, Finland.
It's really old for a Finnish company, considering that Finland was basically still in the iron age around 1300's. Stora Enso is the only Finnish company that can trace its history further, but that old side is from the Swedish Stora AB that merged with Finnish Enso Oyj, resulting in a Finnish company Stora Enso Oyj. But in the scale of the whole world, Fiskars is not even close to being one of the oldest. There are over 60 companies from before 1300 that are still operational, and hundreds that are older than Fiskars.
@@wombat4191 Well.. Considering the company is still _at least_ in the top 0.1% of the oldest companies in the world, I think that still counts for something.
And I got that number by giving a HUGE benefit of doubt by considering there'd be only one million companies in the whole world and 1000 (which is much more than what you said) older companies than that. In reality, it's much higher than that.
I've used a synthetic handle Fiskars splitting axe to split firewood for the past 15 years. 5+ cords a year, wore the orange paint off the handle. The best thing is the light weight and tip speed. Ypu don't get tired using it because it is light. I can split a cord a day and I'm in my 60's. I split wood lying on it's side, standing up, on a pile, wherever. Best splitting axe I've used and it is durable.
And if you spray expanding gap filling foam inside the handle, it become more vibration dampening than even the wooden ones (it also stiffens them up noticeably too).
@@justinw1765 have to try that, although I don't notice vibrations really.
if you fill handle sand would it reduce vibration on hands ?
@@Simobunjevac Are asking if you fill the handle with sand? It might, but it would make it way to heavy. The nice thing about this axe is how light but sturdy the handle is.
@Simobunjevac You shouldn't be feeling uncomfortable vibrations through the handle of a Fiskars if you know how to swing an axe. The transfer less shock than Hickory
If you’re a home owner you can’t go wrong with Fiskars. Have a lot of their products and they do perform very well.
In my personal opinion, they really are the best bang for your buck.
I answered this question for myself years ago. I got my Dad’s axes long after he passed and they all needed work.
I’m talking legacy brands that needed new handles and restoring. Now my daughter and I use them together and they’ll be hers and lord willing my grandchildren’s.
Beautifully written. Prayers and blessings to you and your family and loved ones.
A lot of people justify `Gränsfors Bruk` as being "heirloom" that will pass down for generations. Which I have too. But, now that I have had 3 fiskars axes (a hatchet, splitting maul, and chopping axe) for 15yrs, I think the Fiskars are just as much of an heirloom. Probably the one my kids will cherish the most... because if there is a job needed to be done that requires an axe, it is the only one offered to them. These axes have been left out in rain and snow (for an entire season) and still going strong. They just work and don't care how they are treated.
This has been my experience also. The long handle fiskars I bought, I don't even know how long ago is still going. It gets left out at the wood pile often and sits out in all sorts of weather. I pull it out of the block and start cutting. It doesn't let me down.
I got fiskars splitting axe like 15 years ago from a woodworking company as a gift it was used. I chop 10m3 of fire wood every year for my house, also i sometimes chop wood in summer for my neighbors. The axe is still holds up no problem. Even tho i prefer human handmade tools, i really love that axe.
I inherited my dads synthetic handled Fiskars axes from the early 90s and they still work great. Sure, there's cosmetic wear on them, but functionally they're like new. A 30+ year lifespan seems pretty good already and I don't see myself breaking them with normal use.
I liked your comparison. I'm 67. I split 2-3 chords a year. I have several axes and a couple of mauls. Some need repair and a couple are in midst of that repair. My common 'go to' are a 3 1/2lb ax with a synthetic handle and an 8lb maul on hickory. I love the maul. I use it 80-90% of the time. I get the 'handle shock' you mentioned with the ax. But I normally only use it on smaller stuff and the shock is minimal. Your closing is spot on. What feels good to you, what works for you, and what is your priority on spending.
For me, splitting is therapy. Good exercise, but great for my emotional well-being. Nothing clears my head and sets the world right like swinging 8lbs of steel over my head and destroying a round. (gunpowder therapy comes close but doesn't provide the exercise as well) Thanks for a great video.
Spray expanding gap filling foam inside the handle of the synthetic axe and it will drastically dampen the vibration feed back. It also stiffens it up a bit. Since most inexpensive expanding foam nowadays is open celled foam, you do want to seal the end with something waterproof or at least highly water resistant, whether a layer of epoxy, really good tape, or what not.
