Best splitting Maul

[procarbine2k1]

I split all of my wood with a Luddell splitting ax before buying a splitter. If I had to buy another, I would give the Fiskars a try. I have even seen them at my local Walmart.

 

[ri chevy]

Fiskars X27

I have used many mauls and splitting tools in my time. I bought the Fiskars X27 about a year ago, and have not looked back. It splits with swing speed rather than brute force. You can swing it all day long. It really is great for about 90% of the stuff I cut. It goes through wood like a hot knife through butter. I also have some other different type heads that I use for larger type rounds with knots. They are 4lb and 6lb heads.

When splitting wood by hand, it comes down to experience and finese. You have to know where to hit it, and where not to. Whether to flip the round upside down, and whether to spin it to get the best split. One should work smarter, not harder.

The Fiskars X27 does work really well. And Fiskars have some of the best Customer Service in the industry. Try it, you will be satisfied.

 

[michael j]

No, you arent supposed to hit it with a hammer, they tell you that right on the axe sheath/carry handle. Not designed for that at all, not to be hammered on, or not to be used to bash steel wedges either. Its a lightweight axe, not a maul. Use it like an axe, it works, use it like a maul, it wont. Different swing, different technique.

Not sure why it wouldnt work for you, I have done tons with mine, all sorts of wood, and I have the stacks to prove it. As do many other guys here. It doesnt do every single piece well, but around 90% of what I cut, various species and sizes, it busts readily.

OK, ya made me try the x25 again, and I'll have to admit it works pretty well. I thew it down to begin with 'cause of the short handle and it stuck. A can of silicone fixes the the sticking, got an x27 on it's way to fix the short handle problem.

I've got a splitter for the tuff stuff, but I like to hand slit for exercise. I see these Crossfit people beatin' on tractor tires with sledge hammers. At least I'm accomplishing something when I'm swinging.My neighbor uses my splitter more than I do.


Mike

 

[Tree Sling'r]

All I know is that anything made in Sweden is terrible and you should give them all to me.

 

[hoss]

I've had the fiberglass handled home depo mauls and have the shorter hanled fiskars as well as a monster maul, but the one that I use almost always now and has surprised me the most is the Helko Vario 2000 5lb splitting axe. The design is easy to work on and makes the most power for a 5lb head that I have seen. I would go so far to say that it gives up almost nothing in power to the monster maul. I like the whole thing from the 36" arched handle to the shape of the splitting head. Every part is replaceable and changing out a broken handle is the easiest I have seen. I have sold firewood for about 10 years in the past and heat with wood currently and do all my splitting by hand, so I have put these different ones I have mentioned to a pretty good amount of testing. This is just my impression though.

 

[WACutter]

I guess since I have used the Monster Maul for so long I really don't think about other methods. I swing it overhand from way behind my back, the most effective way I have found.

By the way, I have found a source for the original Sotz Monster Maul, but they aren't cheap ($110). PM me if you want the info.

Thanks for the tip. I found the guy in MI and have one on the way here. Can't have too many mauls.....

 

[zogger]

I've had the fiberglass handled home depo mauls and have the shorter hanled fiskars as well as a monster maul, but the one that I use almost always now and has surprised me the most is the Helko Vario 2000 5lb splitting axe. The design is easy to work on and makes the most power for a 5lb head that I have seen. I would go so far to say that it gives up almost nothing in power to the monster maul. I like the whole thing from the 36" arched handle to the shape of the splitting head. Every part is replaceable and changing out a broken handle is the easiest I have seen. I have sold firewood for about 10 years in the past and heat with wood currently and do all my splitting by hand, so I have put these different ones I have mentioned to a pretty good amount of testing. This is just my impression though.

Very interesting design there, Id like to swing one.

 

[zogger]

OK, ya made me try the x25 again, and I'll have to admit it works pretty well. I thew it down to begin with 'cause of the short handle and it stuck. A can of silicone fixes the the sticking, got an x27 on it's way to fix the short handle problem.

I've got a splitter for the tuff stuff, but I like to hand slit for exercise. I see these Crossfit people beatin' on tractor tires with sledge hammers. At least I'm accomplishing something when I'm swinging.My neighbor uses my splitter more than I do.


