Needs recs for new splitting maul or axe

[wahoowad]

I've had both a heavy maul and lighter splitting axe (with winged head) and both worked. I probably have a slight preference for the lighter head but remain open-minded.

I mostly use my electric splitter but occasionally split by hand. Sometimes I need to bust large rounds in half or quarters to get them into my truck to bring home.

Looking for recs on a new one since both my current ones are busted up. Leaning towards a Fiskars Super Splitter but haven't kept up what others are using and recommending. Thanks for any advice (and links to best price right now)

 

[Woody Stover]

Yeah, give the Fiskars X27 a try. About half the weight of the winged 4-pounder, so you can really get some head speed. Great for easy-splitting wood because it's light and requires little effort to swing, but it will also surprise you on some of the tougher stuff. It has it's limits, though, like any other tool. If the wood doesn't split, that narrow head will bury deep and you will have a helluva time getting it back out.
You'll find a lot of posts about it in the Gear forum.

 

[bigbarf48]

I was thinking the x27 before I read your post all the way. You say you want something to bust up larger rounds into halves or quartes to load them up. For that job it seems like a heavy maul or sledge and wedges would be best. I use a monster maul (14lb maul) for such purposes and it works wonderfully

If you just want an axe for occasional hand splitting thought, the x27 would probably serve you well

 

[wahoowad]

yeah, I probably need both an axe and maul but only want to buy one replacement.

Unfortunately I just broke the handle to my maul and it is an old maul head and none of the replacement handles I can find fit it well. The one I just broke was a little loose even with a wedge in the end. And I did what they said not to do with my winged splitting axe and hammered the backside occasionally using it as a wedge when it would get stuck. Now the metal is splitting and time to stop using it.

I know the super splitter is popular. What about a good maul?

 

[dave11]

yeah, I probably need both an axe and maul but only want to buy one replacement.

Unfortunately I just broke the handle to my maul and it is an old maul head and none of the replacement handles I can find fit it well. The one I just broke was a little loose even with a wedge in the end. And I did what they said not to do with my winged splitting axe and hammered the backside occasionally using it as a wedge when it would get stuck. Now the metal is splitting and time to stop using it.

I know the super splitter is popular. What about a good maul?

The Super Splitter is a splitting axe used in place of a maul. It works well, though I find it's not able to do what heavier axes/mauls can do. I love using both my Gransfors, and my Snow & Neally, but have to admit they are pricey. It's hard to find a good maul at a good price.

 

[BEConklin]

I've used my 36" Fiskars X27 to halve green hickory rounds of up to 24" diameter and 16" long. I seldom needed more than two whacks with the Fiskars to do that. If you're routinely dealing with rounds larger than that or wood that does not have a straight grain, I don't think the X27 is the right choice. BUT - if you did get one, you might find that you're using your electric splitter a whole lot less because splitting with the Fiskars is so enjoyable and fast.

 

[ArsenalDon]

Fiskars X27....not expensive and I guarantee you will use it...combine this with a wedge and a sledge and you are good to go

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Stihl pa 80 is a great maul, has a real good feel too. Made by OXHEAD. $80. The husky is a little lighter and $60, I hear great things about those as well.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

A good splitting maul would be my first choice....but not a heavy one. A 6 lb does a great job and it is not so heavy that it wears you out. And contrary to what some say, the splitting maul will still outdo the Fiskar's any day. I'm not saying the Fiskars is bad but just not as good as some like to report. Yes, I've tried one and was really sadly disappointed.

 

[ArsenalDon]

And contrary to what some say, the splitting maul will still outdo the Fiskar's any day. I'm not saying the Fiskars is bad but just not as good as some like to report.

Maybe we split different wood types...tried a maul for a long while and the Fiskars goes through my pine and fir like a hot knife through butter

 

[dafattkidd]

Based on reports from the forum, splitting mauls or axes are really a matter of preference. Usually based on the size of the user, the type of wood they usually work with and for me the risk/reward factor weighs heavily into my decision. I personally use 8# mauls. I am very comfortable swinging a maul and on the off chance I have a misfire there is much less risk of serious injury. Many forum members love the Fiskars. They are super sharp and at least once a year someone posts about cutting through there boot, or cutting there hand on a Fiskars. As lame as that sounds, that's enough for me to stick with a $20-$30 8# maul for splitting wood. It's a good tool and I feel pretty safe using it.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Maybe we split different wood types...tried a maul for a long while and the Fiskars goes through my pine and fir like a hot knife through butter

Don, on the easy splitting stuff, any old single bit axe will work fine. On the other hand, ash is really easy to split. However, we tried it with a Fiskars and was very disappointed. One swing with a 6 lb splitting maul does the trick nicely though.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

To each there own really. When I got my fiskers X27 it was the cats meow compared to my $20 maul. Loved every thing about it except for it tended to hurt my elbow after awhile. Then I got a quality maul, Pa 80 from stihl. I like that much better and barely take out the fiskers anymore.