I agree with everything you said Ken
I can't speak on axes, but my grandma has a Fiskars hatchet she bought at Lowe's when she worked there back in 2006. So pushing 19 years with it now. We forgot that thing out in the yard soo many times growing up. Sometimes for weeks. Would find it out in the garden by some mulberries covered in surface rust on the blade. Cleaned it up with a wire brush and good as new. Had to sharpen it a couple times cause I definitely was very careless with it; accidentally hitting rocks, blocks, bricks, etc. Used to try to throw it at trees when I was a teenager. Idk the exact model, but it looks similar to the modern X7. I loved that thing... man, I need to get my own Fiskars hatchet haha
I got that gränsfors a few years back and I definitely don't regret it. I used to split wood with a chopping axe, and the difference to me was just mindblowing. They are very nicely finished, like you said, just top of the line, great craftsmanship axe with great warranty, an heirloom to pass onto generations
fiskars axe handles have lifetime warranty
There is an easy and inexpensive fix for the Fiskars axe. It both stiffens it up and absorbs vibrations well. Get a can of the largest gap spray foam you can find. Spray it inside the handle. Cut off the excess. Once it has fully cured, put a layer of epoxy over the spray foam, to seal it from water. (If the inside of the axe is dirty, before doing this, clean it out first with some soap and water but let it fully dry before spraying in the spray foam).
That axe handle on average will outlive wood ones. You can also reinforce a wood axe handle with S grade fiberglass cloth and high strength lamination epoxy, but this is more time consuming and expensive than the above.
Edited to remove solvent cleaning advice
Thanks for the tip. Ill give it a try.
@@gregelden8611 Cheers
I have to admit I'm intrigued to try, but the thought of trying to remove the foam in case I don't like how it feels seems a bit daunting.
That said I don't feel the vibration issue is that big of a problem anyway once I've learnt the correct technique to use the Fiskars handle. For me the best way to use them has been to take advantage of the expanding width and relatively low friction of the handle by letting it slide slightly at the end of the swing, so that I don't grip the handle as firmly once it hits the log. This way the vibration doesn't transfer to my hands and I can keep chopping wood for longer.
@@KalleKilponen all it does is take away the need of _having to use_ special techniques. It just dampens vibrations and stiffens it up.
Used the fiskars one for 5 years. It's wonderful. I often cleave during winter, if it's minus 20, the handle doesn't get too cold.
I actually enjoy the flexibility, I have a joint condition so I can't really follow through with the strokes. I just use a long swing and momentum, and when it's not enough, I use a small sledge mallet to slam it the rest of the way. For the healthy, young strong cleavers out there, a heavy wooden axe is probably more effective.
Wooden handles are easily cared for with bees wax treatments. I carry a box on my vest, and whenever I'm done I give it a rub down the length, keeps the hands healthy too.
I absolutely agree with what you are saying. For me right now a synthetic axe is enough, because I don't chop that much wood. But if it would be my profession, I would definitely get the tool made by a real craftsman! The Greanfors you have is an absolute amazing tool. While I'm writing this and think about it, it might be worth it even for me, because I could pass it down to my nephews. Thanks for your great work!
The shear joy of using high quality tools, even for smaller/less time consuming jobs is s real thing.
If you chop wood for half an hour or more at a time, the lesser buildup of shock in your joints alone will be worth good money. The experience of the whole chore will change.
I myself have mostly cheaper tools, and I would probably buy a Fiskars axe, should I ned to split wood one day.
Great video 👍
I use Fiskars (synthetics) with a splitting maul and splitting axe. They work great! They feel good in my hands. They feel fast. I had to take down some trees in my yard because of bad weather. I saved a few bucks by keeping the logs. This is a great hobby and good exercise. I use the wood in a small patio fire pit. It's perfect in the winter.
Love it!!!
Good comparison. I made my own a year ago, when I had to chop about 10 cubic meter of fresh birch and pine wood logs. Diameters of thickest logs were over 2' or 60cms, but mostly around 1'-1,5' or 40-50cms. There was a lot of under 1' or 30cms logs. Lengths were around 1,5' or 35-45cms.
I had 2 axes; Fiskars and old Swedish blade with selfmade wooden arm. Axes were abot 1 size smaller than yours at the video. Old axe is heavier than Fiskars, and I noticed it way better with thickest of logs and Fiskars with smaller ones. Even the old one was heavier to raise up to top point, it needed much less effort to swing down, gravity and weight helps a lot. With Fiskars, it really needed to hit hard and fast to get even close effectiveness of that older one. Maybe, if you have shoulder issues, Fiskars would work better than heavy old one, but without them, I felt old one lighter to use in long run. It doesn't require so tight grip to swing, no need to use so much muscle strenght and effort to get the power to chop the log.
