# Home Depot Maul



## PaulD (Jan 2, 2007)

I was looking at a maul at Home Depot and was was wondering if any of you are using it and what your thoughts on it are.
Of course it's not pictured on their web site so I will try to describe it from memory.  8-/ 
The splitting face had two different angles on it so that a narrow, raised section of steel came out wider. This didn't make sense to me so I didn't buy it. Of course, maybe I just don't get it so that's why I'm asking here. To me it seems like it would split better if the whole maul face was at the wider angle. The small raised areas look like they don't have enough surface area to split effectively.
Any comments on this thing would be appreciated.  :cheese:


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## njtomatoguy (Jan 3, 2007)

I have something similar, bought it at lowes, 6 lbs, works great-all things considered-but then I got a RYOBI splitter at HD- haven't swung a maul since...

Bob


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## philaphire (Jan 3, 2007)

does it look like this?  I know this isn't the one sold at Home Depot, this one is sold at Lowes.  The HD has a yellow handle that isn't as nice IMHO but i believe the heads are the same.  All that to say, I have one of these, only maul I have ever used and have no complaints.  I do have a wedge and sledge for tough to split rounds, but usually once I have bigger ones in half, this maul does the rest.


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## njtomatoguy (Jan 3, 2007)

Phila-

That's the one

 It's in the car in case any scrounged rounds need to be split "on site"


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## ourhouse (Jan 3, 2007)

I use one and they work good on red oak and ash with no knots. It works good for driving felling wedges. not metal ones


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## DiscoInferno (Jan 3, 2007)

I have the home despot one, a "Super Splitter" or somesuch.  I think the head claims to be 4#, but with handle the whole thing weighs more like 7#.  It's a nice, light splitter for most wood, I've split maybe 6 (full) cords a year with it for the last several years.  Every now and again I find some logs that it doesn't handle too well, mostly because it's too light, the wood "gives" enough without splitting to swallow up the relatively sharp leading edge, and it gets stuck like an axe would.  On these logs I waste a lot of time/effort yanking it back out of the log, and I already had to re-epoxy the handle once as this motion eventually cracked the original epoxy.  The worst species in this respect were white oak, cherry, and red maple, although even then it's very tree dependent.  It did seem to handle my small sample set of elm well.

Also, I'm never sure if the "wings" really work or not; sometimes splits will fly quite a ways, but the split might have happended before the axe/maul got that deep into the wood.  All in all I prefer a real maul just because it's very hard to bury the head.  Much more likely to get a bounce on a tough log, which the HD only does if you hit it cross-grain.


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## PaulD (Jan 4, 2007)

I stopped there today to refresh my memory and yes, it looks like the one pictured above except with a yellow handle. They call it a splitter. I think it was made by Ludell or a similar name. This time they also had a standard maul. The splitter is listed at 4lbs and the maul is 8lbs. I think I will get the maul for now and then next year add the splitter to my collection. For now I'll use the maul on everything and eventually be able to use the splitter on smaller stuff. I wish I could just afford a hydraulic log splitter now and then I wouldn't need anything else! 
Thanks for the input.  :cheese:


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## njtomatoguy (Jan 4, 2007)

THE RYOBI IS ONLY $299- OPEN A CREDIT CARD-10% OFF

AFTER TAX -- $287.94 

JERSEY HAS 7% SALES  TAX


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## DiscoInferno (Jan 4, 2007)

Hand splitting does wonders for the arms.  Probably shoulders, chest, and back too.  I thought I wanted a power splitter once, but now I wouldn't use one except for those big twisted suckers that I currently use the chainsaw on.  Since I spend all day in front of a computer, it's nice to get outside and hit something.


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## philaphire (Jan 4, 2007)

agreed disco, don't have the discipline to go to the gym, but seeing unsplit rounds gets me out working - that and it's quite the stress reliever to wail on a piece of wood!


