Council Tools 6 lb Sledge-eye Maul

[CTYank]

Impressed by Council's 3.5 lb "Jersey-pattern" axe, for $25, and finding their 6 lb maul for same price, delivered, guess what ...

What arrived was a utilitarian wood-busting tool with hickory handle and head with excellent smithy-work, meaning a properly hard and tough forging- something to work with.

Faces:

From prior experience, the head needed a few minutes work at the edge with a sanding drum and Dremel, to sharpen it and smooth out the ridge behind the edge by sanding it off. (Steel there is hard enough that it would take a long time with a file.)

Eye:

The handle is very solidly wedged to the head with 1/4" wide steel wedge, but had a gap of ~1/16" along the poll side. Epoxy was easily fed in there with help from some splitting scraps, to eliminate cosmetic prob.

Head shape as rcvd:

In testing on some white ash, black cherry & black locust so far, it performs on a par with a 2.5 kg Wetterlings for splitting. Its poll is really tough stuff, being much less malleable than the Wetterlings, and about the same as a Mueller (super-tough). I expect it to work well, for a long time.

The handle, being common in shape to that of many such tools, would be relatively simple to replace, as opposed to the "axe-handled" ones with all their variations and whittling required.

Bottom line: for $25, a total no-brainer. Couple of these back-when, and I'd have saved both torture and bux. Council also makes 8 lb mauls, but for me 5-6 lb is the sweet-spot for a real wood-splitting tool.

Did I mention that Council Tools is right here in the U.S. of A.? Vice made who-knows-where.

 

[StihlRockin']

Wouldn't a maul head like that have only special applications? For all around splitting I use a 6lb. maul with similar eye hole, but it is more blunt and not so long in the blade area. If I used that maul pictured there, I would be concerned about it getting stuck too many times in pieces that it would sap my strength and good mood.

I have an 8lb. maul with a similar head as that, just slightly less tapered. My 6lb. has the head that is tapered much less and even with that I get a few stuck heads. In fact my 8lb. is shaped so similar, I'd often thought of removing some of the taper.

It's a good looking tool. I'd hesitate to purchase though for my concerns I just spoke of.

Whad'ya think?

StihlRockin'

 

[woodchuck357]

I don't buy any tools except hoes and froes with pole eyes. The handle of a splitting tool should just be used to throw the head at the wood, but the control comes from a flat sided haft. Ax eyes and the teardrop shaped ones are what I like, I think they are stronger and come with flat sides.

 

[CTYank]

Wouldn't a maul head like that have only special applications? For all around splitting I use a 6lb. maul with similar eye hole, but it is more blunt and not so long in the blade area. If I used that maul pictured there, I would be concerned about it getting stuck too many times in pieces that it would sap my strength and good mood.

I have an 8lb. maul with a similar head as that, just slightly less tapered. My 6lb. has the head that is tapered much less and even with that I get a few stuck heads. In fact my 8lb. is shaped so similar, I'd often thought of removing some of the taper.

It's a good looking tool. I'd hesitate to purchase though for my concerns I just spoke of.

Whad'ya think?

StihlRockin'

I've found, in the usual hard way, that a blunt edge wastes a lot of energy in crushing a lot of wood fiber on entry, vice splitting them apart.

The awakening for me was my first use of a 3 kg Mueller maul, which was like an axe with faces spread @ 30 deg. Sharp, with no protrusions, excellent metallurgy too. Made splitting fun, and pushed me to take a disc-grinder to the older bludgeons I had. Typically the edge would enter little more than 3/8" or 1/2" before the splits popped.

With the Council maul, as noted I took a Dremel to sharpen the edge and dress down the raised lip behind it, from seeing what worked nicely with Wetterlings & Mueller mauls. I've used it on at least 50 test pieces of ash, cherry & black locust, some with hidden knots. Worked nicely, did not get stuck once.

My best guess on this performance, is that the bulge seen on either face about an inch behind the face of the Council, or the wedge shape of the Wetterlings face near the edge, spreads the wood with enough efficiency to split it, rather than get stuck. All the mauls I now use are way more resistant to getting stuck than an axe. The bulges on the Council maul show evidence of heavy "leaning" on the sides of the split in passing. Spreading the split faces also helps a lot to keep them from hitting the handle near the head.

@woodchuck357: dunno why, but I've never experienced accuracy problems with "sledge" vs "axe" handles, or I'd have gone for an "axe" handled 6 lb Council. What decided me was the greater availability of "sledge" handles to fit, and no "cons". IME keeping the split faces away from the handle is the big "strength" factor. No hits yet with the Council in maybe 3 hrs. Didn't watch a clock.

