Whats everyones favorite splitting device?

[The Shooters Apprentice]

I don’t have hardly any creosote build up and no kind of screens. I use Red Devil powder in my stove a couple times a week and can usually get it clean once a year in about 5 mins with a brush.

 

[calamari]

I don’t have hardly any creosote build up and no kind of screens. I use Red Devil powder in my stove a couple times a week and can usually get it clean once a year in about 5 mins with a brush.

We have to have screens here in Calif. for obvious reasons and the stove results in a a delicate pumice like material buildup that eventually clogs the screen even though I only burn dry hardwoods. I think it's a combination of humidity and the quick change in temp as the byproducts exit the cap. There's no visible smoke once the stove gets up to temp which usually takes 20 minutes max. The only way you can tell there's a fire is by the heat wave distortion you can see when you look at the cap. I have to clean the screen at least twice a season which is much more frequent now than it was say 10-12 years ago. Nothing has changed except the passage of time. It's a mystery to me.

 

[Brufab]

I bought mine in 1980,, it was a mail order thing, send a check, some time later, the Monster Maul was at the house,,

I wonder what the shipping was on that

 

[gggGary]

Monster maul

Had a POS like that. The steel handle would gradually bend; then smack the flat end on a stump a few times to bend it back. That jarring from the steel was brutal on the joints. After too many years I got smart and now use the poly handle 8 pound splitting maul I got my wife for her birthday.. Wish I had done it years earlier. Actually I'm on the second poly handled maul and have reepoxied the head on once.
I have a gas splitter but still prefer the maul, and yes I noodle crotches, stump wood, and big elm rounds.

 

[alanbaker]

When I was a kid we called a splitting maul a "go devil". I have no idea where term came from. Anybody heard of such a thing?
We split alot of elm growing up, bury wedges and the block just sat there - a lot of work .
Years later I was helping a friend split wood for a friend of his recovery from surgery. We were young and full of piss and vinegar and tried to bull our way the the wood pile. Well, we were breaking handles. One morning the fellow we were helping comes out to wood pile, in the snow in slippers, PJs, bathrobe and a and his colostomy bag tape to his side and says " Guys, I know working for free, but I can't afford you if you keep breaking handles". Then he proceeded to give us a lesson in splitting firewood. He took a short handle single bit ax and work is way around the block of hard maple, slapping of slabs of firewood. He then said," That's how you split wood" Then he went back into his house. Humbling lesson and still use that technique today with ax and splitting maul. Favorite splitting tool is a heavy single bit ax. Hand splitting is as much the art of reading the round of wood as it brute strength. And the older one gets technique and reading the wood play a bigger role than trying to bull your through a bully piece.

 

[benz66]

Started with a splitting axe and maul for a couple years then moved on to a felling axe which works for about 98% of the rounds I split. The maul is a Gransfors which is real nice but a tank to swing all day and pretty unneeded. Used a couple cheap splitting axes that were okay but nothing special. Bought a cheap Garant felling axe that I loved using because of the 5 inch bit length. Recently bought a 4.5 pound Arvika 5star that is another level up and works like a dream and hardly ever gets stuck. Thinking about getting a 3.5 pound Council tool sport utility next. Doubt the maul will be used much anymore.View attachment 962444

Now, a 4.5 lb single bit sounds like a real splitting tool. Contrary to what some posters have said, I used a 4 lb double bit for years in red oak, white oak, hickory and apple to split most pieces. [generally 16-18" firewood] For knotty stuff, I used the maul and wedges, but from the time I was 15 or 16 on, a well aimed strike with the 4 pounder did split eastern hardwoods. I will admit on some knotty rounds, i'd saw them in half to make stovewood, because that made splitting the knotty stuff easier. Not much is more fun or better for you than splitting red oak with the 4 lb double bit. I'm gonna look into your 5 star 4.5 lb single bit. Sounds like a good investment.

