Choosing an axe / maul size.

[1970roadrunner]

I've decided I'm going to treat myself to a bit of a luxury and buy a Gransfors Bruks splitting axe or maul. (I understand its not the most cost effective way to split wood, I'm investing a small portion of the money I've saved burning wood on something I'll enjoy).
Although I have a decent amount of axe experience from my teens, I haven't used one much since then (currently 28). I'm trying to decide what axe weight / length / type is most appropriate for me. I understand this is largely user preference, but I'm hoping people can share their experiences as a starting point for me. 6'2", 195 lbs, average fitness level. The stuff I'll be splitting will probably never be significantly larger than 18" - 20" rounds, perhaps a rare 24".

I figure its hard to beat the cost effectiveness of splitting by hand, as long as its a chore you enjoy and not dread. If its something you enjoy doing, a nice maul/axe is money well spent.

I prefer a maul over a splitting axe. That 5.5lb maul looks like it could get some good results.

 

[Maxgussam]

I have the Gransfors maul and I love it!
It is almost a work of art, made with pride by a craftsman, not some machine in china.
Using it makes splitting wood even more fun.
Get it and enjoy!

 

[razerface]

Understood, but the fix to the missed swing breakage is putting the tool in the hands of someone who knows how to use it.

To "know how to use it",, a person must miss a few times.

I could clip the wings off a fly with my favorite 8 lb. maul, without hurting him .

you don't think that hurts him? [

 

[smokedragon]

To "know how to use it",, a person must miss a few times.

A few.......more like a few hundred

When I was a kid we learned to always swing short, because all we had were wood handles......you bust of few of those and you got to do worse work than splitting wood.

 

[Ashful]

you don't think that hurts him? [

Exaggeration for effect. My way of saying the metal collar on the handle shouldn't be necessary. It doesn't take too many days with a maul to get to a point where you can land each swing right in the crevice from the last.

 

[smokedragon]

Exaggeration for effect. My way of saying the metal collar on the handle shouldn't be necessary. It doesn't take too many days with a maul to get to a point where you can land each swing right in the crevice from the last.

The metal collar is absolutely necessary.......I have had wood that I hit and it split at a funny angle (causing the head to sink in, but a solid chunk of wood remains at the handle just below the head). I still have the receipt for my Ames True Temper 8lb maul. I replaced it last summer (because it has a lifetime warranty). I will replace it again when this handle breaks.......

Not always user error that causes a handle to break.

 

[Makers Mark]

Smoke I agree. In my experience all wood doesn't split exactly straight. I guess it would in a perfect world but not mine. Glad collar is on mine.

 

[Ashful]

Hey, different strokes for different folks, but I've not had that sort of bad luck, I guess. My wood maul handles last many, many years, and split literally dozens of cords before requiring replacement, and even then it's almost always from some bone-headed move of my own (like using my maul as a pry bar or accidentally backing over it with the tractor) for which that sheetmetal collar isn't going to be the savior.

I'll admit to an occasional over-shot of sledge on wedge, to where I've had to replace two sledge handles over the last 10 years. But I've never run into a situation like that with a maul. I split about 11 cords in 2012, and 14 cords in 2013, and more than half of each was with my two mauls.

 

[BrotherBart]

I blame the beer. I have overshot so many times and busted so many maul handles I couldn't count'em. Probably has paid for the hydo splitter over the last twenty years.

Still had to pay for the beer.

 

[gerry100]

Probably a poor choice of words on my part - I do not use, nor advocate a roundhouse style swing. Like you, I use a vertical motion, coming directly over the top of my head and straight down into the log. Nevertheless, my point about impact velocity is still apposite, and if I use a heavier maul I just cannot get enough speed on my swing.

Agree.

Also the vertical motion is much more repeatable and therefore accurate. Accuracy saves you a lot of swings.

 

[gerry100]

I blame the beer. I have overshot so many times and busted so many maul handles I couldn't count'em. Probably has paid for the hydo splitter over the last twenty years.

Still had to pay for the beer.

When you're splitting it's not " beer" - the correct technical term is " aiming fluid"

 

[Ashful]

When you're splitting it's not " beer" - the correct technical term is " aiming fluid"

I always called it splitter lubricant. I'm the splitter.