In spite of reshaping, my oldie 8 lb maul is just a sorry POS. Weight is well beyond my sweet-spot, besides. Has an "axe" handle though.

 

[StihlRockin']

I've found, in the usual hard way, that a blunt edge wastes a lot of energy in crushing a lot of wood fiber on entry, vice splitting them apart.

I think that's called a "given" or common sense once someone delves deeper into the mix of why certain things work better than others. Especially something like this. However, that's the beauty of common sense. Lately it shouldn't be called common sense as it's better fitted to be "un-common" sense. With that said, something as simple as a blade that is too blunt makes it harder to penetrate wood and wastes energy is something I over-looked. LOL! Makes sense to me.

I appreciate your reply and will have to take some time to read it a couple more times to absorb it and contemplate what you said makes sense this ol' mind of mine. LOL!

Thanks!

StihlRockin'

 

[Chris-PA]

Yeah, when my last 6lb maul cracked my wife did me a favor and picked up and 8lb. I think it may be a Council Tools, but I don't remember. Anyway, it's good to have around but too heavy for me, and I need to get another 6lb. This looks like a good candidate.

 

[CTYank]

I think that's called a "given" or common sense once someone delves deeper into the mix of why certain things work better than others. Especially something like this. However, that's the beauty of common sense. Lately it shouldn't be called common sense as it's better fitted to be "un-common" sense. With that said, something as simple as a blade that is too blunt makes it harder to penetrate wood and wastes energy is something I over-looked. LOL! Makes sense to me.

I appreciate your reply and will have to take some time to read it a couple more times to absorb it and contemplate what you said makes sense this ol' mind of mine. LOL!

Thanks!

StihlRockin'

Too bad you're so far away from us working folk in what some label the "Gold Coast". Seriously, though, if you were within striking distance, I'd be happy to let you try a few such weapons. No fiscal interest, so no disclosure needed. At a recent GTG in Shokan NY a few folks tried a side-by-side of mauls, fiskars and art-nouveau bucks-up Finnish WhatsIt, to make up their own minds. Unfortunately, the Council 6-pounder arrived a few days later. Hopefully we can revisit this at a GTG up north soon.

I've found some splits from back when I was using a big-box maul with a really obtuse "edge". Where the bludgeon entered the wood, you can clearly see where the wood fibers were folded back on themselves. Pure energy waste. That helped me see the usefulness of a sharp edge, and how the face geometry near the edge is critical. Sure wish I had capability for slow-mo vids. I did take some of what I'd learned from Mueller and applied it to the edge area of the Council maul- can't get real picky about it for $25. Really! There's a really good chance that the metallurgy of the Council head is the best out there.

Besides fiskars deniers, there are folks who think a 12-pounder like the Sotz is the optimum way to split wood. More power to both- they'll need it. As an engineer, I look to what works, economically. The rest is noise & arm-waving.

"Common sense" is often a tool of propagandists.

@Chris-PA: For the ridiculous (IMO) price of $25 at Bailey's for such a competently-crafted head, it's a no-brainer. Dremel with sanding-drum: priceless! Forget using a file there.

 

[StihlRockin']

CTYank, yeah too bad I wasn't closer as I'm a wood kinda guy and wouldn't have minded checking them out. I guess I change the terms of the game when it comes to the wedge angle that comes factory. I often spend a good deal of time slightly re-angling with my grinders, files, etc. Then I'll even use emery cloth of different grits to get the smooooth side edge I'm looking for. Besides getting it sharp, I'm guessing by me spending time getting the front sides smooth is to improve penetration as well as prevent it from getting stuck in rounds.

Split a cord yesterday with my ugly 8lb., but it was smooth sailing as it was red oak with no limbs or many knots. Was splitting larger rounds which in red oak terms could be even easier than smaller pieces.

Thanks.

SR'

 

[pennsywoodburnr]

I've been eyeing up the Council Tools stuff myself, CTYank. I really like the look of their velvicut 4# felling axe. Can't scrape together the funds yet to buy one though, so it'll have to wait. Maybe I can buy one of their cheaper Jersey axes in the meantime.....

 

[CTYank]

I've been eyeing up the Council Tools stuff myself, CTYank. I really like the look of their velvicut 4# felling axe. Can't scrape together the funds yet to buy one though, so it'll have to wait. Maybe I can buy one of their cheaper Jersey axes in the meantime.....