(i will admit, I am contrary, and I like it. I suspect a few on here are contrary also ;>)

 

[Sawdust Man]

When I was a kid we called a splitting maul a "go devil". I have no idea where term came from. Anybody heard of such a thing?
We split alot of elm growing up, bury wedges and the block just sat there - a lot of work .
Years later I was helping a friend split wood for a friend of his recovery from surgery. We were young and full of piss and vinegar and tried to bull our way the the wood pile. Well, we were breaking handles. One morning the fellow we were helping comes out to wood pile, in the snow in slippers, PJs, bathrobe and a and his colostomy bag tape to his side and says " Guys, I know working for free, but I can't afford you if you keep breaking handles". Then he proceeded to give us a lesson in splitting firewood. He took a short handle single bit ax and work is way around the block of hard maple, slapping of slabs of firewood. He then said," That's how you split wood" Then he went back into his house. Humbling lesson and still use that technique today with ax and splitting maul. Favorite splitting tool is a heavy single bit ax. Hand splitting is as much the art of reading the round of wood as it brute strength. And the older one gets technique and reading the wood play a bigger role than trying to bull your through a bully piece.

My grandfather taught my brothers and I how to split wood with an axe.
When I was 15, my 30 year old brother in law was trying to split a big piece of fir with a monster knot on one side (he was trying to split it 90 degrees to the 4" knot!), he beat on it till even a guy a dumb as he is realized he just couldn't split that piece, he threw down the axe and as he started to walk away he said "I defy you to split that piece of wood!!!"
I picked up the axe, turned the wood 90 degrees and one whack it was split....made me feel pretty Good!

It's hard to believe, but some guys just ain't smart enough to run an axe.
It really pays to think about what you're doing!

 

[copen]

How old do you think those moster mauls are? Is that a 70's or 80's thing? I was born in 79 and started trying to use it when I was 5 or 6 years old. There already was considerable paint wear on it. Some memories never fade and that is one of them.

Don't know when they came out but I got mine in the mid 80's from Central Tractor, now Tractor Supply....I think.
Kinda rough on a 70 year old back. If I'd known I was gonna live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself.

 

[Brufab]

I probly over did it when I was a kid with it but swinging it was a right of passage. I split 2 fc with this one last year of mixed hardwoods

 

[SweetMK]

I wonder what the shipping was on that

It was about $39 delivered,, THAT was the OLD post office,,,,,,,,,,,..

 

[copen]

I probly over did it when I was a kid with it but swinging it was a right of passage. I split 2 fc with this one last year of mixed hardwoods

Nice shock absorber. Put a yellow fiberglass handle on my 6lb'r many moons ago. Has held up really well.

 

[Billhook]

Like many of you here as we approach our three score years and ten we have many scars, aches and pains to prove it having not taken proper care of our bodies in our invincible youth !
Apart from all the heavy lifting and levering that goes with ordinary farm work, I also played a lot of hockey and my wrists in particular are so arthritic that I cannot take the shock loads of an axe or maul, or pull start a gas saw.
When I was using an axe I found the Fiskars X27 to be an excellent tool, not only because it split well but also because it did not seem to become as stuck in difficult logs as conventional axes and was easier to unstick.

I do love working in the woods though and splitting firewood to use in our log burner which also does the water central heating. Here in the UK energy prices are going through the roof and I am very grateful for the woodland we have and the Winter storms which usually bring down enough trees to supply a year of firewood

The Covid Lockdowns we had here were very severe in the beginning and we were really locked down which gave me time to reflect on things. Being bored I set about designing a system that would bring a tree from the woods to the stove without me lifting or chopping or starting a gas saw. I only had the scrap iron in the yard to work with as every business was also shut down
The "Lockdown Firewood Processor" was the result, built around a Matbro Telehandler. 12,000 hours and about the same amount of dollars to buy secondhand. The splitter cost only my time anda few welding rods plus the remote control. I never actually imagined having a remote control, but discovered that I could fit a winch remote control for about $30 off ebay which made the splitter safer to use in case of exploding wood and also worked the teleram and grab which were useful for loading and moving the heavy logs.

The final part of the system was to make use of our old one ton potato boxes which work well for seasoning with the air gaps. I filled 150 boxes during lockdown! Well there was not much else to do!

 

[Renegade32]

When I was 23 years old, I could use a single bit axe to split a 16 foot C60 Chevy grain body truck full of oak in an afternoon.
I did that several times for relatives as I did not own a home, .
When I was 30 years old, I bought a Sotz Monster Maul,, because I could no longer swing the single blade axe hard enough.
At 35 Years old, I built my first hydraulic splitter, the Monster Maul was retired.
At 50 years old, I quit cutting or burning wood.
At 68 years old, I started cutting and splitting wood for exercise, I now give it to neighbors.

