maul, axe, wedges

[woodjack]

I leave my safety glasses next to my maul and try to make it a practice to wear them whenever I split wood. I've got gashes in my legs and cuts on my hands. That, I can live with. But, too many chips have bounced off my cheeks for me not to protect my eyes.
Once the glasses are on and I start splitting, I don't even know I'm wearing them.

I think Harbor Freight sells them for $1.99.

 

[Gooserider]

I will admit I don't wear safety glasses as such, but I do wear regular eyeglasses, and when I buy glasses, I demand polycarbonate lenses because they are essentially the same lenses as are in GOOD quality safety glasses. I also have had major battles with my optometrist because I also insist on BIG lenses, which she says aren't "fashionable" and tries to sell me little things the size of postage stamps... I had to repeatedly explain how I do a lot of work with tools that make flying particles, and that I wanted something that would give me reasonable protection. I now have "aviator" frames that in theory are supposed to put the frames outside my peripheral vision, and are about as big as I can wear.

These glasses aren't as good as "OSHA grade" specs, but except for not having side shields, they are nearly as good, don't weigh a ton like OSHA glasses do, and look reasonably good on me. I figure that having something that gives me 95% of the protection that the best safety glasses will, and that I never forget is better than a forgettable pair of extra glasses.

I am also of the opinion that just about every option I've tried for safety glasses / goggles, etc. that go over regular glasses are miserable to wear, they reduce my vision, and fog up on me, etc. - I don't feel safe if I can't see what I'm doing.... (I will not even consider contacts, IMHO they are eye injuries waiting to happen, plus they are not a good idea when riding a bike...)

However I've found the screen visor on my chainsaw helmet is good in that it doesn't interfere with my vision, and it doesn't make me fog up excessively.

Gooserider

 

[mtarbert]

It's good that most "Adults" wear eye protection of some kind ....However a quick touch with a side grinder or on a wheel will protect those around you. If the truth be told....MOM didn't get it in the leg....I would bet.....where the sun don't shine.....just kidding.
Mike

 

[oilstinks]

Had to have my buddy dig a piece out of my arm one afternoon. It hurt!

 

[11 Bravo]

Woodsie........When I moved out of the burbs to the woods and needed to start splitting the first three things I purchased (after getting a chainsaw house warming gift) was a Fiskers limb cutter, Fiskers splitting axe, and a Fiskers hatchet. I have run them over with the pick-up and left the splitter outside for a month or three....no problem.........you won't go wrong with the Fiskers

 

[woodjack]

I don't understand. When the maul edge becomes mushroomed, does it cause wood to fly off erratically or does a piece of metal from the maul chip off upon impact?

 

[woodjack]

This web site is expensive to read. I just ordered a Fiskars Super Splitting Axe. I'll be checking my mailbox like a little boy the next few days.

 

[woodsie8]

I hear you! I have bought both the 23" and the 28", the 14 " hatchet, and the sharpener

 

[woodsie8]

Hey, Really Hot................ I have the greatest boots from the Catskill Mountains

 

[Nofossil]

I bought the Fiskars splitting axe last year. A few comments:

1) It's way to short a handle for me.

2) It's the first splitting tool that fits my wife perfectly - she loves it.

3) The surface finish combined with the head geometry results in MUCH less effort required to split any given piece of wood.

I also have one of the Lowes splitting axes with the flared head. Works great, also requires less effort that a traiditional splitting maul. Workmanship and materials are very cheesy compared to the Fiskars, but the handle fits me.

 

[fossil]

I don't understand. When the maul edge becomes mushroomed, does it cause wood to fly off erratically or does a piece of metal from the maul chip off upon impact?

Neither. The discussion started with reference to the striking end of a wedge becoming mushroomed over after lots of use...where it's being repeatedly struck (hard) by either a sledge or the back end of a maul. If the end of the wedge is not periodically cleaned up on a grinding wheel, one of the jagged cracked chunks of the edge of that mushrooming wedge is going to come flying off sooner or later with continued use. We're talking about flying metal shards here. Flying wood, of course, is another fun splitting inevitability. Rick

 

[archer292]

I purchased the splitting axe from Lowes also. The handle is the perfect length but the curves at the end are a little hard to get used too. I got a wedge from there also. looks like an arrow head, sort of. JUNK!! I've had the best luck with an old standard looking wedge, no flares, I got from my father inlaw. I used them recently on some big rounds of silver maple. Borrowed an eastwing wedge from my neighbor also with the flares. Both the eastwing and the arrow looking one popped out consistantly where the standard just kept going in.
I just picked up some white oak already cut into 14-18 inch rounds. Some are a little over 2ft. My shoulders are barking just thinking about that 8lb maul. I need a splitter.

 

[fossil]

The 28" handle on the Fiskars did take a little getting used to at first, but not a heck of a lot. It felt short, and I had to get used to standing a couple of inches closer to what I was splitting. Now it feels just right, and my old axes seem too long to me. My cousin, on the other hand, who is taller and longer-armed than I am, tried my Fiskars and didn't like it at all...said the handle's too short. But then, he only took about 4 swings with it. I bet if he'd take a bit of time to become accustoned to it, he'd really begin to appreciate how well it splits. Rick

 

[woodjack]

I got my Fiskar's Super Splitting Axe today. I can't put it into action until I get to my country house, but I can immediately see that I'm going to have to stand closer to the wood that I'm comfortable with because of the short handle. I'm sure it will be uncomfortable at first, but I'm hoping it will be a tool I long love and cherish.

 

[iceman]

isn't the same concept as this
(broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId;=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100387771&N=10000003+90272)