bad fiskars experience

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
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Went out on a day hike today made a little fire to cook up some hot dogsdecided to try out my fiskars axe for the first time ny chopping about 10 pencil thiock piece of kindling off a dead fallen tree.... it took about a minute but when I looked at the blade the edge was al chewed up like the jagged edge of can...I kind of expected it to hold up a little better....I'll try to straighten it out but I'm a little bummed.
 
I have cut a lot of hardwood with mine and never even put a nick in the blade. Did you go through the sticks and into the ground?
 
RR-Thanks for the post. Sorry about your misfortune. I was recently in the market for a small packable camp axe/hatchet and considered the Fiskars. I liked it because of the weight and because it was relatively inexpensive. However, I saw photos of broken handles and ended up buying a GB wildlife hatchet instead. A little heavier and more expensive but I think the steel is much better and it would be much easier to improvise a handle if the need should arise. Even after buying the Gransfors I thought about a little Fiskars or a Gerber as well. I doubt I will buy one now. -DT
 
That has got to be some kind of manufacturing defect or heat treat problem. Send it in and get it replaced. They will take care of it. Those Fiskars axes are excellent performers. I have chopped mesquite all day long with them clearing trails and never had a problem.
 
Yeah I think it might be the heat treat or they might have ground the edge too thin... The limbs were attatched to a dead fall that was prooped against anothe tree...the blade never came in contact wht the ground...I'm going to contact them and see if they'll do the right thing...I've read so many good things about them..on the bright side the hike was awesome.
 
It sounds like some aluminum got mixed in with their Finish Steel, and low grade aluminum at that! My edge has held up to chopping numerous things, including removing a large stump from the ground (where the dirt and rocks are). If anything, they come with edges that are too thick, I ground mine down to a far less angle and it still holds up very well. I would contact Fiskars on this one.
 
Mine chipped a bit on my first use too, Riley. I was not too happy. After that, I just took it and sharpened it back up and removed the chips that way, and they haven't re-appeared. I'm thinking maybe just the outer edge/layer of the steel was too hard or something.

But I'm not expert on metallurgy, so it could easily be something else wrong with both our steels.
 
dttomcat said:
RR-Thanks for the post. Sorry about your misfortune. I was recently in the market for a small packable camp axe/hatchet and considered the Fiskars. I liked it because of the weight and because it was relatively inexpensive. However, I saw photos of broken handles and ended up buying a GB wildlife hatchet instead. A little heavier and more expensive but I think the steel is much better and it would be much easier to improvise a handle if the need should arise. Even after buying the Gransfors I thought about a little Fiskars or a Gerber as well. I doubt I will buy one now. -DT
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I've got a Fiskars and while I've only used it a couple of times so far, it's held up quite well even after a few accidental swings into the dirt and rocks. Where did you see/hear about the broken handles? I've never heard a bad thing about them until now.

I wish I could afford a Gransfors but the Fiskars does the job pretty well and the price was right.

I'd like to see what the head on the Fiskars looks like under the plastic that wraps around it. I think if you did break a handle you could probably fashion a wooden one pretty easily with a split or notched end and secure it with cord or sinew. It wouldn't be very useful for splitting any more but it would still chop alright I think.
 
Sounds strange bro, I got one a while back and have been really impressed.
I have chopped up loads of hard fire wood and the edge still looks like new !!!
 
I was chopping up pallets and hit a nail full force with mine and all it did was put a little chip in the edge. no way you should have any edge damage chopping any kind of wood, even if it did go into the ground.
 
From my experience something is wrong. I have three of them. One of my scouts when I was not looking split kindling on concrete. Judging from the concrete he hit it a lot. The hatchet had one 1/16" x 1/16" chip on the top edge corner. The other two show no signs of wear despite some use on alder and scrub oak. In their advertising they put the 14" hatchet against a curb then run over it with a truck (maybe a car?). Handle bends at the head about 45 deg. does not break and then springs back straight.
Ron Athay
 
dttomcat said:
However, I saw photos of broken handles and ended up buying a GB wildlife hatchet instead
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I've heard a few people comment about pictures of broken handles, but have yet to see one. Is there somewhere I can see the pictures? Do you know what caused the handles to break?
 
RR its interesting you said this. The first time I used my Gerber packable axe I had the same experience. It was razor sharp but after I got done doing some chopping with it I saw some nicks in the blade. I was able to clean it up but I didn't think I really hit anything. Now I wonder if there is a problem with the blade. I'll have to keep an eye on it.

KR
 
I know I've seen a picture of a broken handle, I just can't remember where it was that I saw it. It may have been a longer model. I'll look for it when I have the time and post a link. I am not trying to slam these axes at all and they may be great tools, especially for the money. I'm just a little skeptical after reading some negative posts. -DT
 
something aint right here

and never heard of a broken fiskars handle...

it would take way, i mean WAY more than just normal use to break one of those handles
 
Mine chipped too, but upon inspecting the wood, there was a small nail, without a head that I had missed. It sharpened right out and no more chipping problems and I've used it a lot on oak and pine kindling.
 
I have the Gerber/Fiskars hatchet and mine have chipped over the years not bad but some as you can see in the photo below. As far as breaking the handle
the only way I can see you doing this if you placed the head under something and used the hatchet as a lever. I saw a show on the history channel where they visited the Fiskars testing lab and they were bending the handles almost like a pretzel. I don't ever see one ever breaking from normal chopping use.

And no I did not chop concrete with it just wood over the years.

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Alright, I spent some time looking for the photo and I've yet to find it but I definitely saw one. I cannot remember what the circumstances were which caused the handle to break. It was probably the result of abuse and/or very cold temperatures. Also, I am sure that this is a very rare occurrence. However, it can and has happened. -DT
 
Ive had a 23" version for about 2 weeks now, I've splite 2 cord of maple with it, other than loosing some of the protective coat, it was fine. $50 for a good splitting axe is surprising to me, but it works great.
Sorry to hear RR.
 
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