Full circle!

 

[Brufab]

Like many of you here as we approach our three score years and ten we have many scars, aches and pains to prove it having not taken proper care of our bodies in our invincible youth !
Apart from all the heavy lifting and levering that goes with ordinary farm work, I also played a lot of hockey and my wrists in particular are so arthritic that I cannot take the shock loads of an axe or maul, or pull start a gas saw.
When I was using an axe I found the Fiskars X27 to be an excellent tool, not only because it split well but also because it did not seem to become as stuck in difficult logs as conventional axes and was easier to unstick.

I do love working in the woods though and splitting firewood to use in our log burner which also does the water central heating. Here in the UK energy prices are going through the roof and I am very grateful for the woodland we have and the Winter storms which usually bring down enough trees to supply a year of firewood

The Covid Lockdowns we had here were very severe in the beginning and we were really locked down which gave me time to reflect on things. Being bored I set about designing a system that would bring a tree from the woods to the stove without me lifting or chopping or starting a gas saw. I only had the scrap iron in the yard to work with as every business was also shut down
The "Lockdown Firewood Processor" was the result, built around a Matbro Telehandler. 12,000 hours and about the same amount of dollars. I never actually imagined having a remote control, but discovered that I could fit a winch remote control for about $30 off ebay which made the splitter safer to use in case of exploding wood and also worked the teleram and grab which were useful for loading and moving the heavy logs.

The final part of the system was to make use of our old one ton potato boxes which work well for seasoning with the air gaps. I filled 150 boxes during lockdown! Well there was not much else to do!

Well made video! That electric saw was doing work!

 

[Woodchuckels]

Had a POS like that. The steel handle would gradually bend; then smack the flat end on a stump a few times to bend it back. That jarring from the steel was brutal on the joints. After too many years I got smart and now use the poly handle 8 pound splitting maul I got my wife for her birthday.. Wish I had done it years earlier. Actually I'm on the second poly handled maul and have reepoxied the head on once.
I have a gas splitter but still prefer the maul, and yes I noodle crotches, stump wood, and big elm rounds.

Still have have a monster maul, but it sets in the shed most of the time. I used to use it all the time. But after using it all winter on hedge and mulberry a few years back I noticed my joints in my fingers hurt all the time. Joint pain never went away until I bought a Fiskers x25. I think the monster maul's weight pulled on the joint tendons causing tendonits.
You can get away using it when your younger, but being over 70 stuff ain't the way it used to be.

 

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

Fiiskers X25 splitter. Mostly use a DR 5-ton electric splitter to save my back. Best part of an electric splitter is no maintenance.

https://www.drpower.com/Power-Equip...litters/DR-Electric-Log-Splitter/p/WE21005ACN

 

[Brushwacker]

Had a POS like that. The steel handle would gradually bend; then smack the flat end on a stump a few times to bend it back. That jarring from the steel was brutal on the joints. After too many years I got smart and now use the poly handle 8 pound splitting maul I got my wife for her birthday.. Wish I had done it years earlier. Actually I'm on the second poly handled maul and have reepoxied the head on once.
I have a gas splitter but still prefer the maul, and yes I noodle crotches, stump wood, and big elm rounds.

I think nearly all the monster maul
I had handle, broke about 6 inches under the head. I'd find a solid piece of steel cut something like 12in long or shorter that fit snug in the tubeler handle, fit it inside where it broke and weld it back, no more breaking. Also i wrapped the handles with rubber from used intertubes and electrical and duct tape to help absorb some shock. I used carpet padding instead of intertube a time or 2 or so. Carpet padding was a little thick but not bad with my fairly long fingers.

 

[Billhook]

Full circle!

1953, definitely a vintage year!

 

[mountainguyed67]

Monster maul

I had one. The handle eventually broke off, I still have the handle as a cheater.

 

[mountainguyed67]

How old do you think those moster mauls are? Is that a 70's or 80's thing?

I bought mine new, either late 80s or early 90s.