Log Splitter / Sledgehammer

[neiln]

10 hours ago, echoechoecho said:

The Fiskars X27 splits well but I'm a bit disappointed with the quality of the steel as the edge of mine rolled over and eventually chipped off while splitting a couple of m3 of particularly gnarly oak. I ended up having to grind the edge back so the angle's not as acute as it once was.

My favourite combination is the Fiskars iso core 8lb maul I bought from German Amazon for a good price (they called it a builder's axe?) and an old 6lb Elwell felling axe. The Elwell is sharp with a big thin head, so it either splits astonishingly well or gets stuck. Nothing inbetween.

If the Fiskars maul and Elwell can't do it then I'll plunge the tip of a saw a few inches into the end of the log to cut a slot for a twisty wedge and bash it in with a sledgehammer.

Is it the isocore or is it the cleave hammer?  Fiskars us and eu seem to be separate and have different products.  I've not looked since I got my Stihl maul but the isocore was only available in the US.  When it comes to 8lb mauls I'm not sure there's much in it though, they are all big clubs.

 

Your elwell sounds just like the Gilpin I have, splits brilliantly and then sticks firm in the chopping block,  or sticks like sh1t to a blanket if it doesn't split!

 

I reckon the x27 steel quality varies a lot.  Most people seem to say it's hard and is tough to file to Resharpen but mine is fairly soft.  Hard enough to keep an edge but it files very easily.

[Silverhooker]

I got an Estwing splitting wedge a couple of years ago, the one with the lugs at the top, and it has it's uses but not often. ive hit it with a variety of mauls and hammers and it hasn't mushroomed, seems like a decet quality product.

80% splitting with splitting axe.

19% with maul and only tiny amounts with wedge as the return for the effort put in isn't worth it sometimes. Rarely noodle with the saw either as I don't like doing it from a safety point of view, just save up the big chunks and put them whole in the fire pit.

[echoechoecho]

Is it the isocore or is it the cleave hammer?  Fiskars us and eu seem to be separate and have different products.  I've not looked since I got my Stihl maul but the isocore was only available in the US.  When it comes to 8lb mauls I'm not sure there's much in it though, they are all big clubs.
 
Your elwell sounds just like the Gilpin I have, splits brilliantly and then sticks firm in the chopping block,  or sticks like sh1t to a blanket if it doesn't split!
 
I reckon the x27 steel quality varies a lot.  Most people seem to say it's hard and is tough to file to Resharpen but mine is fairly soft.  Hard enough to keep an edge but it files very easily.

Mine's the Iso Core. I tend to use it to half or quarter big or uncooperative rounds before swapping to an axe.

[openspaceman]

I see someone else uses one like my favourite

 

 

A birthday present from my daughter  from around 93. Apart from the sentimental attachment I like it because the cutting edge is not as broad as a felling axe and at 6lbs is about the right weight for me. It has never been sharpened as that would make it stick too much and it only splits about 4m3/annum.

 

I was surprised to see the barcode as I hadn't realised they have been around so long.

 

My "working" favourite Muller was out on loan and the young lady seems to want to keep it

[Rob_the_Sparky]

22 hours ago, neiln said:

I reckon the x27 steel quality varies a lot.  Most people seem to say it's hard and is tough to file to Resharpen but mine is fairly soft.  Hard enough to keep an edge but it files very easily.

Yeah interesting that as mine is holding an edge extremely well, I am mostly splitting softwood but in 3 years of use it has barely needed any sharpening (~3 to 4 stacked cube a year).  As with others I like the x27 but it is not some wonder tool that will split everything and never gets stuck.

 

I use a twisting wedge as a back-up (a fiskars one but I think it is just an overpriced version of the roughneck one) which splits almost anything but there are times a saw is just the better option.  While the wedge generally works it is not always worth the effort.  Although that might have a lot to do with the fact that I have a very heavy sledge that I inherited from a builder...

 

Oh and I too started with a wood grenade, maul and hatchet from screwfix.  The grenade I think is better described as an oversized nail, the maul works but isn't as good as the x27 is is heavier to use.  The hatchet is blunt even after a bit of time with a file to improve it.  Better than nothing but would not recommend it to anyone.

[Gav73]

I’ve been splitting my own firewood for the last 12 years. I’ve tried the log grenades - more effort than they’re  worth and I actually snapped one in half, if you do go down that route get at least two of them, because they always get stuck!  I’m have an array of hatchets, axes and mauls - ranging from Stihl to a massive wedge splitting head welded to a piece of scaffolding pole. Now this might upset the purists out there, but the one I always go back to is the cheapo one I bought in Aldi - the length is spot on for me and the shape of the wedge is perfect for splitting! 
I must also admit to being on my third splitter (current one is a 20 ton rock machinery one) and unless it’s nice and straight grained logs and I fancy a workout or feel I’m out of practice with the axe, I prefer the splitter!

[Jonny H]

Another vote for the Fiskars X27. Until I bought it, I was under the impression that all Fiskars stuff was homeowner grade junk. I’m sold on that splitting axe though, it’s excellent.

[Billhook]

On 08/11/2020 at 14:25, Stere said:

Used to mess around with sleges and wegdes but now found its easier put the awkward bits too one side and  use  a chainsaw to noodle them up.

 

Don't use the x27 that much find its too abit too lightweight  for most stuff unlesss smaller diameter rounds with prefect grain.

 

Prefer a maul with more weight in the head. Takes   less effort to use than  the x27 as you don't need to hit the wood as hard.

The main thing with the X27 is that it is relatively light so easier to swing hard all day, but very importantly it is very easy to extract from a recalcitrant log.  For a long day's work it would be my choice.

[Witterings]

1 hour ago, Billhook said:

The main thing with the X27 is that it is relatively light so easier to swing hard all day, but very importantly it is very easy to extract from a recalcitrant log.  For a long day's work it would be my choice.

 

Definitely weight was one of the other things I was thinking about, I also have an inherited 3.6kg maul but the ehads coming loose hence why I#m looking for something else but you don't half notice the difference in weight over an axe and it quickly becomes tiring to use.

[Billhook]

On 16/11/2020 at 22:25, Witterings said:

 

Definitely weight was one of the other things I was thinking about, I also have an inherited 3.6kg maul but the ehads coming loose hence why I#m looking for something else but you don't half notice the difference in weight over an axe and it quickly becomes tiring to use.

x27 definitely punches above its weight.  I feel that it may be easier to achieve a high velocity with a lighter axe than a heavy one.  I read stories of variable steel quality but all I can say is I have been very impressed with the head, in the six years of ownership I have never had to sharpen it,  never chipped it and the shape I think has been carefully thought out so that it seems to explode the logs and as I said before it is easy to extract.  (I do not work for Fiskars nor receive any rewards from them!)