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## Gark (Jan 28, 2007)

There isn't much better a stress reliever than splitting wood with a maul. Anything with a fiberglass handle will far outlast a wooden handle maul. 'Til I learned this, I'd broken so many hickory handles that the wife said "Why don't you just buy a truckload of handles and burn those for firewood?"
Heheh. Hmmmm......


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## CK-1 (Feb 13, 2007)

philaphire said:
			
		

> does it look like this?  I know this isn't the one sold at Home Depot, this one is sold at Lowes.  The HD has a yellow handle that isn't as nice IMHO but i believe the heads are the same.  All that to say, I have one of these, only maul I have ever used and have no complaints.  I do have a wedge and sledge for tough to split rounds, but usually once I have bigger ones in half, this maul does the rest.





I have the same splitter.   Works good at wood splitting parties as well, all you need to provide is the beer..


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## Eric Johnson (Feb 13, 2007)

I prefer wooden handes on my mauls for some reason. Adirondack white ash, specifically. Hickory is too brittle.

Taking a tip from the fiberglass handles, I now glue my wooden handles into place with slow-curing epoxy. That keeps the head firmly in place and the handles last longer. If you do break a handle, you can clean the maul head by sticking it in the woodstove for a couple of minutes. Pull it out with a poker, quench it in a bucket of water, and you're ready for a new handle.

My son is the king of breaking wooden handles. He learned early in life that if you destroy the means of production, production ceases.


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## carpniels (Feb 13, 2007)

HI Eric,

That is a funny one. Destroy the handle, no more work. Don't you have a backup maul for that purpose?

I have 1 maul, but 5 or so axes. Small ones too. So that is what my kids will get to use when we split wood. Especially if they break the maul. That will teach them not to break my maul handle; splitting 30 inch rounds with a 2 Lb. campfire wood axe. 

carpniels

PS. the oldest one is just 3.5 years so it will be a while before he can handle an 8 lb. maul. But I am prepared


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## Eric Johnson (Feb 13, 2007)

carpniels said:
			
		

> Don't you have a backup maul for that purpose?



What--and let him destroy that one too?

Maybe your sons are different than mine, Niels (I hope so, anyway), but in my experience, boys lose interest in splitting wood at roughly the same time that they are able to do it.


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## carpniels (Feb 14, 2007)

I guess the future will tell. Right now he loves stacking the splits. When he gets older, I will make him help. Otherwise no: dessert, thomas the tank engine, bools before bed, you fill in the blank. 

For now, he just likes to be out in the woods with me so that helps.

take care

Niels

PS. good luck shoveling this wednesday. We expect about 1.5 ft.


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## Eric Johnson (Feb 14, 2007)

For me, there's nothing better than working in the woods with my mom or dad. I got sawdust in my veins at a very early age and have never been able to get it out.

It's snowing like crazy.


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## welldriller (Feb 14, 2007)

When I was a kid my dad would split 4 foot lenght with blackpowder, had a 2 inch piece of round stock with turned cheveron's on one end, had about a 3/4 inch bore and a fuse hole for old tar and powder fuse about an inch from base , he would drive it in a lenght about 1/2 an inch pull it out fill it with blackpowder and then tap it back in .. light fuse and run like hell to get behind something soild , wood would fly ,,, it would drive the pice of wood that was in the bore right though the lenght spitting it nicely. Guess that would be against the law now adays. And I don't suspect you can find one at the local Home Depot


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## BurningIsLove (Feb 15, 2007)

FYI, the yellow-handled maul at the Home Depot is a Ludell Premium Log Splitter.  I own two of them and they are great, the 'wings' definitely work better than the maul I inherited from my father.  The promise on the handle says "Virtually Indestructible", although both of mine have cracked fiberglass handles.  To their credit, neither has broken and continue to be active tools in my arsenal.  

Both handles were cracked I believe when friends use them as splitting wedges and hit the handle vs. the maul head.  So if you dont ever try that they'll probably be virtually indestructible.