Mike

Well, hope you like it. Just remember it is a speed swing, not really a grunt effort swing. It takes a little while to develop the technique, to get the muscle memory moved over from swinging a heavier conventional maul.

And reading the wood. Big variable, piece by piece. Sometimes it is a lot better to start at the outside and work your way in, rather than the conventional bash it down the middle then start taking those chunks apart. On very large rounds I go around the outside and work to the heartwood. Basically shaving off splits.

Man, I agree on getting something productive from exercise, I was SO happy I stopped doing high school sports and spent the time at like a real job instead..heh.

I hand split all my wood, love it, look forward to it. Cutting/splitting/stacking is my sport.

 

[Incomplete]

I've had the fiberglass handled home depo mauls and have the shorter hanled fiskars as well as a monster maul, but the one that I use almost always now and has surprised me the most is the Helko Vario 2000 5lb splitting axe. The design is easy to work on and makes the most power for a 5lb head that I have seen. I would go so far to say that it gives up almost nothing in power to the monster maul. I like the whole thing from the 36" arched handle to the shape of the splitting head. Every part is replaceable and changing out a broken handle is the easiest I have seen. I have sold firewood for about 10 years in the past and heat with wood currently and do all my splitting by hand, so I have put these different ones I have mentioned to a pretty good amount of testing. This is just my impression though.

I saw those the other day when I found that websight. I was curious if the handles wouldn't rattle loose…

 

[screamin350]

Fiskars X27. I've only owned mine since Thursday and I already look at my old maul with disgust.

 

[hoss]

I saw those the other day when I found that websight. I was curious if the handles wouldn't rattle loose…

Hasn't yet, but I did outright break one of the head retaining bolts. It was no prob ordering a replacement though. You could always loctite it when you first get it I guess if that seemed a concern.

 

[mrnecsteve]

I can imagine that! :cool2:

If I were the cameraman and seen someone swinging a maul sideways like that....i would have run like heck.

 

[Incomplete]

Fiskars X27. I've only owned mine since Thursday and I already look at my old maul with disgust.

Don't throw it away. You'll need it. At some point.

 

[SawTroll]

If I were the cameraman and seen someone swinging a maul sideways like that....i would have run like heck.

Likely, but it isn't really a maul, just a somewheat heavy axe!

 

[j_franich]

I split one face cord of hard maple this fall with my 6lb hardware-special maul, and then I ordered the X27. The X27 and I split the remaining 10 face cords while the traditional maul collected dust in the garage. I did have to break out the splitting wedges and sledge for a handful of crotch pieces.

 

[michael j]

Well, got my x27 yesterday. Used it for a couple hours today, and I have to say, it works pretty well.


Mike

 

[c5rulz]

I'll have to pass on Fiskars stuff, because of substandard materials.

I don't understand the comment on "substandard materials". A composite handle with a lifetime replacement warranty, and very few have ever been broken. An ad even shows a truck driving over one. Now I realize the Fiskar handle does not transmit vibration like the steel pipe monster mauls, but then, I don't see that as desirable.

From a Physics standpoint the equation for kintetic energy is KE=1/2*m*v[SUP]2[/SUP]

If all you do is drop it then v is the same no matter what the weight, so if your tool is twice the mass you deliver twice the energy on impact. If you swing the tool at twice the speed you deliver 4 times the energy on impact. So swing the heaviest tool you can swing fast. I have an 8lb maul from the tough stuff, and I can swing it fast but it takes a lot out of me - but I am not just dropping it.

I have never seen an anvil on a stick from the old days when people heated only with wood - they knew better.

Well now you are onto to something.

I believe the success of the Fiskars style is the fact that one can swing it substantially faster through the "snap" of one's wrists compared to a heavier maul which is swung with the arms. As the equation shows velocity is a squared function and mass is multiplied by .5. It's simple arithmetic why the Fiskars work as well as they do.:jester:

But then, long ago I learned to never argue with an idiot as they'll wear you down with their experience.

 

[zogger]

Likely, but it isn't really a maul, just a somewheat heavy axe!

What do you use?

 

[brian660]

I`ve got a 12 pound sledge forged into an ax, it works.

 

[8433jeff]

The one that breaks the piggy bank so you can buy a splitter is the best one.