Fiskars X25 Review: Still Worth It In 2023?

There is something about axes that speaks directly to your soul and, by the end of this Fiskars X25 review, I'm hoping you can feel and hear it as clear as I can.

What Kind Of Axe Do I Need?

As I scrolled through pages and pages of axes in search of the right one, I became increasingly bamboozled by the different types, lengths and weights: what should I choose? Or, more appropriately, what did I need?

It then became clear to me that there were different types of axes; some for splitting wood, some for chopping down trees, some for lightweight work, like making kindling, or chopping off branches.

In my case, I'd just been given about half a cord of softwood pine from a friend, with logs up to 80cm long. I wanted to split them so that I could store them away ready for next winter in my newly built, dual-purpose DIY log store.

What I needed then, was a wood splitting axe that would make light work of softwood for someone who had never cut wood with an axe before.

I eventually settled on a Fiskars X25 Wood Splitting Axe and in this Fiskars X25 review, I'm going to tell you exactly why I chose it and whether or not it lived up to expectations.

Spoiler alert: It did. Easily.

Fiskars X25 Review

For a start, there weren't that many suppliers of the Fiskars X25 in the UK. Even the Fiskars Store on Amazon was showing the X25 as ‘unavailable'.

Maybe that was due to the ongoing (manufactured) ‘supply crisis' across the world, or maybe it was because the X25 was not actually a new product?

It was first released in the UK in 2012; a year earlier in the US and, in that time, the X25 has gone through 4 design iterations. Each one improving upon the previous design.

It's now onto its 4th Generation and the fact that it's still around, and still considered one of the best wood splitting axes you can buy, is in itself a testament to the promise of how good it was going to be.

In the end, I found it available to buy in the UK for £58 including delivery from a company called FFX. It seemed readily available to US customers on Amazon and elsewhere.

Needless to say, I was about as excited as I've been in a long time when it arrived the next day.

Fiskars X25 Wood Splitting Axe Specifications:

• Total Length: 28″ (77.4cm)
• Head weight: 4.03 lbs (1.83kg)
• Total weight: 5.42 lbs (2.46kg)
• Hardened/forged medium carbon steel head
• Country of Origin: Made in Billnäs, Finland
• Warranty: 25 Years​

Fiskars X25 Wood Splitting Axe Unboxing

I'm not sure what I was expecting to receive; maybe a long leather sheath, or a heavy duty plastic storage box, but when the X25 arrived it arrived without fanfare in a simple black plastic wrapper.

After a 5 minute battle to unwrap it (because I was afraid to cut the wrapping off and scratch or score it) I was finally able to lay my eyes on my new X25 for the first time.

It was love at first sight. Then again, maybe it was like first love at first sight; because I didn't really have anything to compare it to. I just knew it looked great. And, as I pulled it out of the wrapper, it felt great too.

It wasn't too heavy that I couldn't wave it about in front of me like a light sabre, but it was heavy enough to convince me that you definitely didn't want to get hit by it for fear of complete and utter destruction.

Overall though, I was certain I was holding an extremely well-made axe in my hands; like it contained all the best bits from all the axes that had been made before it, because it was so perfectly balanced and….. I couldn't wait to use it.

Inside The Box (Bag)

The first thing I noticed inside the bag (aside from the axe itself with the trademark Fiskars orange plastic sheath) was the Fiskars X25 information card. It was attached to the plastic sheath that covered the axe blade.

There was no other paperwork. The info card had a few images of how to use the axe and some that represented the axe features. But the most noticeable thing was the promise of a 25 year guarantee which was one of the biggest factors in me choosing this axe in the first place.

Not that I think warranties will matter in a few years time, but it's a nice to have – just in case.

On the reverse side there were a few more images that represented X25's features:

• The factory-sharpened blade bit
• Country of manufacture (Finland)
• FiberComp composite material that the axe shaft had been moulded from
• Perfectly balanced weight
• The rubber Soft Grip handle to reduce vibration when striking logs

The Design

Now, for the axe itself.

Undoubtedly, when you take it out of the wrapper for the first time and you experience the stark contrasting colours of the matte black composite shaft and the orange rubber grip, you can't fail to feel a little bit excited. The modern colour combo is a far cry from the traditional wooden axe of your imagination.

But, if that doesn't get you going, the silver and black axe-head, with it's out-of-the-box sharpness and forged steel bit surely will.

Unlike traditional wooden-shafted axes, where the axe head is fitted onto the wooden shaft, the Fiskars X25's FiberComp shaft is actually moulded around the axe head. This gives it a very modern, solid and sturdy look and is in no small part why the axe feels so superbly balanced in your hands.

It's hard to imagine anyone looking at the X25 and not feeling a little thrill at the thought of using it.

Using The Fiskars X25 Wood Splitting Axe

When you take hold of the orange rubber Soft Grip handle for the first time, you are greeted with a comfortable, textured hold that silently reassures you as you squeeze it tight. It makes you feel like you have complete control over the axe as you hold it.

The next thing you'll notice as you tentatively swing the X25 back and forth to get used to it is the effortless momentum you gain from the perfectly leveraged weight and balance.

Upon closer inspection, you'll even realise that you can hold the axe in perfect balance with just two fingers if you place them slightly beneath the axe head.

The final result is a wholly joyful and powerful feeling of complete control and balance.

Splitting Wood With The Fiskars X25 Axe

“They say that wood warms you twice,
first when you cut it and second when you burn it.
No fuel warms you more.”

Old Folk Saying

Having never split wood prior to using this axe, my Fiskars X25 review could be regarded as irrelevant owing to lack of experience.

Whilst that is true to a certain extent, the fact that I was easily able to split wood as a beginner using it is a strong indication of how good an axe it really is.

I'm 5ft 11″ and weigh around 100kg; I'm reasonably fit and mobile and lifting the axe above my head for a full swing was no effort at all. And it shouldn't be at only 2.5kg all-in.

When holding the rubber grip at the bottom with both hands and swinging down in a straight line, the axe gains momentum quickly and feels perfectly balanced and controlled throughout the swing, making it fairly easy to hit a log where you want to hit it.

The softwood pine that I was splitting cracked in two almost every time, first time, as I worked my way through it. The largest log I split was about 15″ in diameter and the X25 tore through it with the satisfying ‘crack' of a clean split.

The whole pile took me about an hour and a half and by the end of it, I was thoroughly warm throughout and feeling energised by the physical activity.

It felt so good in fact, I wanted to split more.

Fiskars Axe Warranty: After Sales Service & Support

To say I mostly made my decision to buy the Fiskars X25 for the practical benefits it offered me would only be 80% correct.

The other 20% was down to the 25 year guarantee that Fiskars offer on all of their X series axes.

Activating my 25 year guarantee was easy and took no more than 2 minutes. All I had to do was register my axe on the Fiskars website using the unique code found on the back of the axe handle.

A few moments later, I received a warranty confirmation email and that was that.

Final Thoughts On The Fiskars X25 Wood Splitting Axe

To say I was thrilled with my X25 would be a pretty good summary because that's exactly how I found using the axe made me feel; thrilled, invigorated and exhilarated.

It was an absolute pleasure to use. My lack of experience and technique was masked by the quality of the tool and, as you can see in the videos, the Fiskars X25 made me look like I'd been cutting logs for years.

It could even be the best wood splitting axe for beginners in the world.

The final icing on the cake for me was (and still is) just how badass the thing looks. It's so badass I feel like even if it spends the rest of its days hanging up in the tool shed, it would still be worth the price.

And besides, there's always the zombie apocalypse to look forward to if you run out of wood. 🧟