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## sgcsalsero (Feb 18, 2007)

Consider getting a 6lb maul w/ fiberglass handle from Sears , 24.99 I think, have the same maul but went thru 2 single bit axes . . but I jus took the axe if for new as Sears gives lifetime guarantee


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## FINLAND (Mar 4, 2007)

Look at the latest innovation among the traditional axes. VIPUKIRVES/LEVERAXE
www.vipukirves.fi
Best regards from FINLAND.


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## DavidV (Mar 10, 2007)

I have the red handled one and it works like a charm.  that high tek one looks interesting but wouldnt do well on elm I bet.


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## FINLAND (Mar 10, 2007)

DavidV said:
			
		

> I have the red handled one and it works like a charm.  that high tek one looks interesting but wouldnt do well on elm I bet.


Hello DavidV
Thank you for your interest towards VIPUKIRVES/LEVERAXE. To make the story short and easy, go to www.arboristsite.com/index.php . There you can find a lot of wrirings about this new innovation. Search by words: *VIPUKIRVES, LEVERAXE, AXE, MAUL*.  I hope you to find satisfactory information .
All the best from FINLAND
www.vipukirves.fi


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## babalu87 (Mar 10, 2007)

Telling us all about the new axe is fine but until its available most of us now have our brains on pause.


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## sgcsalsero (Mar 10, 2007)

FINLAND said:
			
		

> DavidV said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



This is not a forum for hocking one's product, and the moderators here won't stand for it.  It's great to have members from across the pond, what can you tell us about the Finland stove market, what stove do you run personally (masonry stove?), what are the energy costs in the country.


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## DavidV (Mar 10, 2007)

I don't have a problem with someone extolling the virtues of something new they have come up with.  For Oak I would think it would work quite well but I would be rather skeptical on how how it against elm or Sweetgum.  I did watch the videos and it looks like ash or poplar.  I wouldn't mind being proven wrong on something like that.


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## FINLAND (Mar 10, 2007)

churchie-sgc said:
			
		

> FINLAND said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Personally I have used a stove made of soaptone. We have a soapstone mine in finland. soapstone is very good construction material for stoves because of many advantidges what this material offers. It can stand a lot of heat, It can reserve a lot of heat, It is easy to form, because of its strucrure. These stoves are made in very modern factories in eastern Finland. They have laser-type of equipments to cut the peaces of the stone which later on will be glued togeather to become a nice fireplace. As far as I know, this is different type of a fireplace what you have there. This is equipped with doors, so we burn the wood inside the stove. We burn the logs in the stove only an hour or maybe two hours. On that time the whole fireplace is hot,(all of its structure). Then we close the doors of the fireplace and cut the connection to the chimney. The fireplace will remains hot long enough to give heat (warmth) for the next 24-36 hours . Then you must burn some logs in it again.
I personally have a fireplace like this. The weight of it is about 3000 kilos. It is also equipped with electricity so that if I do not heat it with wood, then it heats automatically with electricity. I can use the night electricity, then it is cheaper. I believe that most of the stoves are masonry type with doors. Some of them are made of bricks though I consider the soapstone to be superior. The energy is expensive, wood-heating is still tolerable way to keep yourself warm. There are some information about these Finnish fireplaces on www.tulikivi.fi. 
Constructive regards from FINLAND
www.vipukirves.fi


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## FINLAND (Mar 10, 2007)

DavidV said:
			
		

> I don't have a problem with someone extolling the virtues of something new they have come up with. For Oak I would think it would work quite well but I would be rather skeptical on how how it against elm or Sweetgum. I did watch the videos and it looks like ash or poplar. I wouldn't mind being proven wrong on something like that.


