Best splitting maul no axes

[RI Chevy]

Lol. True dat! Gotta work smarter, not harder. [emoji106]

 

[danimal]

That pic is just below main fork.
I want to C the splitter that can handle a 24",500# chunk of that knot!

 

[RI Chevy]

I cut the knotted pieces too. Much easier.

 

[Wilhelm]

Not that it will help the OP much in deciding/purchasing a new maul/ax , and apologies for going against the thread title - but this is my humble opinion.

As long as You split rounds a maul might not be the most optimal solution - also largely depending on the wood You intend to split.

I have been splitting firewood rounds almost 3/4 of my life and I did so using various axes.
Some were just wrong for the job, others did a average job at best.
But ONE stud out from all the others, and I've been using it ever since I got my hands on it.

Numerous times I've been told that a maul would be a better choice and I often thought about buying one.
Well, last year I kinda did it, I bought a splitting ax (maul+ax hybrid) and while I was at it a big ax, both featuring "plastic/fiberglass" handles.
They are Chinese "BigLeaf" products off eBay, most likely copies of some other brand.
I tried them and I am not impressed at all!
The axes head is too narrow and it simply gets stuck in fresh oak rounds and bounces off knotty rounds.
The maul+ax hybrid is OK, but it requires much more force to split oak rounds than my faithful old-school ax does and the blade is too short making it stuck way too easy in knotty rounds.
In my opinion both, big ax and maul/ax hybrid, do NOT benefit from the "plastic" handles - they seem to flex and as such "cushion" the force intended for splitting the rounds. I also feel that the handles are way too short at ~32", but that is a matter of personal preference.

In short, depending on Your intended usage the mauls/axes head shape and size matter the most, followed by the handles length - weight is more of a compromise trying to make up for a bad head shape.

My favorite splitter is the ax pictured below, mass unknown, current wooden handle 40" long, powered by 105Kg body mass at ~190cm body height:


Yes, the head came off!
I was unable to source a new handle that was at least 40" long AND wide enough to securely hold the head, so I just reseated the head onto the old handle.
I have a video of this ax in action, will try and upload to YouTube.

This ax WILL go through oak knots, granted not at the first swing but it will split them with some persuasion .

Oak and beech rounds that are not knotty split apart without me exerting a true swing.

 

[danimal]

Now that's an axe head!

 

[RI Chevy]

That is a cool head.
I also think splitting wood either green or seasoned makes a big difference. I personally split wood right after I cut it. For me, green wood splits much easier than seasoned harder wood. And for me, the X27 works best. I am open to try new Axes and Mauls, but I would prefer a slightly lighter (4 to 5 lb head) versus a heavier head. I have many different splitting tools. I have tried most all the cheaper designs.

 

[Wilhelm]

It is indeed nice and works splendidly!
I am considering to look up a blacksmith and pay however much it takes to get a copy made.
I am always on the lookout but have yet to encounter a ax head shaped like mine!

Here is the hybrid maul+ax I mentioned:

It has mediocre/average performance splitting fresh oak rounds.
The blade is too short and the head is too thick in its 2/3 section, but it is a maul-ax so what did I expect.

This is the to me useless new ax I bought:

The shape is all wrong, head is too narrow and blade to long for splitting oak, too light to have any impact force.
I doubt it will see much, if any usage from me.

Here are all three that I mentioned in my previous post next to each other:

The far left one is the one that does all the work!


I too feel that, in my case oak and beech, rounds are split easiest freshly bucked.
Especially knotty rounds are a pain to split once they started to dry at the bucking surfaces.

Completely seasoned dry wood, in my case oak, splits easy enough not to break a sweat - but seasoned dry beech I don't like because it breaks/splits uncontrolled.

Dry cherry, plum and especially hornbeam are tiresome to split if dry, luckily I don't have them often at my disposal.

Pear is *s-wordty to split both fresh and dry.

That's what I think, not that it matters much.

 

[RI Chevy]

Nice.
The hybrid design you have there are available at all of the box stores in one form or another. Home Depot, Lowes, Ace hardware, etc. Both wooden handle and fiberglass. I used one for about 4 to 5 years, and the head popped off one day. Lifetime warranty at HD. [emoji106]
Got the store credit and bought some different items, as their new hybrids were no longer lifetime warranty.
I would love to try one of those Axe heads pictured above. Is there a brand name on them? Or are they hand made one offs?

 

[danimal]

That's a medieval battle axe.

 

[RI Chevy]

Really cool. Where would one find something like that today?

 

[Wilhelm]

Nice.
The hybrid design you have there are available at all of the box stores in one form or another. Home Depot, Lowes, Ace hardware, etc. Both wooden handle and fiberglass. I used one for about 4 to 5 years, and the head popped off one day. Lifetime warranty at HD. [emoji106]
Got the store credit and bought some different items, as their new hybrids were no longer lifetime warranty.
I would love to try one of those Axe heads pictured above. Is there a brand name on them? Or are they hand made one offs?

The wooden handle ax head is most likely custom made, blacksmiths were very common in Croatia 30-40 years ago.

The fiberglass handle ax is branded "BigLeaf" and can be bought on eBay.
This one is most likely a copy of some other brands product.

Fiberglass handled mauls and axes are somewhat of a "novelty" in Croatia, regular wooden handled splitting tools have a very large following.
I have yet to see a maul-ax hybrid in my local stores, You can get a maul or an ax - an in between hybrid not so much.

 

[Wilhelm]

Really cool. Where would one find something like that today?

Get them made/copied and shipped to You?!

 

[RI Chevy]

Lol. I will check into it. Thanks.
I guess we have much more at our fingertips here in the USA.

 

[danimal]

Really cool. Where would one find something like that today?

On the set of "vikings",, I think floki carrys one.

 

[Wilhelm]

. . .
My favorite splitter is the ax pictured below, mass unknown, current wooden handle 40" long, powered by 105Kg body mass at ~190cm body height:
View attachment 48735 View attachment 48736 View attachment 48737 View attachment 48738 View attachment 48739

Yes, the head came off!
I was unable to source a new handle that was at least 40" long AND wide enough to securely hold the head, so I just reseated the head onto the old handle.
I have a video of this ax in action, will try and upload to YouTube.

This ax WILL go through oak knots, granted not at the first swing but it will split them with some persuasion .

Oak and beech rounds that are not knotty split apart without me exerting a true swing.

Here it is:

 

[RI Chevy]

Looks real nice. I would be willing to bet that the Fiskars X27 would go through that wood easier and faster. But that Medieval Axe us really interesting. Looks more like a wedge.

 

[Wilhelm]

Don't be fooled by the tame looks of those rounds - they were very knotty.

Can't comment on a Fiskars X27, don't have one, never used nor seen one.

 

[ajschainsaws]

Got a pair of these very similar to your heads wilhelm on with fibreglass handle the other wooden both 30" long

 

[Wilhelm]

When a new handle is required for the wooden handled one try replacing it with a 40", makes a huge difference!
If You don't like it You can always cut off 10".

I tried mine with 32" and didn't like it.
I am relatively tall, so that might also influence my preference regarding ax handle length.

 

[Jwalker1911]

Here it is:

Easy there Lizzie Borden...
That is a really cool axe