 

[ArsenalDon]

Don, on the easy splitting stuff, any old single bit axe will work fine. On the other hand, ash is really easy to split. However, we tried it with a Fiskars and was very disappointed. One swing with a 6 lb splitting maul does the trick nicely though.

Yeah Randy, See we are mostly pine and fir.....99% and even for the toughest its a dream....and I can swing it all day compared to my maul or Sledge and wedge. Never split Ash, not a wood we have much of in the Sierras

 

[xman23]

I've had a HD yellow plastic handle maul for years. I think it's 8 pounds. It's split a lot of cords. What I like is the handle doesn't break. 8 pounds works for me because I am strong enough to accelerate it. But 6 pounds might be better for most people. A maul is what you need to split not a maul that looks like an ax. I haven't used a Fiskars.

 

[rowerwet]

I learned how to split with a 6 lb maul, when I got back into burning wood in my own house, I couldn't find my dad's old maul. Bought an X27, and love it. If the X27 can't do it I go to a 4 way wedge and a sledge hammer. I recently found my dad's maul and tried it out. I hate it! and will never use it again.

 

[BEConklin]

For whatever it's worth - I've used 8lb mauls, 6lb mauls, and the Fiskars X27 supersplitter.

In my opinion, my Fiskars will split for me whatever a maul will split for me - but the Fiskars will do it with much less wear and tear on my body.

And like Rowerwet said: If it's too big for my Fiskars - I wouldn't take a maul to it, I'd get the wedges out.

With a maul, even with a 6lb maul, a few hours of splitting would often mean a long hot soak in the tub and a couple of ibuprophens for me. But with a Fiskars - it's a breeze.
Since the Fiskars weighs in a just under 6lbs. it's not the weight that makes the difference...I think that the difference lies in the amount of shock transmitted to the body when splitting.

When I use a maul, much of the shock produced when that maul slams down into a round runs right up my arms and into my body. For whatever reason, it always seem to settle into my elbows, shoulders and in my lower back.

But with the Fiskars, I just don't get sore arms and a sore back...even after using it for hours. I think it must have something to do with the balance of the tool and the design of the handle...I don't know - all I know is that it works much better for me and I can split a lot more wood with my Fiskars because I don't have to stop because of aching arms, shoulders and lower back.

I'm not suggesting that my experience represents some universal rule that applies to everyone - but I think others should take the same consideration into mind when they make statements about mauls being superior to Fiskars. Though they may not think the Fiskars are all that great - it should be understood that other people may very well have different experiences and opinions that are no less valid than theirs.

And for anyone that has not even tried a Fiskars ....I guess I just don't understand how they feel qualified to dismiss them out of hand.

 

[splitoak]

X27.....

 

[rowerwet]

for me the effort savings with the fiskars is in raising the axe for each stroke. When I tried the maul after a year of only using the Fiskars, I couldn't believe how hard it was to get the maul back up over my head and then reverse the momentum of the head to start the chopping stroke.
Pretty much what I've read about comparing the axes to baseball bats, a wood bat and an aluminum bat can both hit the same distance, but it takes a lot more effort to hit out of the park with a wood bat, since it is so much heavier.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

And getting an axe or maul over the head is where most folks go wrong when splitting. I've watched many videos of people splitting and have been amazed and amused watching them. They certainly were not taught the correct way. As with most things, there are little things one can do to make the work easier or harder.

 

[BEConklin]

another difference I've noticed about my Fiskars - I seem to be a lot more accurate with it. When I aim it, it seems to actually fall where I think it will fall a lot more often than any maul I've ever used.

And getting an axe or maul over the head is where most folks go wrong when splitting. I've watched many videos of people splitting and have been amazed and amused watching them. They certainly were not taught the correct way. As with most things, there are little things one can do to make the work easier or harder.

Yeah - they could buy a Fiskars

 

[Hickorynut]

I agree with others that were disappointed in the Fiskars x27 compared to the mauls. I must prefer my 6 and 8 pound mauls, split better and don't hurt my wrists and arms with as much vibration as the x 27 does. I do like the fiskars for splitting kindlng on a locust stump though.

 

[Kevin Dolan]

Fiskars X27....not expensive and I guarantee you will use it...combine this with a wedge and a sledge and you are good to go

I use the 25 more than the 27 and they are both great splitting axes. I have not used my 12 lb axe and wedges for a while with these axes but most of my wood is straight grain ash. The fiskars 25 is what I use most days .