On the video 1 you can see PINE and BIRCH. On the video 2 there is only BIRCH. 
We do not have ELM and SWEETGUM in Finland. That is why I am not going to speculate about them.
One day we will know all the answers to these questions.
All the best from FINLAND


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## webbie (Mar 10, 2007)

Finland, let us know when you want to send one or two of those over here for testing - you will surely get your moneys worth, as these forum members are in touch with a lot of people!

I know Eric will volunteer to swing that thing!


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## carpniels (Mar 10, 2007)

HI Craig,

we could set up a testers ring: everyone who wants to signs up and uses it for 2 weeks, then they must send it to the next person on the list. We all get to use it and discuss its virtues and it costs little or nothing.

Carpniels


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## Eric Johnson (Mar 10, 2007)

That's a great idea, Craig and Niels. Sign me up!

Hi Finland. Please send a smoke sauna, too.


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## FINLAND (Mar 10, 2007)

Webmaster said:
			
		

> Finland, let us know when you want to send one or two of those over here for testing - you will surely get your moneys worth, as these forum members are in touch with a lot of people!
> 
> I know Eric will volunteer to swing that thing!


Hello Webmaster
Your idea is not bad. Why don´t you gather a group of testers togeather. Put your money to the same box and make your order. For further details contact me via e-mail. You will find the e-mail adress on my homepages . Click* YHTEYSTIEDOT*.
Regards FINLAND
www.vipukirves.fi


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## BrotherBart (Mar 10, 2007)

Well it that don't beat all I have ever seen. Craig lets the guy get away with spamming his forum and then the character has the gaul to suggest that Craig pay him for a hatchet to review.

I suggest that Finland put some of his own money to the box and send it to Craig to sign up as a Forum sponsor.


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## FINLAND (Mar 10, 2007)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> Well it that don't beat all I have ever seen. Craig lets the guy get away with spamming his forum and then the character has the gaul to suggest that Craig pay him for a hatchet to review.
> 
> I suggest that Finland put some of his own money to the box and send it to Craig to sign up as a Forum sponsor.



I am sorry to surprise you like this. It is not my meaning to spam or something like that. I honestly want you all to be aware about this invention. It is for your own safety. I have put my money to the box already a couple of hundred thousand euros. I thought that you could put some 220-240e together to get one VIPUKIRVES/LEVERAXE for your common use. Of course other alternatives are also negotiable. So far this is a one mans company and I am doing a lot of work with this project. I live in the country of SANTA-CLAUS, but I am not him. My English is also limited that is why I cannot express myself as I would like to. You do not loose anything by contacting me via e-mail.
Sincerelly FINLAND
www.vipukirves.fi


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## DavidV (Mar 11, 2007)

200 euro for a splitting axe?  I've got a decent splitting axe for$25 that seldome takes more than one swing.  If the price ever comes down I'll have to check them out.


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## BrotherBart (Mar 11, 2007)

DavidV said:
			
		

> 200 euro for a splitting axe?  I've got a decent splitting axe for$25 that seldome takes more than one swing.  If the price ever comes down I'll have to check them out.



I'm sure Harbor Freight will have a $24.99 version soon.


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## webbie (Mar 11, 2007)

I understand, Finland, as I also have a one man company that I invested a couple hundred thousand dollars into - and then when I go to open distributors, they want to know how many free items that I am going to give them!

It's difficult being in business. You take all the risk. That's the way it is.

The friends here were offering to do some marketing for you - that is, they know all the right people. Some of them write articles for logging magazine. Others, like myself, write for over 2 million people per year. So you would get a lot of information from having one of the units here for testing.

We would, of course, spend the freight to send it around to the circle of friends. And, when we were done we will send it back to anywhere in the USA.

Keep it in mind - it might be a first step toward seeing if the unit will be accepted here and it is cheaper than flying over here and presenting at trade shows, etc.


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## WarmGuy (Mar 11, 2007)

Hej Finland, hur mår du?  Talar du svenska?

