Mega Maul

Your arms are going to get tired alot faster, but you'll end up with a significant increase in one strike splits on larger rounds. I'd use the mega maul to halve everything and then switch to the lighter tool for making burnable splits out of the rest.

I've owned an Sotz Monster Maul for almost 31 years now.Its the original patented design of those heavy all steel splitting mauls.The company was from Ohio,I forget exactly what city & their patents expired years ago.About 10 yrs back I loaned it out,came back with the heavy pipe handle bent & cracked at the weld,they told me "Uhmmm sorry someone backed over it or something..." Anyway....I fixed it with a heavy piece of 2" galvanized pipe that fit very snugly over the original handle & collar.Fit so snug I had to drive it on with a 12lb sledge,then I had a fat weld bead run around the joint for good measure.That added more weight,the whole shebang now weighs an even 20 pounds on my very accurate bathroom scale.Its not as easy to swing that heavy beast as when I was 17 or 30 yrs old,so it sits in the shed almost constantly now.

I bought a X25 in late May,that gets used for over 90% of what I split now.Works great on most all Red/Black Oak & most other woods except the occasional White Oak from 7" to 16" diameter,thats reasonably straight grained.I still use the big maul occasionally,have only needed it a few times on the bigger stuff with big knots,spiral grain etc since June.

One thing I can say about that beast - In over 30 yrs,its NEVER gotten stuck,not even once.I cant say that about my X25 or any other of my splitting tools.

Thats the one I have got it from my dad I still use it when the fiskars wont cut it. Makes sense that its from Ohio thats where I got it.

MMaul said:

Thats the one I have got it from my dad I still use it when the fiskars wont cut it. Makes sense that its from Ohio thats where I got it.

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I think your to old to swing it any more! :cheese:

It hurts the next day, thats for sure. Dont remember that from a few years back.

MMaul said:

It hurts the next day, thats for sure. Dont remember that from a few years back.

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LOL tell me about it......

Thistle said:

MMaul said:

It hurts the next day, thats for sure. Dont remember that from a few years back.

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LOL tell me about it......

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lol your a hydro head now!

Jags said:

smokinjay said:

Thistle said:

MMaul said:

It hurts the next day, thats for sure. Dont remember that from a few years back.

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LOL tell me about it......

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lol your a hydro head now!

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You make that sound like its a "bad thing"

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Just depend how you look at things lol my glass looks half full to me...I have a couple dozen of these products around the shop and they look alot better on the shelve... ;-)

Always thought I could go back to splitting with a maul, 6 weeks ago a sugar maple made me change my mind. lol hydro's rule.

ValentineHill said:

I'm wondering what peoples' thoughts were on Mega Mauls and other heavy (10 lbs +) mauls.

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I think they are a giant waste of time, energy, and money

That and an 8 lb maul is all I ever used until I turned 60.....Then I retired the monster maul and bought a hydraulic log splitter. My son uses it to pop big rounds in half or quarters for easier loading in the woods. It is a great tool when you are young and can swing it!

We had an original Sotz version when I was a kid. I never knew what happened to it until a couple of weeks ago. I spotted it in the shed at the hunting camp my dad had with a couple of my uncles. My uncle said I could have it back if I wanted it. I said "Nahh, you can keep it." I might grab it someday for sentimental reasons, but we were 400 miles from home in my wife's car and trunk space was already at a premium.

I used to use an 8 lb'er before I got my hydro. Found swinging straight overhead rather than over the shoulder was much better. Was easier to hit the mark and a lot less twisting of my back.

kettensäge said:

I used to use an 8 lb'er before I got my hydro. Found swinging straight overhead rather than over the shoulder was much better. Was easier to hit the mark and a lot less twisting of my back.

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That was the trick. You didn't need to swing it over your shoulder. Just lift it and drop it from over head giving it some push on the way down. The weight and angle of the blade did all the work. Here is a link to a Magazine add for the original Sotz http://books.google.com/books?id=f9...ult&resnum=6&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Sotz Monster Maul&f=false

That was the trick. You didn’t need to swing it over your shoulder. Just lift it and drop it from over head giving it some push on the way down. The weight and angle of the blade did all the work. Here is a link to a Magazine add for the original Sotz http://books.google.com/books?id=f9...ult&resnum=6&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Sotz Monster Maul&f=false


Exactly how your supposed to do it.

MMaul said:

That was the trick. You didn’t need to swing it over your shoulder. Just lift it and drop it from over head giving it some push on the way down. The weight and angle of the blade did all the work. Here is a link to a Magazine add for the original Sotz http://books.google.com/books?id=f9...ult&resnum=6&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Sotz Monster Maul&f=false


Exactly how your supposed to do it.

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I would give a little extra oomph with my Abs as well on the tough pieces. A little sit-up type motion just before the maul hits the round.

I should really get the old girl out and put her to work. How many splits will I have to do to lose 20 lbs?

MMaul said:

That was the trick. You didn’t need to swing it over your shoulder. Just lift it and drop it from over head giving it some push on the way down. The weight and angle of the blade did all the work. Here is a link to a Magazine add for the original Sotz http://books.google.com/books?id=f9...ult&resnum=6&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Sotz Monster Maul&f=false


Exactly how your supposed to do it.

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Yup. The ol' "roundhouse" swing like you're driving stakes with a sledge is the wrong technique.Way too much wasted energy.Wears you out much quicker.

I hate monster mauls. 8lbs is all you need...never much cared for 6 either. Personal preference of course....

MMaul said:

That was the trick. You didn’t need to swing it over your shoulder. Just lift it and drop it from over head giving it some push on the way down. The weight and angle of the blade did all the work. Here is a link to a Magazine add for the original Sotz http://books.google.com/books?id=f9...ult&resnum=6&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Sotz Monster Maul&f=false


Exactly how your supposed to do it.

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This is the way MMAUL rolls Splitting! Sorry had to! lol :cheese: Nice swing......