What a pain!

Wrap grey or black tape around them ?

Be more careful!

You can also try wrapping wire around the handle at the butt end as this works much better than tape. But using a maul or axe seems to be a thing that some folks just have a problem with. I don't know why but in my years I can remember only one broken axe handle. That was a new one I bought and used. About the third swing it broke. I did not think that was my problem and they did replace it.

Practice is about all you can do unless someone watches you to see exactly what you are doing. Hang in there Black Jaque.

Split at hip hieght. Stack your target on a large round, makes for better angles.

I humbly disagree on that method of splitting. You will split much better and faster too by leaving the log on the ground. Yes, I've split both ways and have split many, many cord of wood for many, many moons. Leaving the log down gives you the best angle and more power plus it saves time. Also it saves a lot of work because you don't have to lift every log up onto your block. Of course, if you get a hydraulic splitter, it is a moot point.

Black Jaque Janaviac said:

...... I prefer the feel of the hickory handle over the fiberglass, but this isn't worth it. ....

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What is it about the feel of fiberglass you don't like - vibration, or is it something else? One thing that might help you is to lighten up your grip on the handle at the time the maul is making contact with the wood. I have a very light grip at impact - it would fly right out of my hands if the round wasn't stopping the swing, and this results in almost no vibration going up my arms. I often split multiple smaller rounds inside of a tire, and for best efficiency I like to split them all, and then step 90 degrees and split them all the other way. So, in reaching over the front one to split the ones behind it, there is sometimes contact with the handle on the closer rounds. I've never broken the fiberglass handle doing this, but also know I could never use this method of splitting with a wood handle. I'm not suggesting that anyone should try this splitting method, only relating it to indicate just how much punishment the fiberglass handle can take.

Get a Fiskars and the handle is guaranteed for life. My Monster Maul has a metal handle, only Thistle ever broke one ( or a friend of his broke it). I think with wood handle mauls sooner or later you are just going to hit the handle of some rounds and do some damage. With practice your aim will improve, but it is going to happen. I did wrap some tape around the one I have that is wood. I don't ever remember hitting the handle on the Fiskars, but if you ever do it will not break and if it does it is covered.

Backwoods Savage said:

I humbly disagree on that method of splitting. You will split much better and faster too by leaving the log on the ground. Yes, I've split both ways and have split many, many cord of wood for many, many moons. Leaving the log down gives you the best angle and more power plus it saves time. Also it saves a lot of work because you don't have to lift every log up onto your block. Of course, if you get a hydraulic splitter, it is a moot point.

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I have to disagree with this. I've been trying to split on the ground all year long and while you do gain the ability to stand up multiple rounds and can split them in rapid succession, you wind up spending all the time you gained on resharpening your tools 3x a day. Its far worse with the Fiskars. I totally disagree that you get a superior striking angle when splitting on the ground. When you split on a stump, the cutting edge impacts at very close to 90 degrees, plunging straight into the grains and powering through the round...with the round on the ground, the head striked the wood at an angle and is already powering back towards you, so you're going through the wood at an angle and I think it decreases your odds of getting through on the first strike. More of the rounds I split on the ground were two strike splits than this I split on a block...to be fair, alot of this depends on your height, the length of the rounds you're splitting, the tool you use, etc as well as technique. I don't know everything (I leave that for my wife and 8 year old daughter), but I know what I've experienced first hand.

I've split for the last 30 years on a stump or big round so I just can't get comfortable wiht the head continuing on past the 90 degree point because the arc is starting to come back at my feet. I know its going to hit the wood eventually, but my brain has a hard time getting past this.

Back on topic.

Switch to fiberglass with the shock collar. I used to go through a set of handles every year on the sledge, maul and axe if I used it enough. The wood fibers get cracked and split open over time with the impacts...not much you cna do about it realistically except not use wood for your handles. You cna extend their usable life by wrapping them and such, but in the end, those handles flex back and forth with every impact and the fibers will loosten up over time...its an inevitability that they will break...and the heavier the tool's head is, the faster the wear occurs. Switch to the fiberglass handles and they'll last 10x as long. The Fiskars handles are lifetime guaranteed too.

I use Craftsman fiberglass-handled mauls and sledges. I've taken the pieces of a broken one back before and since it's Craftsman I get an equivalent one for free.

What part of Ouisconsin do you live in? If not too far from me, I'd be happy to bring my maul and spend the day helping you split.

Black Jaque Janaviac said:

On top of my hydraulic splitter being on the fritz, I just broke another wooden handle on my maul.

What am I doing wrong? It seems like I barely get a cord or two from these wooden handles, and I'm getting sick of replacing them.

I prefer the feel of the hickory handle over the fiberglass, but this isn't worth it. I can't imagine this is just normal.

This time I paid attention to my use and I know I didn't "miss" and over reach, causing the handle to contact the wood without the blade striking first. There were only a few times where this happened due to the wood splitting in such a way that the handle struck wood - but that seems unavoidable.