But with smaller logs, Fiskars was on the spot, easily handier than old one. Maybe it was also better after long run of chopping thick logs, when arms were bit tired. Of course, technique with them is bit different, because of "recoil" in handles, but as always, when you learn to use them proper way and proficient, they are worth of money. It just might take some time and reps.. and willing to learn.
Anyway, great video! Keep up good chopping! And Merry Christmas!
I have used my fathers fiskars about 2 or 3 decades and its still doing its job. Wooden axe is prettiers but my choise would be fiskars. 😊
Snapped my x27 at the collar, probably wouldn’t get again, but the isocore 8lb fiberglass handle is my go to out of many of my wood handle options, it’s a tank and takes a beating still goin strong over the years
A solid axe, for sure. You can’t go wrong with that isocore
Fiskars have a 25 year warranty - if the handle snapped from regular use, they will just give you a new axe. Contact them and check.
hey pal. i bought a fiskars builders axe iso core. coming from older conventional wooden axes, this thing is a century ahead. While a *sledgesplitter* and not an axe its heavy but man with force you can cut even very difficult pine woods, but the best pros of the fiskars is that its almost indestructible (you would actually have to try hard to break it) and will never fail you during work, and its much less tiring than a wooden thanks to the iso core. now when it comes to the axe being hardly stuck in the wood, i never remove by hand, i just throw a hammer kick in the tip of the handle and comes out like nothing, cant do that with a wooden one cause after a few hits it can get damaged.
my father has a cheap synthetic axe like 20-25 euros.there i would then pick a wooden one, but when going top of the line its fiskars all the way.
Totally in agreement, got the X25 myself.
I have been splitting firewood by hand for 50 years, I’ve used dozens of different malls over the years, I bought a Fiskars X 27 a year ago, and it is my favorite.
My oldest Fiskars is from the 90s....its been abused in so many ways and there's no sign of it failing in my life time. Just don't leave them too close to the camp fire, i guess.
My opinion is if you have good technique, go with the wood. If you're worried about a newbie abusing it, go with the synthetic. Spot on video about them.
That fiskars splitting axe is something else. Splits Australian hard wood with ease.
They also have lifetime warranty.
I have both - and a lot of them. The one thing I would not do is fill the coffers of the moderm designer brand axe companies. There are simply so many good solid old mauls and maul heads out there looking for some love and attention. Most folks buy wood handled mauls new, use them a few times until they wreck the handle or simply snap it from the head and discard them. Quite often they just tire of doing the work. In general the steel used is just as good as branded products, but rarely are they profiled well or properly sharpened, relying on brute force alone to do the work. Once you know what you are doing, it is an easy and satisfying job to get them into great shape and put a good handle on, properly seated and wedged. On the odd occasion I get some help to split wood for the winter, I hand out the plastic, fibreglass etc mauls until am happy they know what they are doing.
For me, It is a wood handle every time :
The passing them down to my loved ones sealed the deal for me. Thanks. Excellent points
I have both, but I definitely have found myself moving more towards tools that have a longer life span than the throw away tools our economy is more geared towards now. I purchased the Gransfors Bruk 7lb Maul after having the vibration in my hand from the x27. Additionally, the Maul tends to take the ripe and ready rounds out in one swing and even green rounds too.
Homeowner with some forest. I have a Fiskars synthethic for splitting which I store under rain shelter but ourside, always ready to split for our fireplace or smoker. Worry free and always works.
I also have a Gränsforsbruk cross cutting axe with a shorter and a bit curved handle for felling trees and converting them into firewood logs. I mainly use a chainsaw of course, but I the wooden curved handle for trimming smaller branches instead of using my chainsaw. The weight profile of the wood and the handle shape gives it a lot of options for what kind of swings you can do with it for trimming and felling. I also use the back side as a hammer if I need to put in wedge. Had to use it once to free my pinched saw.
I like using wood over synthetic when I have to choose 👍👍
Just used my new X27 a couple of days ago. I’ll say you make it look much easier than it was for me. I’ll keep swinging and improving though 💪
Bro can u do a video on proper technique and safety using the axe .. so many people think they know how to wing but the amount of injuries caused by not knowing the risks and right way to chop / split logs .. shout out from uk 🇬🇧 brah
When the handle on a fiskars axe breaks. Now you have a splitting wedge
Anyone else watching who doesn’t need to buy an axe but just here for “educational purposes” 😂😂😂😂
Let's be honest, Claire... any chick that's here is here for "educational" purposes😅
Yep!!!
I even bought an axe. I live in an apartment in a big city…
I have an odd fascination with chopping wood.
