Hand Splitters....HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[Soilarch]

I'm pretty new to splitting wood. I've done a few amount as a kid but I'm taking a serious go at this fall/winter. Yesterday, the 8lb head on my maul flew off! (truper fiberglass) Just stared into the woods towards the direction it went and thought, "we'll that's why the old-timers don't like fiberglass." Went and bought a 6lb maul at Oerschelin (TSC or Rural King). It's a 'Razorback" brand with a wood handle. Wrapped the base in 1/4" nylon rope since I'm no pro and went at it again today. The SAME THING HAPPENED after about 1/2 cord! I inspected the wooden handle...a few small cracks around the steel 'washer wedge" they use but the body itself is uncracked. Is this what I get for buying cheap mauls or is there something I could be doing to "pull" the heads off. I snap wrists and pull the handle to my belt buckle at the end of the movement, I feel it really helps acceleration down the last foot or two. (By the way I loved the 6lb head!) I know this would create some pulling forces but I don't think any human is that strong. Logs were 15x15 white oak that was felled and bucked Monday. I know I'm generating 'decent' force cause they're breaking nicely on the none-branch/knot pieces...but is the form to blame?

Lastly, any recommendations on who has good wooden handles and a quick turn-around? I can hang 'em myself but the local supply sucks. I've never soaked in Anti-freeze or Linseed but will that help?

Thanks

 

[mga]

i read somewhere once that if you soak the heads of a new axe (with wood handles) in anti-freeze they will never ever come off. i never tried that myself, but i read it somewhere..........

 

[bore_pig]

I always used an 8lb maul. I started using a Fiskars Splitting Ax. 4.25 lb head. I really like it. If you preferred the 6 lb maul, I think you'd really like the Fiskars.

 

[husky362]

i split for years but have never lost a maul head on fiberglass or wood
loosen them up or wear the wood handle's down ohhh yeah

one thing if you stick the mual hard and you are having to force it out of the log, you "may be".....stressing the handle enough that its cumming loose

i have found its easy to get out with a few taps opposite of handle with a big hammer

i really like a 6# mual myself good one's are getting hard to find

 

[Soilarch]

So I just got a craptastic handle? (the fiberglass one has been abused by myself and by buddies have likely used if for lord-knows-what during the summer while I was gone.)

And direction to look for a 'good' hickory or ash handle? I'd like 'em long...I'm 6'2"...and my swingspan is even longer...I'm basically a clumsy ape:jawdrop:


Also, any tips on getting the epoxy out of the 8# that had the fiberglass? I like the cast and grind on the 6# but there's not reason to have a 8# head with no handle laying around.

 

[Wood Doctor]

So I just got a craptastic handle? (the fiberglass one has been abused by myself and by buddies have likely used if for lord-knows-what during the summer while I was gone.)

And direction to look for a 'good' hickory or ash handle? I'd like 'em long...I'm 6'2"...and my swingspan is even longer...I'm basically a clumsy ape:jawdrop:

Also, any tips on getting the epoxy out of the 8# that had the fiberglass? I like the cast and grind on the 6# but there's not reason to have a 8# head with no handle laying around.

What is/was the cross-section shape of the handle wood going into the head? Is it a simple elipse (almost round) or is the handle thicker on the back side and thinner on the blade side, perhaps over 2" wide?

My bet is that it's a simple elipse and not 2" wide. What say you, Soilarch?

 

[Soilarch]

It wasn't a sledge handle if that's what you mean by simple ellipse.

It was very much like a single bit axe. Can't say for sure 'cause I never compared it. I got mad and left it in the woods:censored: Definately not a sledge or a double bit hole though.

Had no "slot" in it either. Just a simple round wedge. (Think of a roll-pin that was likely sharpened on on end.) The handle seemed like a modern attempt at the old octagon handles...flat side slabs that were on the thin side but with rounded top and bottom.

 

[Wood Doctor]

It wasn't a sledge handle if that's what you mean by simple ellipse.

It was very much like a single bit axe. Can't say for sure 'cause I never compared it. I got mad and left it in the woods:censored: Definately not a sledge or a double bit hole though.

Had no "slot" in it either. Just a simple round wedge. (Think of a roll-pin that was likely sharpened on on end.) The handle seemed like a modern attempt at the old octagon handles...flat side slabs that were on the thin side but with rounded top and bottom.

Sounds like you may have bought an "axe-eye" handled maul (2nd one)--these handles break far too easily. I am surprised that you broke the Fiberglass handle, which is easier on your hands, arms and back, as they take up some of the shock of impact. Generally, fiberglass handles last longer than wood handles on splitting mauls.

