My new Collins Splitting Maul

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I added a new weapon to my arsenal of firewood making tools. It is the Collins 6 pound maul with a fiberglass handle. I was at Ace Hardware and stumbled upon a one-day-only 50% off sale. I went to the sledge hammer rack looking for a good axe and decided to try a maul. I had never used one as I don't make a habit of splitting the wood I burn. I only split a log if it won't fit in the door of my Hardy H2. Here is a picture of my new toy.

I must say that the maul is a great invention. Before the purchase of this Collins Maul I mostly used a wedge and sledge, which works well but nothing like the speed of this maul. If you have a good group of logs, without knots or crotches, a maul just may be your answer. You can have a nice pile of split wood in no time with a maul. This works great. If you do run across a stubborn log you have to spend some more time with it by nibbling around the edges, peeling it like an onion. Be advised that you can forget trying to split elm with a maul but as for the ash logs you see in the picture I knocked these out fast. I was physically spent after splitting two face cords of wood but it was the most fun I have had since running a Dolmar chainsaw! I can see how splitting wood can be a better alternative to a gym membership but anytime you are swinging a six pound steel chisel, the risk of injury has be recognized. I would keep your spectators back at a safe distance too as some of the wood can fly long distances when whacked with the maul.

I have been contemplating the purchase of a hydraulic splitter but to be honest, the maul is a lot faster...assuming you have the right kind of wood and you have the physical shape to trudge through the task. But, of course, not all wood is easy to split. There are elms, sycamores, apple and the like out there...and the ubiquitous stubborn log that just don't seem to split. I ran across a few of those with my new maul and tossed them off to the side until I someday buy my splitter, or borrow my friends. A splitter would be a MAJOR investment and I would only buy one if I knew I could make money with it...enough to justify its expense...selling firewood. I have noticed I am slowly becoming ensnared in the grip of woodcutting addiction. With chainsaws, wedges, mauls, splitters, my Hardy H2...my daily thoughts usually revolve around these. Some of my favorite things!

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