Thx for putting this together and sharing. It’s very helpful. I use my gas powered log splitter way more often than a hand axe / maul. I’ve been looking at the Fiskars as a good combo. of quality & price. You sold me on this particular axe. Unfortunately, i frequently use (& desire) an almost never ending list of other tools. I suspect that a handmade axe like the Granberg will forever be edged out by other tools that will make my work faster / easier.
I'd say that it depends on the analysis. Personally I don't share Thoren's notion that fibreglass, composite or hybrid synthetic handles transfer vibration. I find it very hard to justify a wooden handle for myself. But, if you want to be fair and complete, many would rather buy a more expensive and marginally inferior product from an artisan who lives in their area/region/country, rather than a superior device manufactured far away. Just an example. Macro economics, aesthetics, individual ergonomics, and straight up "getting exactly what I want" factors can matter a lot. Those Stanley and Yeti tumblers are ridiculously expensive, but people buy them anyway. Are they wrong to buy them? ... Well, in my world, yes! But if it's something they put to use, and they like them.... Hard to argue with that. Go get your hand made axe, bro. Don't let Fiskars and their amazing axes stop you.
@@julianzacconievas There is a bit more vibration with the fiberglass handle, mainly just because they tend to be hollow. Really easy fix for this though. Spray expanding gap filling foam inside the handle, and then it is even more vibration dampening than a wood axe.
The quality lasts long after the price is forgotten.
I'm a fan of wooden handle and things made by hand by artisan who learned the job from their master in time..... BBBBUT fiskars it's the same thing in modern key (they made the norden series for those who want the wooden handle), plus the price and the 25 years warranty have convinced me to try the x25, for now I'm happy in future maybe I'll go for one of the top Italian axes with wood (I'm Italian)
Glad your Father was able to pass along some of his tools that you may continue to use yourself, Brother.
I pray your thoughts and memories of your time with him carry you well in this life.
GOD Bless, Thor 🔥✝️🙏🏾
whoever edits his videos is either paid well or just fcking loves doing it
efficient, quick and durable for me. also, i did inherit 2 fiskars axes from my dad and they are still in use. over 20 years old.
I have a Gransfors Scandanavian forest axe AND a Fiskars splitting axe (long handled one). Both are nice but I've split almost all my firewood (heated two years exclusively with wood and now keep it for power outages) with the ONE fiskars axe and it's still in great shape. I keep it in my shed and just have to sharpen it once in awhile. No worries about loosening head or anything else as long as I keep it try. While the Gransfors is nice, the real workhorse is the Fiskars. Though, if I was off into the woods without ever being able to come home...I'd take the Gransfors just because I CAN re-handle it with some basic tools if needed. I hardly ever overstrike anything any more so keeping it dry and oiled would make it last many years. At home, though, it's the Fiskars all the way.
The Scandinavian Forest Axe is not for splitting, though. You're comparing apples to oranges.
@@tylernicholson1155 No...both axes but one is meant for splitting and the other is not...even though it's nice. The "workhorse" is the Fiskars. The NICE pack axe I'd take with me on a winter backpacking trip is the Gransfors. If I was off in the woods for an extended period, Gransfors. I can compare them as far as one being a very nice axe but not as useful as the fiskars due to design. The fiskars would generally suck at felling compared to the Gransfors.
As a believer in the ‘Trigger’s broom’ paradox, I’ll always choose a wooden handled axe. If you look after it and maintain it, the axe will last a lifetime. 😊
I have a cheap ass ax ($30) from Tractor Supply and even it has a wooden handle.... So far it has served me well. I would like to upgrade to the maul for splitting though or maybe a heavier ax with wider cheeks if nothing else. Also inherited a small hatchet for making kindling. The head keeps trying to slide off, but I keep whacking it to reseat it. Maybe one day I'll fix it right but for now they both work and do the job. 😊😁
I like to buy synthetic axes with eyes and rehandle them with wood. It’s a bit of work getting the eye cleaned out, but I’ve saved some good money doing that and it’s a fun project. Obviously the Fiskars style won’t work.
I have a number of Gransfor Bruks chopping axes, but only one Gransfor splitting axe (the small one). I decided that my big splitting axes and mauls tend to get abused so I just prefer to use Fiskars - usually the X25 but sometimes the X27 - and I that way I won't be upset if one breaks (which they never have). The X21 and X17 are too light for most logs but good for kids to learn with.