Not knowing your preferences, their 3.5 lb Jersey-pattern axe won me over pretty quickly. Maybe 20 minutes with some HF diamond "stones" to put a dangerous edge on it, and it's a very useful tool. For $20-something? Should have bought a box of them for local resale.

Like the maul head, that axe head will put up resistance to a file.

 

[pennsywoodburnr]

Anywhere between 4 to 5 lbs is good for me. I tried my next door neighbors 7 lb big box store maul and that thing just sucks. No edge on it and my swings slowed down considerably compared to my fiskars. My current axe is an old fiberglass straight-handled Luddel. Bought it many years ago in town at a place that sold john deere mowers to help my old man split up firewood. I actually still prefer an axe for busting up small rounds, say in the 4 to 9 inch wide territory. I can pass that axe through in one swing, then bust the halves into quarters if need be. I've also been visiting the Wetterlings and Gransfors Bruk websites. So many fine choices out there it's tough to decide.

 

[CTYank]

Anywhere between 4 to 5 lbs is good for me. I tried my next door neighbors 7 lb big box store maul and that thing just sucks. No edge on it and my swings slowed down considerably compared to my fiskars. My current axe is an old fiberglass straight-handled Luddel. Bought it many years ago in town at a place that sold john deere mowers to help my old man split up firewood. I actually still prefer an axe for busting up small rounds, say in the 4 to 9 inch wide territory. I can pass that axe through in one swing, then bust the halves into quarters if need be. I've also been visiting the Wetterlings and Gransfors Bruk websites. So many fine choices out there it's tough to decide.

As mentioned, I can't distinguish the 2.5 kg Wetterlings maul from the Husqy maul. Next time you're in the southern Catskills, Shokan NY to be specific, stop in at Spike60's shop, and check out the Husqy maul and its price tag. "It's your money", you know.

 

[mikey517]

Look what Brown delivered today...

No time to try it today.. Off to a wake....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CTYank]

Look what Brown delivered today...

No time to try it today.. Off to a wake....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'll be interested in hearing your impressions, and those you make in wood. Hoping the wake was not for someone near & dear.

It was kinda like an early Christmas when mine arrived. Enjoy!

 

[mdavlee]

I have a 5 lb jersey pattern council 28" handle for driving wedges.

 

[spike60]

John, I assume that you'll bring that tool to Jimmy's GTG. Would like to do some comparing vs various other tools. I was kind of busy at my own GTG to mess with the hand tool thing.

But some enlightened discussion about this stuff will be refreshing. I think that many people group splitting tools into 2 basic categories: The new tech stuff and the old stuff. But there are far more variations than that, even on tools that might look identicle from 10 feet away. Some of those variations can appear subtle to the eye, but make a big difference in how the tool performs.

I think head taper deserves more consideration than most of us give it. What is ideal for a head that doesn't like to get stuck, and a head that explodes the splits a good distance, is a good question to be explored. (in some cases posing a danger to a bystanders ankle. ) If I split with an axe, the splits fall right where I'm splitting. One of my cheapie mauls and they fly all over the place. So there should be a sweet spot in there somewhere.

 

[CTYank]

John, I assume that you'll bring that tool to Jimmy's GTG. Would like to do some comparing vs various other tools. I was kind of busy at my own GTG to mess with the hand tool thing.

But some enlightened discussion about this stuff will be refreshing. I think that many people group splitting tools into 2 basic categories: The new tech stuff and the old stuff. But there are far more variations than that, even on tools that might look identicle from 10 feet away. Some of those variations can appear subtle to the eye, but make a big difference in how the tool performs.

I think head taper deserves more consideration than most of us give it. What is ideal for a head that doesn't like to get stuck, and a head that explodes the splits a good distance, is a good question to be explored. (in some cases posing a danger to a bystanders ankle. ) If I split with an axe, the splits fall right where I'm splitting. One of my cheapie mauls and they fly all over the place. So there should be a sweet spot in there somewhere.

Bringing up that ankle thing again, eh?

A prime reason for visiting at Jimmy's would be to provide an array of splitting tools for people's entertainment/cultural enrichment. I'm sure Jimmy would rather have more usable splits, and fewer cookies, too. January is a great time for splitting, too.

I've found that a couple minutes' work near the edge of the 6 lb Council maul put in my first team (3 kg Mueller, 2.5 kg Wetterlings, 6 lb Council.) They get the call when my refurbed "beaters" might not get it done. At least they all now waste minimal energy.

