Fiskars X11: Love / Hate relationship

[pen]

Received this as a birthday gift a few weeks ago and it seems to be just as quality a unit as the larger axes.

I wanted it for camping (will fit in the back pack) and splitting kindling here at the house.

For camping, I think this thing will be great as it works well as for it's size as the other fiskar's I have. It will also work well for splitting some splits in the basement to double check moisture. In that regard, it's above par in terms of similar sized hatchets / small axes that I have used.

However, I'm not crazy about it for kindling. If the small pieces will stand up on their own, and you have great aim, it works awesome if you can split them in one whack. However, I'm used to a hatchet getting itself stuck to the end of a small piece of wood, then being able to lift the wood and hatchet together and bang them down a few times and make the split. I'm not sure if it's the coating on these things when new or if it's the design, but it will not stick to the wood for that combined blow which is really handy for making small kindling. I almost went straight to the wire wheel last night to peel off fiskar's slippery coating on the head, but couldn't bring myself to do it to a brand new tool. Perhaps it will wear off in time and become a non-issue.

So in the end, it works great but it won't be able to replace my other hatchet's as I hoped it would since trying to make small kindling with it being slippery and so sharp is quiet dangerous.

Perhaps the x7 does better. Guess we'll find out next year for the birthday.

Just my 2 cents.

pen

 

[Hass]

I just picked up a x7 while I was in a local hardware store trying to find a soot eater.
Didn't have any luck with the soot eater, but saw a x7 so I grabbed it.
Paid 28.99 for it... I only paid $22 for my X25 at wally world!

Going to go smack some doug fir later.

update;
Holy smokes is it sharp... I was splitting 4x4 doug fir. one wack... don't even have to put any effort behind it and it slides right through. But I absolutely see what you mean about it not sticking. It does seem to stick if it's a good 3-4 inches in there... but otherwise it slides right out. Once the pieces got really small (less than an inch of so), I did the same thing I do when I'm splitting kindling with an axe. I hold the wood with my left, put the blade where I want to make the cut and raise the wood up a couple inches off the ground then smash it to the ground (pulling my left hand away as soon as it touches the ground). I would ABSOLUTELY not hold a piece of wood when using one of these guys the normal way. Seriously, I have a feeling it would chop my hand right off if I miss the wood or glance off it. With the way I'm doing it, I make sure I hit the wood exactly where I want, and my hand is long gone by the time the blade gets near. We'll see how it goes, but I've been using an axe this year to cut the kindling (all 3 times I've needed kindling) so I figured it was time to buy one. Plus I'll be spending a lot of time out camping, so I definitely needed it.

 

[RNLA]

Pen remember I traded my new XL- Christmas pajamas for the X-7. It does work great for kindling. However the bugger is slick, I had the same problem with it either going on through or sliping back out of the wood. I figure it is made as an alternative to the splitter for making kindling.... I really do use the splitter to cut a shingle sized split then grab 2-3 and split kindling. I like my new X-7 as part of the tools for wood work.

 

[pen]

Pen remember I traded my new XL- Christmas pajamas for the X-7. It does work great for kindling. However the bugger is slick, I had the same problem with it either going on through or sliping back out of the wood. I figure it is made as an alternative to the splitter for making kindling.... I really do use the splitter to cut a shingle sized split then grab 2-3 and split kindling. I like my new X-7 as part of the tools for wood work.

Hehe, yep, I remember! Wondered if you had found the same thing or not.

Still debating taking the wire wheel to this thing. Since I have a few smaller hatchets, I'm glad I didn't go for the 7 as it wouldn't replace them it seems. This 11 does do a great job re-splitting splits to check the moisture and this is too big a job for my smaller hatchets, so it does have a niche. Just dangerous on small stuff that can't stand on their own. In the past I'd use a double bit axe in the basement to re-split splits, and compared to that, I do like the x11 better. Was just hoping to have an all in one tool. Hmm...... :smirk:

pen

 

[Sisu]

I wrapped some hockey tape around the handle of my Fiskars hatchet to improve the grip. It works pretty sweet.

 

[pen]

I wrapped some hockey tape around the handle of my Fiskars hatchet to improve the grip. It works pretty sweet.

I think you misunderstood me. Don't have a problem with the handle slipping, have problems with the head slipping back out of a partially split piece of wood. I'd prefer it to stick so that I could pick up the wood and hatchet together and then pound it down to finish the split.

pen

 

[mayhem]

Use it some more, the coating will wear off.

 

[RNLA]

I used my X-7 to do some re-split today. These are similar in size so to compare is not a big stretch. I am still getting use to a one handed swing as opposed to a two handed with a medium or full size axe / maul. I was surprised to see that wood that should require two swings usually took one. The head stuck twice out of eight swings, six went straight through. I found it a bit scary ,out of control, but refreshing to use a very sharp tool. :gulp:

 

[Sisu]

I wrapped some hockey tape around the handle of my Fiskars hatchet to improve the grip. It works pretty sweet.