 

[DTrain]

I am 6'3" 205 and use a 8lb maul with the yellow (unbreakable?) handle. Works great. I'm careful about how I swing so I can swing longer. I put my right hand under the head and lift it straight up like a torch. Apply the left hand at the bottom, swing and squat at the same time. Lot's o' power. Use an 8lb, just don't use up all your energy getting it back up in the air in a hurry. Here's the damage I did with mine inside of an hour and and fifteen. You can see it just to the left.

 

[_CY_]

Gransfors Bruks makes some of the finest modern axes available. but don't waste your $$$ on a blunt instrument like a maul, even with Grandsfor's name on it. get the finest Gransfors Bruks axe in your favorite style .. then get this style all steel maul for about $40 ..

 

[KodiakII]

I have the undeniable luxury of owning some of the finest products of Scandanavia: Huskies, Granfors splitting maul, and my Fiskars X27. When doing average size wood I use the X27 for my workhorse, but when the going gets tough I get the Granfors out (I call it Old Billy Baroo!).

 

[ArsenalDon]

Just get a Fiskars X27

+1

 

[skfire]

Gransfors Bruks makes some of the finest modern axes available. but don't waste your $$$ on a blunt instrument like a maul, even with Grandsfor's name on it. get the finest Gransfors Bruks axe in your favorite style .. then get this style all steel maul for about $40 ..

plus one on the steel maul
Have one about same as this one, only wider head, and solid red, only had to retape the handle 3-4 times in 8 years. I split 6 cords a year with it, drop straight down to knee high impact..add a little oooomph and all good. Also splitting around knots with it, but don't attempt the knots. No problems with curlies and twists.
Worst part is the constant in between bending over to re set, so I use an old tractor tire and stack the logs in it, then walk around and turkey shoot. Do 4 logs at a fill then have a sip, start again, if u miss the tire takes the shot and no flying splits.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

If you appreciate a well made tool, a visit to their website (Gransfors Bruks) is pretty cool.

I agree, they are really nice. However I just bought a top handle saw climbing saw for less $$$.

 

[CTYank]

I'd skip the maul. I get that they're fancy and Swedish or whatever, but a mauls a mauls a maul.

Sorry, but not even close there.
Some are pure instruments of torture: HF and most if not all big-box-store mauls. So blunt at the edge, they'd have difficulty cutting a hot-dog. Mostly of crap steel. Cheap.
Some will split wood very well: Wetterlings, Hultafors (Husqy), Ochsenkopf (Stihl), Gransfors, Mueller. 5.5-6.6 lb. Made of various high-quality heat-treated steel. $60-185.
Some are made of very good materials: Council Tools 6 lb. goes for $25. A little bit of work on the head, and it's right up there with the best.

If you've ever used any variety of these, you'd realize that your assertion is purely bogus. Besides the last NY region GTG, at the next one we'll have comparison tests of wood-splitting tools. Included a fiskars, even. Difference was obvious- fiskars just didn't have it going, compared to 2.5 kg Wetterlings or 3 kg Mueller, in pieces you could call "wood", 16" long. Fiskars worked for daisying or splitting kindling.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

If you've ever used any variety of these, you'd realize that your assertion is purely bogus.

ok

 

[fossil]

If you've ever used any variety of these, you'd realize that your assertion is purely bogus.

It took you 8 months to come up with that response? Hmmm

 

[BrotherBart]

Sorry, but not even close there.
Some are pure instruments of torture: HF and most if not all big-box-store mauls. So blunt at the edge, they'd have difficulty cutting a hot-dog. Mostly of crap steel. Cheap.
Some will split wood very well: Wetterlings, Hultafors (Husqy), Ochsenkopf (Stihl), Gransfors, Mueller. 5.5-6.6 lb. Made of various high-quality heat-treated steel. $60-185.
Some are made of very good materials: Council Tools 6 lb. goes for $25. A little bit of work on the head, and it's right up there with the best.

If you've ever used any variety of these, you'd realize that your assertion is purely bogus. Besides the last NY region GTG, at the next one we'll have comparison tests of wood-splitting tools. Included a fiskars, even. Difference was obvious- fiskars just didn't have it going, compared to 2.5 kg Wetterlings or 3 kg Mueller, in pieces you could call "wood", 16" long. Fiskars worked for daisying or splitting kindling.

A crock is just that. A crock.

Closing it.,