Love your rural life stuff, your fitness stuff, your message, I dig it all. You've gained a subscriber
Man my family comes from a long line of ranchers and farmers I will always go with the craftsmanship over anything new. I’m not saying it’s off the table but I do miss things that are handmade.
agreed! It's hard to argue when the price for the composite is so much lower for people....but If you have a few extra bucks...I do prefer the craftsmanship
As you said i use my x27 most because i have snapped the handle and the exchange for a new one was so easy. I dont personally feel much shock throughout my wrists and such (nothing fcks my carpal tunnel more than a reciprocating saw or weed Wacker). I like wood though because its fun to make handles from scratch and rehang as you said. But yeah, i keep both types of axes. All the axes. Every axe..i need 😂
my verdict...cheap glassfibre handle 36 inch felling axe for wood splitting, fancy swedish axe for cutting cross grain
As an x military , I prefer for survival purposes an axe with an eye. Why? Because in nature you can find wood to make a handle in case of broken one. With the plastic handle it would be very difficult to fix it.
I've had a couple Fiskars and eventually gave them away. I still have a Husqvarna A2400 that's good as a beater/splitter/plastic wedge driver. It has much more flex to the handle, so less shock is transmitted into my arms (and I know to relax my grip before impact). I like wooden handles, especially after I have thinned them down so they're "whippier". Council Tool came out with a couple of interesting splitting axes a year or 2 ago, but I can't justify buying any more than the ~20 I already own.
As Kevin McCloud once said “ spend the money on things you touch and hold” He was talking about house things, like door handles, light switches etc. but the comment can apply elsewhere- Snap On tools for the mechanic for example. And remember also Henry Royce“ the quality remains, long after the price is forgotten”
Not everything expensive is great quality, and not everything inexpensive is crap quality. Project Farm fairly often proves this point. There are general trends yes, but there are more often than not, exceptions to the rule.
I bought one of those Fiskars Splitter-Axes and I was shocked how much I liked it. I had a nicer wood handled ax that was maybe 20+ years old, and needed a new handle but I needed wood chopped and I was just too lazy to re-handle the old ax... Figured I would shelf the old ax and give the Fiskars a try, and I was shocked how quickly it chewed through my lumber pile.
I agree with all your points. The Fiskars Poly-Handle feels slick and fast. You DO notice that "give", however I liked it. Yes, you lose a little bit of impact force due to the handle "give", but I noticed less impact shock transferring back up the handle. I was able to cut more wood with the Poly-Handle than a wooden one that transfers more impact force back up my ax handle.
After using both, my conclusion seems similar to yours. If you need a "Nice" tool and you intend to use it often (when you will maintain it), go with wood. But if you just want to chuck it into a shed and use it once or twice a year? Those Fiskars are hard to beat...
I have a synthetic handle axe. It is surprising how well it does with little to no maintenance. Splits oak like crazy. Fun to use. Maybe I'll find an heirloom axe head one of these days at an estate sale. Who knows. For now my axe works fine for me. Thanks for the video.
I still heat my house with firewood. So i need to make approximately 25 cubic meters of firewood every year. I split my wood by hand and am using a x27 fiskars. Had some grandfathers axe for a season, the pain I was experiencing after a day of splitting wood was incredible. And my Fiskars was 45€ on sale. I have 5 fiskars axes and they’re still the best on market.
1:39 U could still use the axe head as a splitting wedge...ino it would be impractical if u have other bits of equipment...but then again... limited resources can make this as a broken axe and turn it in to a wedge ..
HA nice bro that’s immediately where my head went to
An ax head should not be hit with a hammer like a splitting wedge because the ax is made of harder steel. An ax head is likely to chip and you don't want to be hit with flying steel chips. Because it is softer the top of a wedge might mushroom but you won't be dodging bits of flying steel.
@@zone4garlicfarm i wasn't aware of this...but doesn't this depend on what type of metal its made from? From carbon steel and Rockwell hardness? Not all steels are created equal...so although you may be right...u may also be wrong...
@@toonyoshi3324 I'm not a metallurgist but I do know my way around wood processing tools. As a rule you don't hit a striking tool with another striking tool because one of them is likely to fracture and chip.
@@zone4garlicfarm does it depend on the metal or Rockwell type? ...does it depend on how its quenched? I understand what you are talking about...but i always view a tool as a tool...and if im not mistaken... despite the metal or the quench ..or the handle...a tool will always fail...i only made the comment in regards to those who know knowledge on tools...not to mislead people from using them as no tool is permanent...they all have a breaking point..
Craftmanship vs massproduced both companys started in Sweden, fiskars now finnish
Well it depends how you wanna look at it. Fiskars was foundes in Finland, but at the time Finland was under Swedish rule.
@ was swedish or russian, finland came long after, the person that funded it was not finish or swedish anyway
@@S.V.M-MCMXCIX Founder was actually a German that had moved to the area of Finland or grand duchy of Finland at the time. But yeah, you are right and with such an old company the world has changed quite much since.
