Best maul?

[ray benson]

Wow, you are fortunate. Some of the wood in our area you must beat the heck out of it. Sometimes burying the maul and wedges in it to get it split. Especially the elms, cottonwoods,and any gnarly pieces. Here is part of my splitting tools. The center wedge is almost a foot long with a 3"x3" face.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I'm too fat and out of shape to be wrestling with that array of torture instruments... anything that won't split within 5 or so blows from the maul gets split with the chainsaw. I like making a big pile of curly fries.

Ian

 

[Haywire Haywood]

The super splitter is not so super apparently. Did this in about 15 minutes. we'll see how good their lifetime warranty is. I hope they don't notice those 2 threaded holes in the back... LOL it did seem to work well while it lasted.

 

[SRT-Tech]

I'm too fat and out of shape to be wrestling with that array of torture instruments... anything that won't split within 5 or so blows from the maul gets split with the chainsaw. I like making a big pile of curly fries.

Ian

yup, what he ^ said! i give the wood 2 Whack-A-Moles with the maul, if it does'nt start splitting i fire up the saw.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I had some a few weeks ago that were bouncers... hit it with everything I had and the maul just bounced off... they got the saw treatment.

Ian

 

[SRT-Tech]

yea i got pissed off today at a couple of rounds after shattering a big steel wedge in them. Even my buddies hydraulic wood splitter groaned trying to dent the rounds. Grabbed the saw and ripped the rounds into quarters....the wood did a real number on my cutters shoulda just left that wood where i found it......what a waste of time, chain, gas... :angry2:

it was chinese elm i do believe.....

 

[ciscoguy01]

Elm

yea i got pissed off today at a couple of rounds after shattering a big steel wedge in them. Even my buddies hydraulic wood splitter groaned trying to dent the rounds. Grabbed the saw and ripped the rounds into quarters....the wood did a real number on my cutters shoulda just left that wood where i found it......what a waste of time, chain, gas... :angry2:

it was chinese elm i do believe.....

Was it green or dry dude??? I've always heard dry wood is much tougher to split than green or frozen. I myself prefer frozen wood, it really pops apart for ya...

 

[SRT-Tech]

it was greeeeeeen, so green you still smell the chainsaw exhuast fumes on the bark. came from a swampy area near a university. I had one of the logs inside the house and collected about 2 liters of water that oozed out the ends.

i hear ya on frozen wood, hell on the chain cutters, but oh so nice to blast apart with the ax!! (of ocurse the wood i picked up today you'd need freaking dynamite on it...)

 

[WVhunter]

The super splitter is not so super apparently. Did this in about 15 minutes. we'll see how good their lifetime warranty is. I hope they don't notice those 2 threaded holes in the back... LOL it did seem to work well while it lasted.

I bought mine at Lowes and the same exact thing happened, the first block I split with it. I took it back and they gave me a new one.

 

[zemmo]

I got my mega maul in the mail today, and I have to say, it really works. I only weigh around 140, and I'm old and broken down to boot; I don't find it works very well if I swing it all the way around like I do with my 8 lb maul. But if I just hoist it in the air and then bring it down as hard as I can, it works very well indeed. Even though I'm not getting nearly the velocity as with the 8 pounder, it seems like the sheer mass and consequent momentum (and perhaps the steep angles) work to split difficult wood (emory oak, pinyon pine) much more easily than my other maul.

BTW the oak down here in NM splits easier when it's dry; the pine when it's green. Go figure. Nothing here splits like wet birch at 40 below, all one has to do is wave a maul in the general direction of the round and it's done.