How do I make these handles last longer?

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I've learned the hard way that out of five hickory handles on a rack about one of them is any good. You really gotta look at the grain pattern. Same brand, same cost, maybe even the same tree made those handles hanging there, but I'm telling you they aren't all good. You split plenty of wood, so I'm guessing you can tell where wood will split und pressure. Look closely at those handles...

Danno77 said:

I've learned the hard way that out of five hickory handles on a rack about one of them is any good. You really gotta look at the grain pattern. Same brand, same cost, maybe even the same tree made those handles hanging there, but I'm telling you they aren't all good. You split plenty of wood, so I'm guessing you can tell where wood will split und pressure. Look closely at those handles...

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+50 Sight down it like a gun barrel,look for any warp,bow or twist also.If you can find them (good luck since handle companies cut everything now & dont separate into No. 1,No. 2 & No. 3 grades like the old days) look for all-white sapwood hickory with rings not real close together.That means faster growing wood,possibly 2nd growth that's harder & more resilient.

mayhem said:

Backwoods Savage said:

I humbly disagree on that method of splitting. You will split much better and faster too by leaving the log on the ground. Yes, I've split both ways and have split many, many cord of wood for many, many moons. Leaving the log down gives you the best angle and more power plus it saves time. Also it saves a lot of work because you don't have to lift every log up onto your block. Of course, if you get a hydraulic splitter, it is a moot point.

Click to expand...

I have to disagree with this. I've been trying to split on the ground all year long and while you do gain the ability to stand up multiple rounds and can split them in rapid succession, you wind up spending all the time you gained on resharpening your tools 3x a day. Its far worse with the Fiskars. I totally disagree that you get a superior striking angle when splitting on the ground. When you split on a stump, the cutting edge impacts at very close to 90 degrees, plunging straight into the grains and powering through the round...with the round on the ground, the head striked the wood at an angle and is already powering back towards you, so you're going through the wood at an angle and I think it decreases your odds of getting through on the first strike. More of the rounds I split on the ground were two strike splits than this I split on a block...to be fair, alot of this depends on your height, the length of the rounds you're splitting, the tool you use, etc as well as technique. I don't know everything (I leave that for my wife and 8 year old daughter), but I know what I've experienced first hand.

I've split for the last 30 years on a stump or big round so I just can't get comfortable wiht the head continuing on past the 90 degree point because the arc is starting to come back at my feet. I know its going to hit the wood eventually, but my brain has a hard time getting past this.

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So sorry but I just can't seem to relate to sharpening your tools 3x a day. We've never learned that task. However, we now use hydraulics so will let quads show the way. Whoops. He also splits on the ground. Dang it all...

Backwoods Savage said:

mayhem said:

Backwoods Savage said:

I humbly disagree on that method of splitting. You will split much better and faster too by leaving the log on the ground. Yes, I've split both ways and have split many, many cord of wood for many, many moons. Leaving the log down gives you the best angle and more power plus it saves time. Also it saves a lot of work because you don't have to lift every log up onto your block. Of course, if you get a hydraulic splitter, it is a moot point.

Click to expand...

I have to disagree with this. I've been trying to split on the ground all year long and while you do gain the ability to stand up multiple rounds and can split them in rapid succession, you wind up spending all the time you gained on resharpening your tools 3x a day. Its far worse with the Fiskars. I totally disagree that you get a superior striking angle when splitting on the ground. When you split on a stump, the cutting edge impacts at very close to 90 degrees, plunging straight into the grains and powering through the round...with the round on the ground, the head striked the wood at an angle and is already powering back towards you, so you're going through the wood at an angle and I think it decreases your odds of getting through on the first strike. More of the rounds I split on the ground were two strike splits than this I split on a block...to be fair, alot of this depends on your height, the length of the rounds you're splitting, the tool you use, etc as well as technique. I don't know everything (I leave that for my wife and 8 year old daughter), but I know what I've experienced first hand.

I've split for the last 30 years on a stump or big round so I just can't get comfortable wiht the head continuing on past the 90 degree point because the arc is starting to come back at my feet. I know its going to hit the wood eventually, but my brain has a hard time getting past this.

Click to expand...

So sorry but I just can't seem to relate to sharpening your tools 3x a day. We've never learned that task. However, we now use hydraulics so will let quads show the way. Whoops. He also splits on the ground. Dang it all...

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HA! And I NEVER sharpen my maul. Tried it once when I was a young man and the darn thing stuck in the wood like a wedge. Vowed I would never sharpen a maul again, and I pound it into the ground day after day. I actually prefer the angle of strike when the round is on the ground; it seems to me instead of the whole splitting surface of the maul head hitting at once, just one corner of it hits and starts the split, then the rest opens the crack as it slides into the round. The maul head safely buries itself in the dirt when the round splits. Not to mention the idea of trying to drag a dedicated splitting block around with me in the woods to each tree.

