Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

You may have noticed that this product description states that it recommends "taller users". As you can see from the picture, it is only about 2" longer than other common tools in its class. I think what Fiskars is trying to say without offending anyone, is that this product is for people strong enough to wield it. It is longer and heavier than the 4lb speed maul to the right of it in the picture. It is also razor sharp, unlike the other two axes in the picture. I've found choosing one of these tools isn't about finding the single best one, as they each have different techniques. The antique on the left can be thought of as a dull cutting axe with a broad elliptical cross section. It is great. Narrow and relatively light, the narrowness guides the ax through the wood, but also is more likely to get stuck in incomplete splits, so it's great for small logs. The cheap speed maul on the right was actually my favorite until the head broke off. Apparently a clone of the True Temper Sledge Eye here on Amazon, it is dull and heavy with an aggressively tapered head. This allows an aggressive swing not prone to get stuck, great for breaking up large rounds. The Fiskars apparently seeks to bridge the gap between these two approaches with its heavy yet razor sharp continuous wedge design. It is heavy and not prone to get stuck while simultaneously having a narrower head. The problem I've found is splitting wood that does not have straight grain. The sharp edge will catch on a knot/piece of the log during/after the split. Then, because of its longer narrower head, the head wants to turn from the inertia---taking your hand with it. If your hands are attached to your body, this is a problem. I think Fiskars realized this, because the handle is rounded and symmetric, preventing a good grip. I've learned to definitely keep my non-dominant hand away from the toe in case it decides to twist. To insure not getting my hand broken, I have to hold it loosely at completion, resulting in a swing akin to throwing the ax into the wood. This is where the extra weight of the Fiskars comes in handy, but you also have to lift that same weight every swing. The speed maul doesn't have this problem. It allows me to have a firm grip and put my body weight into the completion of the swing. Since it is lighter, it is also much easier to bring it up to speed. I think it comes down to individual preference. What garners the four stars is that the Fiskars is rugged, and I don't imagine breaking the head off for some time, if ever.