good form splitting with a maul?

[roberthathaway7]

Does anyone know of any resources for tips on how to split wood with correct form? I mean anyone can throw a maul, and everyone has their own method, but I also know that there are a lot off little tricks like how to throw the maul back, pop your butt out as the maul comes down so you know you have your legs and abdominals in it to get the most power.. but I was wondering if there are any good intructional web pages or videos out there? I saw some lame videos on youtube but got tired of going through them. Or does someone want to lay out how what's always worked best for them? Certain mauls that you like for certain wood? I use a hydraulic splitter but split with a maul just for fun and exercise every now and then, so i'm no grand champion, but I would like to see what other people think?

 

[Guido Salvage]

You need to define the term "maul".

Is it one of these?

Or one of these?

Big difference between swinging a 4 pound vs. a 16 pound maul.

 

[ratso]

Take practice try to follow the grain or cracks.Stay away from the middle of. knots.Speed and accuracy are crucial to success

 

[Circle B MN]

You need to define the term "maul".

Is it one of these?

Or one of these?

Big difference between swinging a 4 pound vs. a 16 pound maul.

<img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f292/vcblick1/backache.gif"><br><br>

 

[D&B Mack]

Form varies with maul type.

 

[SPDRMNKY]

it's all practice really, and bad form is a self-correcting problem...same with out-of-shape...so start young...or now

 

[audible fart]

Does anyone know of any resources for tips on how to split wood with correct form? I mean anyone can throw a maul, and everyone has their own method, but I also know that there are a lot off little tricks like how to throw the maul back, pop your butt out as the maul comes down so you know you have your legs and abdominals in it to get the most power.. but I was wondering if there are any good intructional web pages or videos out there? I saw some lame videos on youtube but got tired of going through them. Or does someone want to lay out how what's always worked best for them? Certain mauls that you like for certain wood? I use a hydraulic splitter but split with a maul just for fun and exercise every now and then, so i'm no grand champion, but I would like to see what other people think?

I maul split exclusively, and always have. I think as long as you don't make any spastic or jerky movements, after you split a couple rounds your body will tell you what's the most efficient and comfortable way to swing the maul. What is more important than swing technique to me, is wedge placement. Learning to eyeball the grain of the round you're splitting, and place the wedge in the "grain path of least resistance." That's extremely important. Because if you start the wedge in a bad spot where you're fighting the grain, the most fluid maul swing you can muster will still be in vain. But when you place it just right, it nearly splits itself. Never use your body to fight what you're splitting. Let the wedge(s)do the work.

 

[CTYank]

As far as the swing goes, you want to use something like an "opposite-field" baseball swing, where the head lags a bit. That way when the head hits the wood it's going straight down, not heading laterally toward your shins. As head approaches wood, ease off and let kinetic energy do the job.

For targeting, on larger pieces work across the face on the line of intended split, which you've chosen because of pre-existing crack. Hit the far end, the near end, the middle.

If the maul alone won't get it done, noodle a starter split and drive a wedge into either end.

Size matters. I've found I can get best results with 6 lb. The larger ones don't really add anything.

 

[fffrosty72]

Grip it and rip it.

 

[Steve2910]

I seem to get the best results w/ a faster swing versus a grunt & groan hard-as-I-can swing. Sort of like the way they talk about bat speed in baseball.

 

[trailmaker]

I seem to get the best results w/ a faster swing versus a grunt & groan hard-as-I-can swing. Sort of like the way they talk about bat speed in baseball.

I recently purchased a Fiskars #7859 2.25lb. "Pro Splitter". I didn't expect much from such a light splitter but it's actually pretty effective because you can generate a ton of speed with it. It's also so light that you can choke up on it and use it like a hatchet on those strings that want to hold some rounds together. For splitting big rounds down the middle I think a heavier maul works better but the lighter axes have their place. I don't want to swing more metal than necessary so I usually have a range of splitters with me.

 

[Steve2910]

I hand split for the exercise if the wood allows it. The heavier maul burns off the beers faster. Anything that doesn't crack after 3 whacks goes to the hydraulic.

 

[Iron Head]

You don't want to roundhouse swing a maul.
First you set your target by standing square to the round with legs spread shoulder width.
Then you set your distance by touching the blade to on your target with both hands on the handle.
Then you pull the maul toward your body as you push the maul straight up above your head.
Don't need the maul to go pass your head. It should be directly vertical to your body.
Finally let the maul swing down by gravity and you can add some excelleration with the drop.
That's all it takes.