But, to each his own, that's just the way I do it....

So sorry but I just can’t seem to relate to sharpening your tools 3x a day.

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HA! And I NEVER sharpen my maul.

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Agreed on not sharpening a maul. I'm referring to the much ballyhood Fiskars. Seems to need a shaving-sharp edge to be effective...driving it into the dirt dulls it right up on me. Using a conventional maul I still prefer using a stump to split on though, I just can't get used to the angle of impact when I split on the ground.

Not to mention the idea of trying to drag a dedicated splitting block around with me in the woods to each tree.

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I've never, ever split onsite. Wood's too green and hard to be split effectively, its gotta sit in the round for a couple months before I can bust it open. Yet another bit of contrarian experience of mine I suppose as many of you seem to find its easiest to split when freshly cut...I'd love that as it would be more conveneint and certainly speeds drying...but its never worked out for me.

As noted above though, to each their own.

I get much better results sharpening my maul. It doesn't stick in, and I've not broken a handle since I was a kid.

I usually split them on the ground.

mayhem said:

So sorry but I just can’t seem to relate to sharpening your tools 3x a day.

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HA! And I NEVER sharpen my maul.

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Agreed on not sharpening a maul. I'm referring to the much ballyhood Fiskars. Seems to need a shaving-sharp edge to be effective...driving it into the dirt dulls it right up on me. Using a conventional maul I still prefer using a stump to split on though, I just can't get used to the angle of impact when I split on the ground.

Not to mention the idea of trying to drag a dedicated splitting block around with me in the woods to each tree.

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I've never, ever split onsite. Wood's too green and hard to be split effectively, its gotta sit in the round for a couple months before I can bust it open. Yet another bit of contrarian experience of mine I suppose as many of you seem to find its easiest to split when freshly cut...I'd love that as it would be more conveneint and certainly speeds drying...but its never worked out for me.

As noted above though, to each their own.

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You could be right, I don't know, I don't wait to split. I split everything right away within minutes of cutting (99% are already long-dead trees when I cut them). It's not very complicated for me. I swing the maul, the round splits, I move on to the next. I don't put too much thought into it and as little handling as possible. To me splitting is the most simple and satisfying part of the whole process......and my favorite part.

I'm only about 45 minutes from you. I'm serious, if you would like some help sometime, let me know. Right now I'm not cutting wood myself, so have been splitting for a couple friends when they are cutting. I won't be cutting wood myself again until December, but have been fairly steady with sales already this Fall.

I only have a few rounds at most per year that I cannot split with my maul. Those stay in the woods and become food for the next generation of trees. Built like a gorilla, straight growing oaks, secrets to reading a round? Well, a little of 'A', a little of 'B', and a dash of 'C'! HAHA! I'm not choosy though, I cut and split whatever is dead or down regardless of how straight it is etc.

I don't break handles, but they do wear out after awhile. You may have seen me mention how my last fiberglass handle in my maul lasted for over 25 years. I put a wooden handle in it this time. The only thing I don't like about the wooden handle, aside from the fact that it won't last as long as the fiberglass did, is that I can't keep it tight. I tried an experiment, soaked it in a pail of water for a few days, and it tightened it right up. A couple weeks later it was drying out and loosening up again. Now I have it soaking in a pail of drain-oil. Haven't tried it out yet though. Might work, might not.

'Angle of strike' is all in the delivery and follow through. If splitting on the ground, bend your knees with the downswing so the axe hits vertically. Whether on a block or on the ground, I wouldn't want my follow through heading towards my feet. Sometimes I use a block, sometimes not. I only sharpen when there's gouges appearing- I find splitting is more about the momentum that the fineness of the edge.

Before you use those hickory handles, install head and soak assembly in Kerosine or fuel oil #1 for a minimum of 6 mo. , the longer the better. Then pull it out wipe off and let sit to dry a while like a month or so. Now you will have an extremely strong resilient handle and due to the swelling of the wood a head that will likely never come loose.

I find that I can get a full 24 hour burn in my stove with a load of broken maul and ax handles.

There are maul handles and maul handles. Some mauls are made to take a handle for a 5 lb. hammer. I have broken them just from the force of impact. I got one of these - http://www.stihlusa.com/handtools/PA80-Splitting-Maul.html - and the handle has already outlasted any three I have ever owned.

Re: sharpening of a maul. I did grind out some of the impacts of my maul last year, but I made no effort to get it "sharp", like an ax. It was starting to get hard to tell which side to use.

I also much prefer the angle of strike with the log up off the ground. However, I get pretty tired of picking them up and carrying them. So I tend to split them on the ground, but by bending my knees half-way through the swing to keep the angle more nearly square. I also cut 20" to 22" logs, so that makes a difference as well.

Black Jaque Janaviac said:

How do I make these handles last longer?

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Buy a Fiskars Pro-Splitter Ax

I split on concrete with a thick piece of plywood over it. Haven't had to sharpen my fiskars in months.