However, I would not say Fiskars was started in Sweden as it never moved. They still have facilities by river fiskars, where it all started.
I have something like 7 Fiskars axes and have used them some 30+ years both at home (fireplace & sauna) and at our summer cabin (big baking oven, fireplace and sauna, of course, and outside fire arrangement). None of them have broken the handle. Head rusted, yes, but that can be fixed easily. They are VERY durable. Can not say anything about the copies now put out by India and China, when the Fiskars patents have run out.
To my mind that looks like a synthetic handled axe v a wooden handled splitting maul (that’s what we call them)…
That's what I was thinking. There's a good 1/2 to 3/4 inch difference in the head thickness. Which obviously makes it easier to crack a stump.
Thank man, appreciate the honesty, talking about a dude who has zero lifestyle for splitting wood, I'm it, lol, that said my home does have a traditional fireplace, and ive been looking into learning how to make differnt knotchs for log building, anyway I've been watching a business out of the USA, it's called The Northman, talking about owning the best, I just ordered there forest Axe, the craftsmanship is just insane to me, just 1 Axe cost almost 600 us dollars and takes over a year to make, I also ordered a few wood chisels to start off, yup call me crazy but I just love well made tools that i can possibly hand down to someone after me. Love your content and your mindset, keeping coming, Thank you again. Sorry for the short story. Lol
My favorite ax is a short handled one (20"-21") , that was left at this house by a previous owner, when I bought it 38 years ago. I replaced the handle once by shortening and reshaping an old mattock handle. The original was a straight handle and I really liked it and the mattock handle was what I had at the time. I bought a new short handled ax once, when I thought I had lost the old one.....damned kids....but I like my old one better. I've never had a synthetic handled ax, but I've always thought it was better to have something, that is possible to fix, if need be. And, I'm a big fan of handed down tools....or anything else, for that matter. I have many tools, as well as other things, that came from my grandparents and parents. And I never pass up an old hand tool at a sale, if I can afford it. Tools are like guns and ammo....you can never have too many. Just sayin'.
A simple way to stop that reverb is the raptor handle inductee when you do that it will absorb the impact and you will not feel it in your head because it’s a cell Porten because the number one problem I had splitting wood over the years was my head is breaking and I split probably 100,000 quarts in my life
Also worth mentioning is that the wooden axe can double as a sledgehammer is you need it to, but the shock of the synthetic axe will absolutely destroy your arms on the first or second swing if you try to do the same.
Question. Have you or will you ever make a video of harvesting a whole tree? I know you’re supposed to use a chopping ax when you chop down the tree and a splitting axe for the big logs but when the whole tree has fallen, how do I split up the whole tree? Use the shopping axe again? Probably a dumb question, but I can’t find any information on this. Thanks 💪🏼
Typically you use a chainsaw, based on his 'Art' short, i assume he does the same
If you were going super-old school, yes, axe. Less oldschool, a big frame hand saw saw called a bucking saw, or a 1 or 2-man crosscut saw would be used to cut up the log into rounds. Nowdays, chainsaw.
@@Vikingwerk how can an axe create flat ends? special head?
@ As I said, axe only would be ‘oldest school’; that is, very primitive. As such, one would be targeting logs small enough to not really require splitting before use as firewood, but simply being cut with an axe into manageable lengths.
Realistically, ‘decent’ saws were invented in the bronze age, and before that there are known examples of copper age saws, and even a few items that seem to be flint toothed saws, but I doubt they were used for sawing whole logs into rounds.
@@ArtificialMiseryIt’s never going to be flat if you make crosscuts with an axe. Though you can trim it flat afterwards if you have an axe with a thin blade that is very sharp like a chisel. And if that axe is also asymmetric with a flat side it’s even easier. Takes time though.
As a Finn, I like that Fiskars is appreciated world wide. But a funny story about axes: My brother and I have a Polish made Soviet T-55 tank at my summer place, just for fun, driving in the forest. With it came all kinds of tools and spare parts. Pity that I can not include pics here, the saw looked like it is not actually meant to be used more than once, but the axe... If an 8 year old kid was told to first be blacksmith first time in his life and make the steel part, then make the handle from scrap wood as fast as possible (and if the time run out, just leave it like that), that is what the "axe" looks like. But it "works". Sort of. Comparing it to the about same size Fiskars camping axe You mentioned, the soviet one next to Fiskars looks like it came from a nightmare...