I think you misunderstood me. Don't have a problem with the handle slipping, have problems with the head slipping back out of a partially split piece of wood. I'd prefer it to stick so that I could pick up the wood and hatchet together and then pound it down to finish the split.

pen

True. But having a firmer grip allows me to chop harder and have less bounce-back. As the other posters have said, the coating will wear off with use.

 

[pen]

True. But having a firmer grip allows me to chop harder and have less bounce-back. As the other posters have said, the coating will wear off with use.

Swinging w/ a little force it does split great, but working with small pieces that won't stand on thier own, I'd have to get a chainmail glove to do that.

Thinking now maybe I'll take a splitting block (decent sized round) and bore a 1 1/4 inch hole down in it 5 or 6 inches and make a kindling splitting stand.

pen

 

[Sisu]

True. But having a firmer grip allows me to chop harder and have less bounce-back. As the other posters have said, the coating will wear off with use.

Swinging w/ a little force it does split great, but working with small pieces that won't stand on thier own, I'd have to get a chainmail glove to do that.

Thinking now maybe I'll take a splitting block (decent sized round) and bore a 1 1/4 inch hole down in it 5 or 6 inches and make a kindling splitting stand.

pen

Yeah those can be tricky. For those ones, I usually set the edge of the axe head on the top of the piece and tap the bottom of the piece against a splitting block (while maintaining contact with the edge of the axe head to the top of the piece). Once the axe is firmly wedged in the piece, I swing the whole thing onto the block in a chopping motion, until the split is made.

 

[pen]

Yeah those can be tricky. For those ones, I usually set the edge of the axe head on the top of the piece and tap the bottom of the piece against a splitting block (while maintaining contact with the edge of the axe head to the top of the piece). Once the axe is firmly wedged in the piece, I swing the whole thing onto the block in a chopping motion, until the split is made.

That's exactly what I described in the first part of this thread as not being possible w/ a new x11. Since the head will NOT stick to or stay wedged in the wood that process does not work. Even if it is burried 2 or 3 inches into a small split, the small split will pop off.

See, you did misunderstand me! :lol:

I think the splitting block w/ a hole will work.

pen

 

[Sisu]

Yeah those can be tricky. For those ones, I usually set the edge of the axe head on the top of the piece and tap the bottom of the piece against a splitting block (while maintaining contact with the edge of the axe head to the top of the piece). Once the axe is firmly wedged in the piece, I swing the whole thing onto the block in a chopping motion, until the split is made.

That's exactly what I described in the first part of this thread as not being possible w/ a new x11. Since the head will NOT stick to or stay wedged in the wood that process does not work. Even if it is burried 2 or 3 inches into a small split, the small split will pop off.

See, you did misunderstand me! :lol:

I think the splitting block w/ a hole will work.

pen

I have to work on my reading comprehension! Maybe use a glue stick to get the sides more tacky!?

 

[mayhem]

Problem solved.

 

[pen]

Problem solved.

Yea I know. :-/ Just not sure I want to do that to a brand new tool or not.

While I decide what I want to do with it, I just wanted to let others know what I found in case they were considering replacing a hatchet so that they would know what to expect.

pen

 

[OhioBurner©]

The X7 is my first hatchet I've had, and yeah its probably not ideal for kindling either. I end up holding the wood to the edge and swinging both as one piece, and moving my kindling hand out of the way once it hits the chopping block. I dont swing hard, more like just tapping it in, but still not fully safe though I suppose. I am thinking of getting a small machete for kindling, using the method of placing the knife on the top of the piece and whacking the further end with a stick to drive it through. Seems a lot safer as your hands are never under the blade and the blade is never being swung. But I have cut up a whole bunch of kindling with the X7 so far, and eager to try it out cleaning off smaller branches from my next downed tree vs using the MS290. Cant comment on the X11 however, but thanks for sharing your thoughts on it.

 

[mayhem]

I've used my X7 for small limbing...up to maybe and inch, inch and a half...2-3 whacks and you're done. I don't use much kindling anymore, but what kindling I have cut has been easy and uneventful. I'll stand the wood up as much as possible and split it, or just hold it with my left hand while the right brings the sharp edge down and just move ly left out of the way. Easy and safe because I'm just not dumb enough to forget to pull my left hand out of the way.

Nice thing so far as I cna tell is the like the bigger Fiskars, the X7 gives you greater odds of a one strike split so wether it sticks or not is nearly irrelevant in my book.

 

[RNLA]

Funny thing is I totally agree with everyone the X-7 and X-11 are sharp as a razor and go right on through the wood. The thing I know is my axe is just as sharp and I have had many more wounds from it than the X-7, had the axe for 15 years or more. I still use the hold the stick method to chop kindling and yes I have paid dearly for it, thing is now I wear a good thick glove for holding the stick. Come on X-7 or X-11 I dare you, no double dog dare you! :gulp:

 

[mayhem]

You'll live to regret this!