Craig really is offering you a good deal.  Look at your total cost to send one ax to him.  If only a few people purchase the ax as a result of his review, you're likely to make back your expenditure.  More likely, you'll end up with some contracts to have your ax carried in some high-priced yuppy wood stove stores.

I ran my business very frugally, but it's true that sometimes you have to spend money to make money.

Ha det så bra!


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## FINLAND (Mar 11, 2007)

Webmaster said:
			
		

> I understand, Finland, as I also have a one man company that I invested a couple hundred thousand dollars into - and then when I go to open distributors, they want to know how many free items that I am going to give them!
> 
> It's difficult being in business. You take all the risk. That's the way it is.
> 
> ...


Hello Webmaster
Thank you very much for your helpful and kind  reply. You are 100% right. I have some ideas how to get the first test sample to your hands. Please, contact me via e-mail. You will find the adress as I wrote earlier above.
Best regards, FINLAND
www.vipukirves.fi


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## FINLAND (Mar 11, 2007)

Hej WarmGuy
Jag pratar lite svenska . Jag förstår mer en jag kan prata. Du har rett. Det lönar sig at skicka et par yxor till USA för testbrook. Det är mycket enkelt at skicka yxan till Sverige, det kommer med posten. Man kan betala den också i posten (postförskottbelopp 220 e) Priset inneholler yxan och transpoten.
Var so vänlig och go till mina hemsidorna. Det finns nogra artiklar om  HÄVKRAFTSYXAn i MEDIA sidan. Där finns också, svenska artiklar.Kanske du kunde förklara någonting av yxan till våra vänner i Amerika. Om bu har någonting att fråga, kontakta mig via min e-mail. Du hittar adresset i min hemsidan. Var bor du i Sverige. Det har varit mycket dåliga väder i södra Sverige på vintern. Det finns många HÄVKRAFTSYXOR där också.
Jag hoppas at höra någonting av dig.


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## DavidV (Mar 11, 2007)

hey something must be wrong with the server.....the posts are showing up as all jibberish.


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## Jake (Mar 11, 2007)

I think he said 





> I speak little Swedish. I understand more an I can to speak. You have reda. The pays off at to send et pairs yxor to USA for test bridge okay. The is a lot of simple at to send yxan to Sweden, the comes with the post office. One can pay the also in the post office (post office advance amounts 220 e) the price holding saying Eenie smiles yxan and transpoten.
> Is so kind and go to my homepages. The exists nogra articles about HÄVKRAFTSYXAn in THE MEDIUMS the side. There exists also, Swedish articles. Kanke you could explain something of yxan to our friends in America. About bu has something to ask, contacts me via my e-mail. You find adresset in my homepage. Where lives you in Sweden. The has been a lot of poor weathers in southern Sweden in the winter. The exists many HÄVKRAFTSYXOR there also.
> I hope at to consult something of you.


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## Eric Johnson (Mar 11, 2007)

Finnbonics?


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## sgcsalsero (Mar 12, 2007)

This may sound downright silly but when I watched his video I liked the idea of using a tire to keep a round intact while splitting . .  .but some say I am easily amused  . . .


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## Eric Johnson (Mar 12, 2007)

The tire thing is an old, old trick.


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## Corie (Mar 12, 2007)

Back to the OT of this post.



I used one of those 4lb Home Cheapo mauls the other day to knock apart some pretty straight grained splits.  Hogz was there and can vouch for the performance.  It lacks to punch that my regular old 8 pounder gives me, but I didn't have a hard time splitting these pretty easy pieces.  I did manage to get the head wedged like an axe, as someone mentioned earlier.

Really had to fling the thing down to get results though and when the pieces did split, they were flying 5-6 feet apart.  Not my ideal choice for a splitting maul, but it worked ok.

I'll stick with my standard 8lb no-frills maul and the wooden handle it came with.


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## DavidV (Mar 12, 2007)

Maybe it's cause I'm over 40.  That 4 pounder does me just find.  I still keep the 8 pounder close in case I need to call upon the mighty power of Thor.