Wayfair…You’re killing it dude. Good for you
My dude 🙌🏼
I have a few Fiskars axes. They are good tools that get the job done, nothing more. They are industrial identical products. They don't have the heritage. I sure as hell would like me a Gränsfors axe. For all the reasons he already explained. With a nice leather sheath, it's damn near art, as well as a great tool. It's something like your great grandfather used, and your grandkids might use it. Makes for a great gift too. Heritage.
same, Gransfors is super woke and I want to support that 🤣
I've took several older mauls and sledgehammers with busted wood handles and put synthetic handles on them. You can remove the synthethic handle if need be. Synthetic handles are virtually indestructible compared to a wooden handle where a miss swing breaks it. I also have the same fiskars axe you were using. My dad has the fiskars maul. I love both of them. I split several cords of wood a year. However, for a hatchet, I prefer wooden handles.
Another drawback with synthetic is that they conduct heat a lot better than wood. I mostly chop my wood when it's around freezing since that is a nice temperature for doing hard labour, but the Fiskars gets so cold to hold, I almost have to either put on gloves or store the axe in a heated space. With wood it's not a problem, even if it's like minus 10 outside.
4:23 what did you hurt??
Its because its bounced, probably not bout hurting someting.
@ ah he winced quite a lot looked like something I’d do when I hit my thumb or something.
Not sure what happened but looks like a little blood on his index knuckle afterwards.
I had just got my finger chewed up putting away a roll of electric fencing. And when the axe reverb hit, it rattled that same finger
He wanted the axe to stick in the log to show us how the handle flexes. He didn't hurt himself, he was just a little perplexed is all.
I have two Fiskars axes that I bought when I was a teenager. I am now 42 years old. Never broke a blade, never broke a handle.
Good points! I agree, except I do have a synthetic with a replaceable handle. I leave it out in the elements all winter by the wood pile and I have one on my truck with a farm jack. Can't do that very well with wood. I keep my good wood handled mauls and axes inside and sharp.
Hi, I just found your channel and Liked 👍 and Subscribed! 😊 One quick suggestion: I think that it is impersonal when people address their audience as "TH-cam!" 😮The vehicle by which we are watching 👀 and you are posting 📫 is "TH-cam!" However, I don't consider myself as "TH-cam," and I don't believe that anyone else does either! 😊
So, something like, "everyone" or "everybody" or "friends" would be much better and more personal! 🤔 Just an observation! 😊
I sell firewood and used to split it all by hand. Switching from wooden handled mauls to the Fiskars axes was a game changer for me. I don't care about the colour of my axe, or who gets to keep it when I die. I care how easily and reliably it splits wood and the Fiskars wins there for me.
God bless man
Thanks for the advice!
Of course!
I have a hatchet Fiskars one, and I got a dual sharpener for their knives, and the axes. Worked surprisingly well. Hatchet in the backpack is great.
Not my best one, best one is my Gränsfors Ray Mears one. Not a splitting axe, it is more for bushcraft I guess. Not for splitting logs. Also I am a Swede, so it is just nice to have something made from "home". Swedish and Finnish stuff is all aIl I have!
I want to make a mild note about synthetic handles. While the Fiskars and other companies are made in a way that the heads cannot be replaced, not all synthetic handles are that way. Many are almost exactly the same as wooden handles. They are epoxied in rather than held in by friction. Is it a pain to replace? Yes. You have to chip away at the epoxy and might have to drill out the wedges but it's doable
@@lamnad why would you chip away at it, when you can take a heat gun and melt the epoxy away?
@@justinw1765 Well
1) not everyone has a heat gun.
2) There is often a lot of epoxy. Most of the eye is often epoxy. The amount of mess and time it would take to melt enough to get the handle out might be worth just chipping at it.
3) most importantly, I didn't think about that.
Yeah baby, so true. I have a few beautiful axe heads from my late father. Great review.
Apart from the practical and financial aspects,there is also the æsthetic one.The Grænsfors axes are just so beautiful,and for me they just sit perfectly in the hand,which makes using them more pleasurable.
Video idea, I'd love to see all your passed down axes, how you've kept the memories preserved. A video on a few of the oldies and memories. Be awesome
I have a plastic handle splitting maul my Dad got 30 years ago, and it’s disgusting, but we’ve used it all these years and never broken the handle 😂.
I much prefer wooden handles, even with the breakage risk.
Weirdly enough, I have a husqvarna splitting axe (it’s roughly a copy of the Gransfors Bruk splitting axe) and I *regularly* overstrike with it, despite it having a shorter handle than all my splitting mauls. I think I must be subconsciously reaching, and over-compensating for the shorter handle.
I use wood to heat my house, so I split a lot of wood. Always used a Fiskars and not had a problem. But I might get a wood handled and see the difference.
