Splitting big elm score by hand!

[Jags]

He cauled it a Monster Maul

I have a lot of swings to my name behind an 18 pound monster maul. I hate that thing.

 

[Thistle]

I have a lot of swings to my name behind an 18 pound monster maul. I hate that thing.

Had mine since I was 17,was reinforced 5 yrs ago w/ 1/4" thick wall galvanized pipe handle.Now 20 lbs total on very accurate (unfortunately) bathroom scale.Havent used it in 10 months,but its backup for the gnarly or huge ones that just laugh at the X25.Usually I just 1/2 or 1/4 those beasts with the saw now,its almost as quick & much less work.

 

[bogydave]

I have a lot of swings to my name behind an 18 pound monster maul. I hate that thing.

+1
No planning to ever use it again

 

[tfdchief]

Split everything with my Sotz Monster Maul for the first 30 years of burning wood. Had to buy a hydraulic some years ago though. I am small, 5 ft 8 in and 135 lbs, so as the body got old, I just couldn't swing it any more. However, it will split wood! I took a bet one time that for a 1/2 hour, I could out split a hydraulic splitter (All Hedge) I won. That is when I was young and no broken back. You either love em or hate em. I loved mine.
Here she is, retired to only an occasional swing to make some kindling.

 

[RORY12553]

I work with a smaller guy (maybe 5'-7" / 140 lb.) who actually uses this crazy 18 lb. maul as his only means of splitting, and heats his house with an old smoke dragon. He loaned the maul to me once, and it went thru anything I swung it at, but sure wore me out quick. I also found keeping the orientation difficult, since the handle was round schedule 40 pipe, and I could not feel which way it was pointing. He cauled it a Monster Maul, but it was much larger than what I see sold as a Monster Maul today.

When I got back into splitting wood last year, after many years away from it, I was using the 12 lb. maul for everything. More recently, I've been using the 8-pounder, only grabbing the 12 when I have large or difficult rounds to split. I get better head speed, more precise aim, and less fatigue with the 8-pounder. It might be worth trying the Fiskar's 4-lb., if you like it. Perhaps it has a narrower head, which makes up for the lack of heft?

It has a narrower head...yes I might have to swing once more every so often but its not lifting 8lbs every time!

 

[Thistle]

The original Sotz monster mauls made from mid 70's to sometime in the 80's whenever the patent expired had the last 12" or so of pipe handle 'flattened' to a somewhat oval shape for better control & ease of use.Mine still does,under that thick replacement pipe that fits over it down to the collar.Am thinking about slowly heating the end one of these days & hitting it a few times with 20lb sledge over the old anvil....

 

[Beardog]

I hate elm

 

[firefighterjake]

I like elm . . . it got me through my first year of burning since I had a lot of standing dead elm.

That said . . . I have a hydraulic splitter. I think it makes a difference on whether or not you like or hate elm.