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## Corie (Mar 12, 2007)

I think I'm just spoiled by the 8 pounder and how I can get away with such light swings when I know an its an easy split.

Even with the easy splits, I felt that I had to throw the 4 pounder quite a bit harder to get results.


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## FINLAND (Mar 12, 2007)

Eric Johnson said:
			
		

> The tire thing is an old, old trick.


*But not very recommendable *if you are using a conventional/traditional axe, because the axeblade gos all the way throw the block. It means that the handle will sooner or later hit to a peace of wood under the handle and so the handle will break. The blade of VIPUKIRVES/LEVERAXE *always remains on the **block*. It does *not *go throw the block. That is why the handle very seldom even touches the block.
FINLAND


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## Corie (Mar 12, 2007)

It remains on the block but breaks your wrist in the process.  There's a win-win proposition.


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## Eric Johnson (Mar 12, 2007)

Maybe you can get the dealerto show you how to use it properly, Corie.


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## FINLAND (Mar 12, 2007)

Corie said:
			
		

> It remains on the block but breaks your wrist in the process. There's a win-win proposition.


I fully understand that it is not very easy to realize the function how the VIPUKIRVES/LEVERAXE operates. As we all know, the axe is probably the oldest tool , made by man. Spear was invented around the same time. This all happened (4.000.000 ) four million years ago. At the beginning the blade was made of stone. Now a days it is made of iron. The function is still the same. It is a wedge. Most of the power vanishes to the friction. So we can see that there is not very much development among the conventional/traditional axes.
VIPUKIRVES/LEVERAXE operates totally different way. It is lever. After four million years we have now very safe tool for splitting purposes. The blade is formed to be eccentric/ onesided. You hit the block like with any other axe, but at the end of the hit you must loosen your grip on the handle and let the blade turn to the right and let the handle rotate in your hands. You just hold the handle gently. This rotation happens fully automatically because of certain laws of physics. The friction is very minimal. On its best the friction part is only fife millimeters (5 mm.) The next 60-80 millimeters (60-80mm.) the blade gos in the air without any friction. All the power that was downwards a while ago is now ninety degrees (90) to the left. The splitting force is many times greater than of conventional axes. The blade always remains on the block. It does not hurl/hurtle/fly anywhere from the block. You do not have to worry about the blade, it does not come to your foot. VIPUKIRVES LEVERAXE has some patented features that makes all this possible. *Your wrists are fully safe, because the handle does not crash/crack or cause any concussion*.
You can find a lot of information on my homepages. Click the flag of England, there you can read the safety instructions and instructions for use.
FINLAND
www.vipukirves.fi


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## Jake (Mar 13, 2007)

Where can this be bought in the US?  price?


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## Corie (Mar 13, 2007)

How does the rotation reduce the amount of friction the blade encounters while entering the wood? The process is still the same, a sharp blade hits wood.  Unless you have the entire blade coated in teflon, the friction coefficient between the iron head of the maul and the wood is exactly the same.

Also, this rotational motion does nothing to increase the splitting force of the maul.  As a matter of fact, the mechanical energy that is being used to cause the maul to rotate is energy being diverted away from splitting the wood.

Conservation of energy says that if I swing both mauls with equal energy, a regular maul transfers more of that energy directly to the log, whereas with your maul, some of that potential energy is being diverted to create the moment which rotates the head.

Also, how is it possible that there is many times more force generated by your maul versus a standard maul?  Laws of physics still apply here as well.  If both mauls weigh the same, and I can throw them with the same velocity, then they both have the same kinetic energy.  This energy then gets transferred to the piece being split as a pressure which is determined by the force of the blow and the area of the cutting edge applying the force.

Your argument is that the torque caused by the cantilevered head forces the wood apart more powerfully that a standard downward maul blow, correct?

While this concept is sound on straight grained soft-woods, a simple pop and twist to the top of many of our non-straight grained hardwoods will do nothing.  They require much higher pressures delivered to the log in order to split.