 

[roberthathaway7]

alright thanks guys, I like the 6 lb too. I know it seems like a dumb question, but why not? always good to find a golden tip for something so physcial-labor intensive..even though that's what i'm going for haha.

oh and screw the 16 pound slices of pie man, I can't ever get those to even land right. Guess I just need a little more hair on the chest

 

[Coldfront]

I have been splitting by hand with a maul most of my life, the only tip I can tell you is I will not use a maul over 6 lbs. If you want to split the most wood at one time.

 

[mayhem100]

You don't want to roundhouse swing a maul.
First you set your target by standing square to the round with legs spread shoulder width.
Then you set your distance by touching the blade to on your target with both hands on the handle.
Then you pull the maul toward your body as you push the maul straight up above your head.
Don't need the maul to go pass your head. It should be directly vertical to your body.
Finally let the maul swing down by gravity and you can add some excelleration with the drop.
That's all it takes.

I respectfully disagree with a couple points, but also agree with alot you say here.

Why not use a roundhouse type swing? I've been doing it for 30 years. Same technique wether I'm using a Fiskars X27, 6lb generic yellow handles maul or the 12lb sledge. I grip it at the head with my left, end of the handle with my right, swing it behind my back and as it goes around past my shoulders my left hand moves down till it meets the right, right when the head is just moving past vertical. Then I pull it down...its already moveing this way and you cna deliver a good, solid swing with alot of power in one smooth motion. Lifting it straight vertical and then swinging takes totally separate motions...I'm going to give it a shot though the next time I'm out and see how it feels after a half hour.

I've also got to disagree with the whole notion of just letting gravity do the job. Wether we all know it or not, we're adding alot of force to the splitting tool with uor muscles. You cannot split wood by just letting a 6lb maul drop...there isn't enough force to do much to sepaare the wood grains...if there was enough force to be ahd by dropping a 6lb maul about 4 feet, we'd all be using half ton log splitters.

 

[SPDRMNKY]

I respectfully disagree with a couple points, but also agree with alot you say here.

Why not use a roundhouse type swing? I've been doing it for 30 years. Same technique wether I'm using a Fiskars X27, 6lb generic yellow handles maul or the 12lb sledge. I grip it at the head with my left, end of the handle with my right, swing it behind my back and as it goes around past my shoulders my left hand moves down till it meets the right, right when the head is just moving past vertical. Then I pull it down...its already moveing this way and you cna deliver a good, solid swing with alot of power in one smooth motion. Lifting it straight vertical and then swinging takes totally separate motions...I'm going to give it a shot though the next time I'm out and see how it feels after a half hour.

I've also got to disagree with the whole notion of just letting gravity do the job. Wether we all know it or not, we're adding alot of force to the splitting tool with uor muscles. You cannot split wood by just letting a 6lb maul drop...there isn't enough force to do much to sepaare the wood grains...if there was enough force to be ahd by dropping a 6lb maul about 4 feet, we'd all be using half ton log splitters.

I guess a lot depends on what you're used to. My back knotted up just reading about your roundhouse swing...:msp_tongue:

and yeah...gravity doesn't do enough work for all the hype it gets...at least splitting my firewood

 

[mayhem100]

This is what I do with basically every 2 handed splitting tool I use. Right about 2 minutes into the video. Its a very natural feeling, smooth motion and it just doesn't wear me out too fast.

Sledgehammer Swing Technique - YouTube

 

[Iron Head]

This is what I do with basically every 2 handed splitting tool I use. Right about 2 minutes into the video. Its a very natural feeling, smooth motion and it just doesn't wear me out too fast.

Sledgehammer Swing Technique - YouTube

Thanks for the video. That is exactly how I do it. I just couldn't put it in better words.
I let it drop but during the drop, I give it a little more excelleration "umf".
I don't roundhouse it like how he initially showed the "improper" method.
When people say roundhouse swing, I tend to see it that way.

 

[texastele]

I like the 16 lb maul. The less times that I have to swing it the better. I like to use the pre-existing cracks. For the big ones I will knock a line in it with the maul and then pop it in the middle. We are usually splitting mesquite, but sometimes pecan, and rarely oak. Mesquite splits well. Pecan is hard to crack, man. A lot of times we had to cut a starter cut in it with the chainsaw to get going. Oak is almost impossible to split if it is wider than about 8 or ten inches in diameter.