 

[Brushwacker]

About 25 to 30 years ago I experimented with just about every design and weight of maul and axe I could find. I wasted a lot of money on a lot of stuff that just didn't cut it efficiantly. The monster maul by far split the tougher hardwoods with less effort if used properly. It seems like weight has the most to do with getting through with less effort combined with the steep angle it rarely sticks in the wood which takes additional time and effort. The metal handles do send a lot of shock to your bones and joints which eventually can lead to problems. I wrap my handles with carpet padding or innertube and a combonation of tape to take care of that. I like to keep an heavier single blade axe with a curved wood handle for those easy to split straight grained smaller logs and rotate with the monster. The axe comes in handy for the small branches occasionally missed by the saw and for split logs still connected by a few strands also. It seems like fiberglass handles absorbs some of the shock that would otherwise go to the wood so I don't use them much.
Birchbark is airtight so birch needs split or the center will usually rot. All the birch I ever used burned very well when properly seasoned.

 

[zemmo]

The Collins mega maul I got has a rubber sleeve over the handle which seems to lessen the shock considerably. Unfortunately, it also rotates and even slips off, up to a couple of inches anyway. I'm going to try to glue the sleeve on so it will stay in one place.

Birch will definitely rot if it isn't bucked up, but I have had no trouble with rounds rotting if less than around 8". I have burned around 20 or 30 cords of it. I get it by the logging truck ( around 11 cords they say) and buck and split it whenever I get around to it. Burns great, half again the btu per cord as white spruce. Keeps my cabin warm at 60 below.

 

[TechAlG]

I have 3 mauls I use regularly. A 16lb triangular head maul, and 2 smaller headed mauls, 1 10lb and 1 6lb. All are pretty good, I prefer the 16lber for everything. That baby will split anything under the sun in a couple wacks. I've had it since I was like 16, am 33 now. I've beaten so many blocks with it that I have to bend it back straight every now and again. You NEVER will worry about replacing this maul again. You'll have to check around where you can get them as I'm not sure. Hope this helps...

I have a similar 16 pounder...one of the neighbors made it in his vo-tech welding class for my dad. Cost $40. It has a 14 lb head, and a heavy steel handle. Might be worth checking with local vo-tech schools to see if they would be willing to make them. They work great; split everything I've ever thrown it at. Does take some time to get used to swinging it though.

Everybody I work with pays money to go to the gym...I figure, why bother? I get enough of a workout anytime I want...just bring out the old maul, and let er rip.

 

[musch]

update.

Well, I've split several cords of wood now with the Helko Tomahawk, consisting of maple, oak, some pine, box elder, hickory, birch and a few other things that I cant identify.
Just as good as the day I got it. And it only weighs like 5 pounds.

Thought I'd let y'all know.

 

[zemmo]

Has anyone used both the megamaul and the Helko? We need a direct comparison.

 

[computeruser]

Well, I've split several cords of wood now with the Helko Tomahawk, consisting of maple, oak, some pine, box elder, hickory, birch and a few other things that I cant identify.
Just as good as the day I got it. And it only weighs like 5 pounds.

Thought I'd let y'all know.

Just looked up the Helko. Very interesting. Which model are you using? I am currently maul-less after five years of using some borrowed mauls and really need a couple new ones, ASAP.

On a related note, does anyone have any experience with the splitting maul from Gransfors? I know that they're expensive as heck, but since mauls and axes can last a lifetime with proper care and feeding, I guess price isn't that big of an issue when it's all said and done.

 

[musch]

I looked at the Helko Vario, opted for the Tomahawk, since it was a composite handle. I like it a lot.
the exact model I have is the 2300g "splitting axe" which is in my mind, a maul.

 

[cashlz]

Old School Maul

This has quickly become my baby.
I have split red oak, white oak, locust etc... with this gem. A bit pricey but it also makes for a good conversation piece and is sharp as hell. It also holds an awesome edge. The Brand is Gransfor Bruks and it is hand forged in Sweden.

 

[sedanman]

I have a Granfurs splitting maul. A friend of mine tried it out and was hitting rounds in the center. I warned him that that was a good way to break the handle, he scoffed, swung a few more times and broke the handle. I am waiting for a new handle from Sweden. I bought a Vario 2000 in the mean time and actually prefer it. I will fix the Granfurs and use it from time to time but the Helko is my "go to" maul now.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Yeah that Tommy 2300 is NICE!



Just as soon as I can brea, I mean, as soon as I accidentially break the handle on mine Im going for the fiber handle.