You do get more vibration feedback with the fiberglass/epoxy handles than wood, but if you spray expanding gap filling foam in the hollow handle of the Fiskar, problem more than solved. Not only does it absorb a lot of that vibration, but it also stiffens it up a bit.
So what you get is an ax that weighs a bit less than most wood ones in the handle, while being nearly indestructible, and pretty comfortable. I'm not sure why more people don't do use this expanding spray foam hack. (You will need to seal the end with something more water proof once the foam cures).
@justinw1765 That's a solid idea, I don't know why I didn't think of that. Thanks for the advice!
@@The-Khatalyst No problem. If you decide to do it, just make sure you clean out the inside first.
@justinw1765 Will do. Thanks again!
For me, the shock of the synthetic handles is enough of a drawback for me to stick with wood. I also don't mind the upkeep, but that all depends on the person.
Great video!
Every person must choose for him/herself, that’s the only way. Me, I’ve had both. Tossed the Fiskars. Kept the Hultafors. Looks a bit like your Gransfors, but a bit sleeker axehead. By far the best penetrating and splitting axe I ever tried. Recomend it. High maintenence on the handle? No way. Plenty of sap on the handle, keeps the moisture out of the wood, and keeps the handle securely in my hands.. 👍🏻
After much agonising over whether i was being ripped off to buy one,(im a traditionalist at heart), I bought the medium sized Fiskars when it was on sale at a local builders merchant's. Never regretted it. Great for back packing, festivals and outdoors stuff where it could end up wet and weight is a concern.
Otherwise, i'd rather use a tractor mounted log splitter thanks!!
My small Fiskars axe and billhook are literally frozen in snow right now somewhere on my property waiting for spring. Synthetic handles haven't mind this kind of abuse. Both axe and billhook are like +10 years old. Only care that I give them is gentle grind with lamellar disc in anglegrinder to keep em sharp. Super durable stuff! 😅
Try using Danish oil. I soak my entire tool in it. This creates a very strong film on the surface of the handle that protects against most problems. There is no need to do long and multi-layered oil impregnation. You can do it in two or three layers of Danish oil.
I love my GB splitting maul. Absolute beast. I also have the American felling axe and the small forest axe. I am that guy who splits wood for his outdoor fire pit! 😂 Having a nice tool that you take pride and joy in makes the project more fun. Now my son gets to inherit some gems.
GB did warranty my American felling axe after I chipped the blade. 😮 yes I chipped a GB with its first use.
Wood just feels better in the hand and wears to your hand with use
I would love to see a top 5 budget or entry level wood handled axes video.
I used both tipe ox axes a lot.I prefer the Fiskars because at the end of the day I am less tired than using traditional wooden handle axes.
Another issue is the mechanics of the way you split would you split wood in officially you try to split every piece of wood in half that is not the best way to split wood that it takes the most strength if you split the wood from the side it will split much easier so if you use a Fisker ax splitting wood from the side it will never break you will start much less energy and it will last forever
My favorite synthetic axes are the Bahco brand ones; check out the CUC-0.8-600 or the SUC-0.9-600, for chopping and splitting models at 24 inches, they have a curve which makes them feel (highly subjective, I suppose) much better to hold and use. Unfortunately, they don't make longer ("proper") axes with the same curved handle.
That fiskars was $90 at Menards yesterday. I went with the masterforce single bit and it works way better then what I was using.
As a knife nerd and collector, I totally understand owning nicer stuff even if the performance increase isn't really there.
i have a fiskars super splitter axe its a good axe.I also bought a lexivon splitting axe which is a copy of the fiskars it only lasted 1 day splitting valley oak wood.And your 100% right a wood handle is always better thanks for the video. Greetings from stockton Ca. God Bless
My old wood handled ones are already on the wall. I use both 6lbs & 8lbs Estwing splitting mauls. They are ridiculously good, and last a lifetime without worrying so much.
I own both of these, and while I love the Gransfors at 6.2 the handle is way to short. I think the length of the Fiskars handle is what helps with head speed
That gransfors is really the crème of the crème.
Wrapped my x27 in some grip tape helps a lot
Yeah. tape for ice hockey sticks works the best.
Why do you need grip tape? Just wondering. When I use mine I never have problems with the grip. Other than the shock it sends up your arm
@Landrew-26 because a good lawyer add grip tape will help absorb the shock not a whole lot but soem
Here in finland basically the Fiskars axes are only axes you can get. There are few that sell cheaper too. Wooden good ones are usually Swedish ones. But hey, Fiskars is for us, domestic :D My oldest synthetic Fiskars is now 30 years old. Have had few complete misses hitting the shaft on the log. Also forgotten out for weeks. There is no flaw in it.