Using "Soft Steel Hammers"

[Nosetotail]

I understand that striking your maul as if it were a wedge is a topic of varying opinions, so I will preface this question with the primice that mauls are hardened steel and have a risk of chipping if hit by a hardened sledge.

When my Maul starts a crack and has penetrated to a decent depth, I prefer to just finish the split by driving the maul the rest of the way rather than trying futily to hit the same crack. So I am wondering if there is any problem using a soft steel sledge for this purpose?

 

[jetsam]

If you're going to have a hammer on hand anyway, just pull the maul out and stick a wedge in the crack. The wedge is made to be hammered.

On the other hand, a new wedge is $5 or $10 and a new maul is $20 or $30, so it's not the end of the world if you break your maul by hammering it, I guess.

If I've actually cracked the wood, I just finish the split with the maul unless it's something really difficult (like twisty pieces of elm, maple, hickory)- then I break out the wedges.

If it's REALLY difficult (like crotches from elm, maple, or hickory), I try it with the wedges, I kick it into the "chainsaw" pile and mill it down to stove wood. (I'm not going to call it noodling, because noodling means going with the grain, and there ain't no way to go with the grain on that stuff! =) )

 

[Nosetotail]

Yeah I could just finish with a wedge, but I'm kinda lazy that way. I would rather just pick up the sledge next to me and just finish driving the maul home. I'm considering a shorter handle 8lb sledge for easier driving over my 10 lb 30 in sledge. I was just running across some "soft steel" sledges, including one by Wilton. I thought, what is the worse that can happen. I get a mushroom head on my sledge and I have to grind it off. Seems like a decent trade off to further eliminate the possibility of having my maul or sledge chip on me.

So since I'm considering another sledge, why not the soft steel variety?

 

[kevin j]

Pounding on back of an axe or maul can open up the eye around the handle. Definitely an issue with an axe. You might be able to get by with that on the mall because they are thicker around the eye.
But the softer sledge sounds like worth a test to avoid chipping.

 

[heavy hammer]

If you get the maul from Wilton it's meant to be hit with a sledge. You could also pick up a sledge from them not the soft steel one but the hard one and you would not have any problem hitting them. This is the combo I use 8 lb maul 36 inch handle, with a 20 lb sledge 36 inch handle. Hard steel for the sledge, the heads will never mushroom no matter what you hit. I've had mine for six or seven years now, very tough steel.

 

[Nosetotail]

I have the Isocore Maul on order right now. I don't want to pound on that with a hardened hammer. I may be able to get away with it, but I don't want to chance it. I thought about springing for the 24" 8 lb soft face. I want a shorter handle option since I already have a 10 lb longer handle option although it is hardened.

 

[rustynut]

right tool for the right job....... spent a couple days in the hospital a few years back and my roomie was in having a piece of steel removed from his belly. Seems he was trying to pull a nail with a claw hammer and felt the need for more power than he could get from the handle. He began hitting
the pounding face of the hammer with another hammer and a piece decided to project itself 2 inches into his belly !........ouch !......so be careful when hammering another........ rn