Have not used a sledge in years. However, I have used them a lot in the past, for a living, driving steel pins for curb and gutter forms and 9" high concrete road forms for eight years. Lots of 2" x 4" stakes as well. I preferred wood handles over fiberglass. And a lighter maul over a heavier one.
Fiberglass has a flex to it I never cared for. Rattled the elbows. Break/crack a few wood ones until you get a feel for it. I also was taught to hold the end of the handle, and windmill it. Breath out, grunt..., on the down stroke. That's why laborers are called 'grunts'. I used to be pretty light built, got a bit of a Buddha belly now. My body could not do the heavier mauls, and up/down stroke for very long. And I could not round house heavy mauls without feeling the strain. Rattled the joints, and harder for me to hit square. 2" x 4" wood stakes have to be hit square or you peel the sides off them and make junk. (They like to reuse them as much as possible.)
Later, splitting wood with wedges, if there were a lot of rounds, rather than setting the wedge with the maul, which sometimes popped out on the first hit (and hit me in the shins more often than not), I would cut a kerf with the saw about bar depth, and nicely set the wedge with a light tap. One or two hits, done.
Set the wedge in the round with a light tap.
Start with the head of the maul on the wedge, as a gauge for where to stand. If your round housing (windmill-ing) on your right, have your left foot forward pointed towards the wedge, right foot back and turned ninety degrees or so. Keep your back straight, sit lightly into the stance, and slight bend at base of the back, at the hips. Let the maul roll to the side (as you straighten), and down past your leg, which is the beginning of the swing. That momentum, rolling off the wedge, turning your waist and shoulders, with a little technique will get you to 2 o'clock, 1 o'clock, 12 and start to power down about 10 o'clock. Your feet don't move, and for the most part your back is straight, arms extended in the swing, the bend is at the hips, and legs, so the head hits the wedge. Not a ton of power. Start with light swings until you dial it in front to back on the wedge. With a little practice your going to come down square and strong on the wedge. Keep your wedges trimmed and ground on the top edge, free of mushrooms to be safe, for you and others. Once a round is halved with a wedge and maul, they are easily split with a Fiskers, splitting maul, or whatever. Of course with this technique you have to be aware of your work area, of kids, or anyone, who may enter your swing area, which may easily be four feet behind you. Someone else may not realize that.
The thing is, if you're breaking handles, it may be your technique and not the handles, although you may want to cut an inch or so off a handle for a personal fit. Some guys have long backs, others short bodies, etc.
I think it may all be mute, as some of these guys do not halve rounds at all, rather split with an axe from the outside, and work around, and in. I have not tried that, but it is something to explore on YouTube.
Just passing on my experience, it may not apply to you, or anyone else at all.
Good luck...