HOWEVER, despite my reservations about your product, I would love to test one and for you to prove me wrong.  I would love to give an absolutely honest and objective review of the axe so that you would gain a positive reputation on this board and elsewhere.  If you were willing to send me the product I would cover shipping and would even be happy to pay to ship it to various other members of this forum so that they could also objectively test it and give their honest opinions on its practicality of use on our northamerican hardwoods.

PM me if you would consider something like this in exchange for positive publicity.  I'll even send the axe back to you when I'm done, if that is what you would prefer.


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## FINLAND (Mar 13, 2007)

Corie
Hello friend
I understand how you try to approach this invention. You think as you are taught to do. Now the question is, can you think differently, try to approach this problem totally new way. Forget all the conventional axes and how they operate. VIPUKIRVES/LEVERAXE has not got very much to do with wedge, that is why it does not matter how slippery the surface is, maybe little but very little.
What happens when you are using an iron bar. You hit,--- not much happens. Then you turn/twist, why? To get some power. The same happens with VIPUKIRVES/LEVERAXE. It twists automatically at the end of the hit. I am not talented enough to explain all the details in English language. There are millions of microwave ovens all around.I bet, very rear people really understands how it operates. Important is that it does its work. It is the same with VIPUKIRVES/LEVERAXE. I have met a lot of people who cannot understand the principles how it works, important is that it works.
Will you contact the Webmaster, I think that you two together can organize an appropriate schedule /roster for the testers. Yes, I will send you one or two test splitters. Please contact me for the details via e-mail.
You will find the address on my homepages. Thank you very much for your interest.
FINLAND
www.vipukirves.fi


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## babalu87 (Mar 13, 2007)

If that thing works on twisted Red Oak I will be in. Some of the stuff I split after work was down right evil!

We had a little fire going in the firepit and I threw one piece in because I couldnt wait to burn the little fugger!
I split all my wood by hand and would be very interested in testing one for the US market.


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## Eric Johnson (Mar 13, 2007)

I volunteer as well. I split a lot of wood, and would be willing to give it a fair trial. I would also be willing to pay the freight to get it to the next guy. I think over the course of the summer, we could give the tool a good workout and come up with a consensus, or at least a series of reports on how it worked under different conditions.


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## babalu87 (Mar 13, 2007)

I know I am now jinxing myself but I am on cord 8 with the same handle. Epoxyed it in their (thanks Eric) and its still going strong. I did noticed that the handle isnt as straight as when I bought it. I was very careful to pick a nice straight one with a good grain and it is now bowed/bent slightly in the direction that would make sense, maybe from number of swings?  Ever have this happen Eric?


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## Andre B. (Mar 13, 2007)

When I was a kid splitting with a double blades axe I would sometimes when bored give the axe a twist just before it hit the block.  Much the same as this axe is doing automatically.

The axe would start into the block a little ways and then flop over such that it would land on its side on top of the main part of the block. If done just right with some easy splitting maple the small split could be sent cart wheeling across the yard for 20 or 30 feet so you could keep splitting longer before the splits got in the way but when you went to stack you had to do a lot of walking to find all the splits. 
It also kept the axe out of the dirt so that you did not get gobs of dirt down your neck on the next swing.

The technique did not work at all on any stringy type of wood.


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## Eric Johnson (Mar 13, 2007)

babalu87 said:
			
		

> I know I am now jinxing myself but I am on cord 8 with the same handle. Epoxyed it in their (thanks Eric) and its still going strong. I did noticed that the handle isnt as straight as when I bought it. I was very careful to pick a nice straight one with a good grain and it is now bowed/bent slightly in the direction that would make sense, maybe from number of swings?  Ever have this happen Eric?



I doubt that you bent it from the shock force of hitting the chunks, but how straight do you think you would stay if someone did that to you?

