Splitting Maul - Tools

Tools

Wedged mauls

A typical maul for wood splitting will have a head weighing in region of 4 kg (8 lbs). Traditionally, mauls have a wedge-shaped head, but some modern versions have conical heads or swiveling sub-wedges. The original maul resembles an axe but with a broader head. For splitting wood, this tool is much better than a typical axe. The weight of it is more advantageous and due to its width, it is less likely to become stuck in the wood. The wedge section of a maul head must be slightly convex to avoid jamming and it cannot have the elongated "hollow ground" concave-section that a cutting axe may use. Unlike an axe, maul handles are normally straight and closer to round than the elongated oval axe handles tend to be. A maul's handle, unlike an axe, is intentionally used for levering as well as swinging. The handles are typically made from hickory, though synthetic fibreglass handles have become common. Plastic handles are more difficult to break and their factory-attached heads are less likely to work free with the levering action of a maul. In the early 1970s a triangular head design with an unbreakable metal handle was introduced called the "Monster Maul."

Separate wedges

Splitting may also be done with a separate wedge and a large hammer. As this allows several wedges to be used together, it permits larger logs to be split. To avoid mushrooming the head of the wedge, they are driven with a heavy wooden mallet rather than an iron hammer. In parts of England the word "maul" denotes this tool with a very heavy wooden head. It is also known as a beetle; there is a well known pub on the River Thames at Moulsford called the Beetle and Wedge.

Powered log splitters

Hydraulic log splitters are commonly used today. They can be either horizontal or vertical.