They all have an edge and relatively consistent tapers leading back from the edge. No lumps & bumps. Very difficult to get any of them stuck in the wood, and minimal lateral explosions. Contributing to the latter is a real capability to split the wood pieces apart, so that you can often take lower-intensity swings and get it done. Less wasted work. Seemed when Matt was swinging either of the Finnish widgets he was going flat out, full-bore, take no prisoners. Unmodulated.

When I got the Mueller 3 yrs back and put it to work, it was an eye-opener, how it could do all the good things, without full-bore swings all the time. Using its head shape as a model, I reworked a couple Bradlees'-special mauls with a 7" disc-grinder. Made a huge difference, in exactly the capabilities you mention above. Only problem was that one of them is pretty crappy mild steel, waay inferior to the other.

One property of the Council Tools head that I really like is the metallurgy. Seems to be very good alloy, very nicely forged & heat-treated. Hard where needed, very tough at the poll, well-tempered.

(I'm guessing that what fiskars needs is some serious tempering, besides other things. Their brittle failures are unsat, IMHO.)

 

[svk]

John, I assume that you'll bring that tool to Jimmy's GTG. Would like to do some comparing vs various other tools. I was kind of busy at my own GTG to mess with the hand tool thing.

But some enlightened discussion about this stuff will be refreshing. I think that many people group splitting tools into 2 basic categories: The new tech stuff and the old stuff. But there are far more variations than that, even on tools that might look identicle from 10 feet away. Some of those variations can appear subtle to the eye, but make a big difference in how the tool performs.

I think head taper deserves more consideration than most of us give it. What is ideal for a head that doesn't like to get stuck, and a head that explodes the splits a good distance, is a good question to be explored. (in some cases posing a danger to a bystanders ankle. ) If I split with an axe, the splits fall right where I'm splitting. One of my cheapie mauls and they fly all over the place. So there should be a sweet spot in there somewhere.

I'd still like to see an unbiased shoot out of all of the major tools on the market in several different species/lengths of wood. Big Ox, Mueller, Wetterling, Hults, Fiskars, whatever CT is pushing that week, and any Stihl/Husky/Walmart knock offs that are around. But there also should be two categories: stock and modified. A cheap tool that has serious time on a grinder most certainly should perform better than one off the shelf. With all of this chatter about splitting tools someone should be able to get this done.

 

[zogger]

I'd still like to see an unbiased shoot out of all of the major tools on the market in several different species/lengths of wood. Big Ox, Mueller, Wetterling, Hults, Fiskars, whatever CT is pushing that week, and any Stihl/Husky/Walmart knock offs that are around. But there also should be two categories: stock and modified. A cheap tool that has serious time on a grinder most certainly should perform better than one off the shelf. With all of this chatter about splitting tools someone should be able to get this done.

Well, I'll do my best with my variety of tools here. That's why I made a point of separating species I cut for the test, species and sizes, etc. I'll take notes and pics as I go along. Supposed to rain tomorrow night but if it comes in the mail tomorrow I'll have a few hours with it, get our mail around noon-1:00. I'll probably spend a few afternoons with it testing against various others. Stock fiskars (not the x27 though), albeit teflon is worn off, stock TSC generic maul, husky/wetterlings splitting axe, stock.

 

[CTYank]

I'd still like to see an unbiased shoot out of all of the major tools on the market in several different species/lengths of wood. Big Ox, Mueller, Wetterling, Hults, Fiskars, whatever CT is pushing that week, and any Stihl/Husky/Walmart knock offs that are around. But there also should be two categories: stock and modified. A cheap tool that has serious time on a grinder most certainly should perform better than one off the shelf. With all of this chatter about splitting tools someone should be able to get this done.

Steve, are you trying to frame the whole discussion, again? If there's anyone who's biased, including how anything may be approached ...

I'm not "pushing" anything but the fact that there's a whole universe of tools out there beyond fiskars and that other Finnish Co., and many of them may have much more merit. It's clear how you don't like to hear of different perceptions. Grow up and get over it.

We'll discuss whatever we wish in whatever way we wish, and do whatever we wish. With or without your approval.

The way you distort like "cheap tool that has serious time on a grinder" from the reality is itself a commentary on you. Reading comprehension failure.

Maybe you're just jealous that the "traveling leveraxe" thing isn't the absolute only game in town? (Why are you pushing that thing so relentlessly?)

Getting to be another Dano.

[Ignore ON]