My guess is that now that the handle is firmly attached to the maul head, it can't expand and contract like it could when it was more-or-less loose. So the tension and compression equation is screwed up, resulting in  a new shape.

I used to buy factory seconds at the NYS Woodsmen's field days for $2.50 each, but the guy who sold them died and nobody has come forth to pick up the ball and run with it. They were never straight to begin with. So now I'm down at Home Depot paying $10 or $15 like everyone else. For that money, I want a straight handle, dammit. Eight cords is good. I always shoot for ten and usually wind up in that neighborhood. Just about when you think the thing is going to last forever--crack!


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## babalu87 (Mar 14, 2007)

Yes, I was thinking over time and hitting that damn oak and bouncing!, the handle just started to "get bent" over time. Now I am shooting for ten, its sure to break the next time I am swinging it 

I will be picking and choosing next time too


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## Mo Heat (Mar 14, 2007)

I wouldn't mind trying that thing, too. But I suspect I know what will happen. It will work great as long as there is a big mass of unsplit round creating serious inertia opposite the slab you're whacking off one edge, but once you get down to the core of a big red oak or white oak round, all bets are off. The grain will be too twisted on the white oak and will either bounce off, stick in, or tip the remaining part of the round over when the rotation occurs. The red oak center will be too dense, and /or twisted, and also lack the mass for inertia required to offset the twist action and the round will tip over. I suspect this is why the pictures show the use of a tire to keep the round together enough to maintain enough offsetting mass after most of the round has been fractured. I don't think I'd use a tire myself, though. Seems like too much trouble to me.

But, like Corey, I'd be willing to try it. Since all I have to split is maple right now, it would probably do a lot better than on oak, so maybe that wouldn't be much of a test for my typical wood of choice around here (oak), but might help someone who splits a lot of maple.

On the other hand, is there anyone here who would actually cough up $250+? bucks for a splitting tool? My 12 lb Collins maul and 8 lb Ludell only cost about $60 all together! I'm not sure that thing would even sell in my yuppy neighborhood. Not many of my neighbors even chop wood.

[added] I use a technique similar to this, as I know many others to, when I'm starting a new round that is over 16 inches in diameter, or so. By hitting the edge at an angle away from the round, a big slab of wood usually pops right off, but this ceases to work once the round is whittled down. At that point, it would just tip over in the direction I was biasing the swing.


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## biggins08 (Mar 14, 2007)

Just split a bunch of oak tonight and would love to give that maul a try. Craig, I would even drive to you and pick it up. Me you Harley and Elk could just pass it to one another without freight!


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## FINLAND (Mar 14, 2007)

Mo Heat said:
			
		

> I wouldn't mind trying that thing, too. But I suspect I know what will happen. It will work great as long as there is a big mass of unsplit round creating serious inertia opposite the slab you're whacking off one edge, but once you get down to the core of a big red oak or white oak round, all bets are off. The grain will be too twisted on the white oak and will either bounce off, stick in, or tip the remaining part of the round over when the rotation occurs. The red oak center will be too dense, and /or twisted, and also lack the mass for inertia required to offset the twist action and the round will tip over. I suspect this is why the pictures show the use of a tire to keep the round together enough to maintain enough offsetting mass after most of the round has been fractured. I don't think I'd use a tire myself, though. Seems like too much trouble to me.
> 
> But, like Corey, I'd be willing to try it. Since all I have to split is maple right now, it would probably do a lot better than on oak, so maybe that wouldn't be much of a test for my typical wood of choice around here (oak), but might help someone who splits a lot of maple.
> 
> ...



 :question:  :bug:  :ahhh: 
 :question: 
FINLAND


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## DavidV (Mar 18, 2007)

Red Oak, White Oak. Birch, Beech, Hickory, Sweet Gum (only because of the monster I took down in my yard).  That's what I usually cut, and split and burn. Sometimes I get stuck with Elm also.    I'd give it a fair workout.


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