Methinks you are strong as an ape. Consider an all-steel maul, handle and all. There is a 12-pounder you can buy, and I believe it will withstand your attack.
http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=949&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=maul

 

[Soilarch]

That's what got me so confused...neither handle "broke"...they basically just lost the hold on the head. I sent the 8# flying perfectly straight for about 15yards, looked pretty cool watching it fly through the undergrowth. (It happened do be on a really hard 'finisher' swing) The 6# wooden one came out on the log. It just hit and bounced off like it was never attached at all.

I realize I'm not buying hand-forged German steel...but seriously? I may be big and young, but I guarantee there are plenty of gnarly old men who could out-swing me even without their money coffee:biggrinbounce2: And I don't hear about axes flying off everyday. (This makes two days in a row, which is why I come to the only place I know to find experts )

 

[turnkey4099]

Have no idea why you are losing heads.

As to where to get new handles? Any local hardware store should have a good selection. This town only has 2,000 pop but both thelocal grange and the Ace hardware have a very good selection.

Harry K

 

[lobsta1]

Other than a 30 year old Stanley hammer, I have never found ANY tool that will keep a fiberglass handle stuck on. I never break the handles, just the epoxy they are set in. Until I switched to a hydraulic splitter a few years ago, I found a regular wooden handled 8 lb. maul would last for several years.
Al

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

Use some pretty good size sheetmetal screws and screw in there in place of or with the wedge. The handle should stay on. Maybe even put small flat washers on them to help stop the head from coming off.

 

[Lurch2]

Monster Maul. All steel 12# head. Takes a while to get used to the short handle. I go 6'2" 240 and like you I can destroy wood or glass in 2 days on the pile. It seems to be from the levering to remove a stuck head. For years I used sledge/wedge with good results but never found another maul that would hold up.

 

[saw mutt]

I had the head come off my fiberglass handled maul this year (after years of abuse). I put the head in the vise and used a small chisel to chip out the old epoxy, and replaced it with a wood handle because that is what I could find in this area.

 

[boostnut]

As Saw Mutt noted, chip out what you can. Start a little fire with the brush and bark mess you've made splitting the last couple of days and throw the maul head on top. That should burn out any of the epoxy left overs.

 

[Wet1]

Monster Maul. All steel 12# head. Takes a while to get used to the short handle. I go 6'2" 240 and like you I can destroy wood or glass in 2 days on the pile. It seems to be from the levering to remove a stuck head. For years I used sledge/wedge with good results but never found another maul that would hold up.

I tried one of these, I just never could get used to the short handle. I never could figure out why they don't make the handle at least 6" longer...

 

[iowawoodcutter]

I tried one of these, I just never could get used to the short handle. I never could figure out why they don't make the handle at least 6" longer...

I totally agree, I have a 15 pound monster maul and love it for splitting the big or hard stuff, but why the hell are the handles so short on them!!!

 

[woodbooga]

I've never had a flyer, but I've gone through my share.

The 8lb maul I'm swinging now is on a hickory handle that's soon destined to be tossed in the biscuit wood pile. The end of the handle has had so many wedges and screws out in it, there's not much grab to it anymore.

However, wood expands when it's wet. When I know I'll be splitting in the near future, I leave it in a saucepan head down with an inch of water in it. The expanded wood grabs tha maul as good as when the handle was new years ago.

 

[testlight]

Yeah, drive in a metal wedge or three, soak in water. And if you plan to burn the crap out of a maul be sure to pull it out while its still hot and toss it in some water so that the metal is good and hard. Otherwise the metal will cool slowly and be softer than before.

 

[strongback]

My last effort at making a good 6# maul involved a pick handle that I cut down to fit and extend about 1/4" through the maul head. I cut a kerf through the handle with a hand saw and made myself an oversized metal wedge. It ain't pretty but it ain't gonna break either.

Nowadays I use the Fiskars "super splitter" to good effect. It's only 4 lb and it has a short handle but that is overcome by using a chopping block of appropriate height. When I need that little extra umph to split a large round into quarters, I turn to an eight pound maul I picked up from Northern. (The one I bought isn't on their website but I'll try to get the name posted later.) But that's pretty much the only time I use it so it should last a very long time.

I would suggest that unless your splitting some very tough wood which really requires the use of a maul, you become proficient with a good axe. It's a lot easier on the body and (at least in my experience) they are much less prone to breaking or coming apart. I'm sure, much of the increased reliability comes from the greater accuracy you can achieve with a lighter implement. Not to mention that you can swing half the weight more than half-again as many times and only wind up half as tired and with a lot more wood.