8-lb vs. 6-lb Fiskars maul?

[AstroBoy]

I do most of my splitting with a Fiskars X27 axe, which I really like. But occasionally it's nice to use a maul + wedge, and the straight wood handle on my old heavy maul is breaking. I'm thinking of giving it away to someone to let them replace the handle, and buying myself a Fiskars maul. But should I get the 8-lb or 6-lb model?
My thoughts on pros and cons (but would love to hear other thoughts):

6 lb: Pros: easier to swing; Cons: same weight as X27, so would I be better off with more variation in weight?

8 lb: Pros: heavier, so maybe more force? Cons: heavier, so more work to use.

It's not clear to me if going to the heavier maul would really gain me that much, if it's harder/slower to swing. Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[stoveliker]

I have the x-27 and the 8 lbs.
Rather than buy two that are close in weight, get two that are different. You are buying them after all to have different possibilities in how you attack a round.

 

[stoveliker]

Also, I hardly use wedges any more. The Fiskars maul and my sledge do the trick better for me, when the x-27 can't start a round.

 

[AstroBoy]

Also, I hardly use wedges any more. The Fiskars maul and my sledge do the trick better for me, when the x-27 can't start a round.

Interesting - do you hammer the maul into the round, as if it were a wedge?

 

[bigealta]

I used a light old school maul. 8 lbs is way to much for me to swing more than a few times. I prefer high speed swing vs slow heavy hitter.

 

[stoveliker]

Interesting - do you hammer the maul into the round, as if it were a wedge?

Yes, I use it as a maul on the first hit, then the sledge on the back of the maul. That's what the round back of the maul is made for.
After that it's immediately back to the x-27

 

[bikedennis]

X27 with 8lb

 

[Prof]

I use both the x27 (which is my go-to 9 times out of 10) and the Fiskars 8 lb maul. If the maul can split it, I noodle it the next time I have the saw out. I have a bunch of good wedges--they mostly sit these days. Some day my kids will go through my stuff and wonder what the wedges are for. They will likely fight over the x 27 and the maul.

 

[xman23]

Since velocity is squared in the kinetic energy equation, increases in velocity have exponential effects: doubling the mass of an object will double its kinetic energy, but doubling the velocity of the object will quadruple this amount!

I never found it obvious when swinging a maul that increasing the speed was the best thing to do. I think there is a limit how fast you can get the maul going as you change the weight. I had 6 , 8,LBS and handle's of various lengths. Try them all and see what works for you.

 

[AstroBoy]

Since velocity is squared in the kinetic energy equation, increases in velocity have exponential effects: doubling the mass of an object will double its kinetic energy, but doubling the velocity of the object will quadruple this amount!

Thanks for taking this in a physics-y direction. 🙂 I’ve thought about this too, and it seems to me that the striking force should be proportional to the momentum (mv) rather than the kinetic energy (1/2 mv^2). (Force can be written as change in momentum over change in time.) If we assume equal kinetic energy of the two (equal work done in getting it swinging), then a heavier maul will strike with more force, but only by the square root of the ratio of the masses (so 15% more for 8 vs. 6 lbs.).

In practice I’m sure there are many things that make the splitting effectiveness more complicated than that, but it’s fun to think about.

I never found it obvious when swinging a maul that increasing the speed was the best thing to do. I think there is a limit how fast you can get the maul going as you change the weight. I had 6 , 8,LBS and handle's of various lengths. Try them all and see what works for you.

This seems like great advice in principle, but I’m not sure how to put it into practice, since I don’t want to buy two mauls!

 

[beefhoof]

Both x27 and 8lb. for me.

 

[AstroBoy]

Well, sometimes other factors help make the decision. I discovered that a local store had the 8 lb maul in stock, so I went ahead and bought one locally today. We’ll see how it goes!

 

[Pinesmoke]

X27 for when I feel frisky and a splitter I got for 225 bucks 😁. Too many years with a maul for my creaky old body.

 

[bigealta]

Hard fast and light is the way i've been doing it for forever.
It's also way more fun than hucking that slow laborious 8 pounder.

 

[Poindexter]

Good luck with your new purchase. I am perhaps late to the party, but I am a fan of variety.

I live in the 'taiga' aka the land of small sticks or small trees. I can do 95-98% of my splitting with an electric splitter. I see a few rounds every year that get lined up for my Fiskars x27. I find the Fiskars x27 to be an outstanding tool.

If my electric splitter can't handle a round of cordwood, and my Fiskars x27 can't do the job, it is time for thump. I trade velocity for torque on a few rounds every year. Velocity is great for towing your boat down the interstate, but for getting the same boat up a muddy riverbank you need torque.

If your new purchase doesn't meet your needs, you should be able to find an 8-10 pound sledge hammer at your local home store for about two (1967) dollars. For wedges, start going to antique and second hand stores with your woman. A functional wood splitting wedge, in 2024, should be $5-10. A lot of them in the antique stores are overpriced. Just keep piling up man points with your woman while you are looking for a wood splitting wedge seller that doesn't have head up butt and butt in Arkansas. $5-10 each. You need three or four of them.

You may need a bench grinder, if you don't already have one; or perhaps a file and a vise if you have an abundance of free time, to remove mushroomed heads from reasonably priced wedges. A good splitting wedge will have a tempered edge to bite the wood, but a not tempered head to not be tossing hardened shrapnel all over the subdivision while you learn to swing a sledge hammer correctly.

Good luck and best wishes.

NB: some rounds are simply destined for the firepit instead of the woodstove no matter what tech you throw at them.

NB: no offense to Arkansas. My grandpa who grew up in Ohio couldn't go 72 hours without saying that about one or another situation. I am confident Arkansans have a similar expression relative to some other state. Maybe I should start referring to 'Elbonia.'

 

[Poindexter]

the straight wood handle on my old heavy maul is breaking. I'm thinking of giving it away to someone to let them replace the handle,

I have a ship to addy if you are serious. How much for the head shipped to 99701?

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

Since velocity is squared in the kinetic energy equation, increases in velocity have exponential effects: doubling the mass of an object will double its kinetic energy, but doubling the velocity of the object will quadruple this amount!

I never found it obvious when swinging a maul that increasing the speed was the best thing to do. I think there is a limit how fast you can get the maul going as you change the weight. I had 6 , 8,LBS and handle's of various lengths. Try them all and see what works for you.

I've been splitting American Elm by hand this summer so I end up needing to swing something heavy very fast in order to get anywhere. Helps still being under 30 but just can't bite the bullet on a splitter yet.