Big Maul Options

[Sledge&Wedge]

Hello all,
I was curious if anyone knew of any big maul options readily available (online or brick and mortar). Currently I have the 12lb number offered by northerntool, which I do like, but it's now seen about two years+ work and is developing a decent bend. I know a company now defunct used to make a 15lb "monster maul"... is there anything like that out there now? If not I'll probably just pick another of the 12lb northerntool offerings, but I was hoping someone here might know about one that has alluded me.
Regards

 

[savageactor7]

Your maul handle is bending?...never heard of that happening. The most recent mall I got has a fiberglass handle and after going threw 4-5 wooden ones I think they work grate. But then again I'm not using them all the time either.

 

[flyingcow]

Use a steel pipe as a handle. My father did this to fix the problem of me breaking handles, couldn't use that as an excuse for quiting early. :smirk:

 

[Sledge&Wedge]

The handle already is a steel pipe :lol: ! The bend has nothing to do with miss hits, it's just a result of the relatively thin pipe diameter and the 12lb head being swung for over 2 years and probably having split at least 4 cords of wood itself.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200325119_200325119

It's in no danger of breaking (that I can tell) and I will probably get plenty more use out of it, but the bend annoys me. I could probably overlap a bigger pipe and straighten it back out but I'd assume that would just weaken it further. Perhaps I'll try to post a picture of the "bend" later.

 

[pinewoodburner]

You can check out this one.
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=15780&catID=256
Jeff

 

[Mmaul]

I have a 15# monster maul that was my dads and it too has a slight bend on it but after 30 years of use I can see why. I am sure its from missing the target I dont do it often but when I do it probably doesnt help.

 

[Sledge&Wedge]

I've used this maul on nearly nothing other than large pieces that are impossible to miss (8-14" outer rim, pie cuts), anything smaller and there is little point in swinging something so big (anything bigger = sledge and wedge), Ive got smaller 6lbs mauls for splitting down to stack size; so I'm rather convinced it's the strength of the pipe vs the neck line weld/head weight. Either way, what's out on the market is what I'm really curious about

edit- Jeff that maul is intriguing, it does look like a black version of the current one I have so I think I may weigh mine to see if it's total weight is 12 or 14.5 including handle. thank you for the link

 

[Sledge&Wedge]

here is a picture of the bend, it's starts below the thicker weld joint and for kicks a couple of fresh cords it has helped demolish over the last 2 weeks. The round it is standing on was broken to that point with a sledge and wedge (if you can see the splits).

 

[savageactor7]

Boy I remember those wedge & sledge days...props to you for taking it on. Anyway now that I notice the bend it doesn't really look too bad...does it affect performance?

 

[Sledge&Wedge]

Boy I remember those wedge & sledge days...props to you for taking it on. Anyway now that I notice the bend it doesn't really look too bad...does it affect performance?

It does not affect performance at all, least that I've noticed, I also just talked with a neighbor whom I bought this maul at the same time with and he says we bought it about 4 years ago :question: , just doesnt seem that long to me but his time frame might be more accurate. I know I didn't notice the bend until 3 weeks ago when I started in on about the equivalent of 5 cord thanks to a neighbor downing 3 huge oaks. That said the wood is oak and breaking the bigger rounds (36-40") is rather easy sans an occasional knot and I'm young enough to consider it a "work out" so I enjoy the sledge and wedge bit (twist wedge only and 10/18lb sledges). I also just learned a new technique using a bungie cord that really cuts down on time when breaking big rounds, no more go fetch after splitting pie peices, genius idea! pic below, the round is broken into over 50 pieces I think and probably saved myself 30 minutes! btw the maul on top is the standard one I use for splitting to stacking size. If I knew of this bungie cord idea two weeks ago I would have saved myself an easy 10 hours I think.

 

[thebeatlesrgood]

bungee cord idea? please elaborate. i wanna save ten hours when i split my next batch...

You can check out this one.
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=15780&catID=256
Jeff

i think Thor himself would have a difficult time wielding that thing

 

[Sledge&Wedge]

bungee cord idea? please elaborate. i wanna save ten hours when i split my next batch...

You can check out this one.
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=15780&catID=256
Jeff

i think Thor himself would have a difficult time wielding that thing

luckily I don't sleep much lol, basically I sledge and wedge a round that big into fours and depending on my mood (or if the big maul is near) I'll break it into eights with either the maul or wedge, then, with something that big, I'll break it once more with the big maul, into 16ths. Then you strap a bungie cord around the whole thing and start in on it with a regular maul. I start on the outer edge, after 5 blows you'll start laughing like I did in wonderment of why this alluded you for so long. No more picking up a big pie cut, setting it, taking off the end, picking it back up etc.. etc.., stays in place thanks to Mr bungie cord. the time spent usually bending and fetching is no longer wasted. With smaller rounds you simple bungie more together, ie bungie 4 8" rounds together. I only wish I knew of this years ago...! below is a picture of say "stage 2 and 3" of the bungie deal (slightly smaller round but you get the point I think).
edit- I did the 3 rounds pictured in the earlier picture tonight to stack size and stacked them in about 3.5 hours (while stacking lots of other loose pieces). A round that size to stacking size probably ran me near 45 minutes each, at least, probably closer to an hour or more (can't say I time ) btw the one tool I dont mention but love is a 4 1/2' steel pry bar, great for breaking away the "strings" after the big splits/pie cuts!

 

[savageactor7]

Well fry my hide if that bungee cord isn't one of the cleverest aids to hand splitting I've ever seen...hell I'm going to try that when I hand split in the field this winter.

 

[Sledge&Wedge]

Well fry my hide if that bungee cord isn't one of the cleverest aids to hand splitting I've ever seen...hell I'm going to try that when I hand split in the field this winter.

Morning, just wait until it saves you that much time. I was laughing in place thinking how silly I was for never doing it before. You'll enjoy it... I'm sure

 

[savageactor7]

For sure I'll use it cause when I hand split the wood flys all over and I end up tripping over it plus the time saved when it's all together and can be easily placed in the bucket...wicked excellent idea Sledge.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Sledge and wedge- you maul split like I do- keep the whole thing together and hit it just hard enough for the next fracture. I try to explain this to some folks new at it- you don't have to break it in half every time- and you don't have to always knock it over. Good pics.

 

[thebeatlesrgood]

thanks a lot s&w;. it'll save me time when i get down to the last 3 or 4 awkwardly shaped ones that just dont seem to want to stand up, not to mention all the chasing after big splits. i owe you ten hours. u know what, go take a ten hour break, my treat

 

[Sledge&Wedge]

In my search for a big maul I've stumbled on something that I dont know what to call, interesting or crazy... check out a $250 axe http://www.vipukirves.fi/kauppa/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=28 who and their right mind would lay out that kind of coin for an axe, or even think to charge that, I have no idea!

 

[JustWood]

Put it in a press ,bend it back then weld a piece of angle on it for reinforcement. I ran mine over with the skidder once and had to do this. Still works great after 20 years.

 

[donatello]

I'm with LEES WOOD-CO, use a beefy hydraulic press and straighten-out the maul handle. May need it tweeked a tad every year, but beats buying another. I would add that you should also inspect for cracks under a real bright light and magnifying glass (If you don't have that cool x-ray vision some of us have).