New Snow & Nealley Mini Maul (USA)

FortyTwoBlades

FortyTwoBlades

Baryonyx walkeri
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Browsing the 'bay, I stumbled upon what seems to be a new USA-made Snow & Nealley 3lb mini maul, and it looks totally different than their old one, which looked like a scaled down regular maul head. Gonna' have to write them to check about availability, 'cause it wasn't in the brochure I most recently received from them. I like the look of it a lot.

s-l1600.jpg
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
. . .I stumbled upon what seems to be a new USA-made Snow & Nealley 3lb mini maul. . .
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"The Snow & Nealley 3 lb. Mini Maul is manufactured in the same workshop as the popular Penobscot Bay and Hudson Bay axes. The head is forged and tempered American steel, and the handle is select American hickory."
https://www.ourbestaxes.com/product/3-lb-mini-maul/

FortyTwoBlades said:
. . . and it looks totally different than their old one. . .
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For comparison:
MiniMaul.jpg


For general information, if readers are interested in getting the new one - check your favorite supplier. Many found with an internet search.
edit: may have to wait until old style are sold out. It looks like most of the sellers I've found selling the mini mall are using images of the older style. Both (old and new) are the same 3 lb head weight.

Bob
 
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As a note, the above-linked website isn't Snow & Nealley's website (because they don't have one.) Interestingly, the shop mentions that the forging contractor used for the smaller heads can't do the double-bit, Pulaski, or full-sized maul, but in the recent brochure I received from the company the double bit was marked as now being USA-made, while this mini maul was not present--only the old one was.
 
"Our Best Axes is an authorized distributor of Snow & Nealley products. Since the Amish do not use the internet, Snow & Nealley does not have an official website, and no website posing as the official Snow & Nealley website is authorized."


Bob
 
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Wow, that thing actually looks really well finished without any forging lines...ect left on it.
Does the edge look burnt to you though ?
 
Hickory n steel said:
Wow, that thing actually looks really well finished without any forging lines...ect left on it.
Does the edge look burnt to you though ?
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Nah that's just the crummy lighting on the photo, plus the fact that they use a thin layer of an amber-colored varnish on the heads. Looks clear on most of the head, but when it beads up on the edge it gets dark enough to see it.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Nah that's just the crummy lighting on the photo, plus the fact that they use a thin layer of an amber-colored varnish on the heads. Looks clear on most of the head, but when it beads up on the edge it gets dark enough to see it.
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Ah,I see.
Not that it really matters, but it's nice to see a tool such as this nicely finished after forging.
Most sledge hammers...ect nowadays are left ground pretty rough simply because they're meant to beat on stuff with, but some people do care how their hammer looks.
 
Yeah they grind all the forging marks off to a nice flat satin finish.
 
I like the looks. It looks like a regular maul, but shortened and thickened. I imagine that the additional steel in the hammer end will help slow down deformation and add life to the tool. Hopefully the struck side is the proper hardness.
 
phantomknives said:
why not a council house axe
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Because this is specifically optimized as a splitter and has a nice large hammer poll rather than being a conventional general use axe head on a hatchet-length handle. Also the finish is nicer on these, if that matters at all to you. Some might prefer a Council house axe for their needs, but I really like the looks of this mini maul and plan to get my hands on one. :)
 
I definitely like the looks of the head,but the snow and nealley handles are extremely ugly.
I get the feeling that for the size and weight this might split some wood better than a house axe, but I haven't split wood in a few years.

Now something like this and a good hatchet or 20" axe would probably be a great camp combo for an extended stay.
 
I really like the shape of the head. However, this short handle makes no sens. If I am crazy enough to drag 5 lbs maul into the woods in addition to an axe, then additional 12 oz should not make difference:hang it on at least 26-28 inch handle and make it more versitile
 
phantomknives said:
why not a council house axe
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That's where I'm at.

Outdoors I'll use a full size maul or axe. At the camp fire I'll use whatever camp axe I brought. At the fireplace I'm using a house axe (nice late model Plumb).

I see this mainly as a campfire tool (like the Fireside Friend) for people who don't bring an axe camping.
https://www.estwing.com/products/fireside-friend-splitting-tool

The long bit on this tool looks like it would make a better splitter than the Fireside Friend.
 
crbnSteeladdict said:
I really like the shape of the head. However, this short handle makes no sens. If I am crazy enough to drag 5 lbs maul into the woods in addition to an axe, then additional 12 oz should not make difference:hang it on at least 26-28 inch handle and make it more versitile
Click to expand...

It's only a 3lb head--not 5. :) A simple enough job to rehang it on something longer, I'd expect. I'd personally find the most use from it at home or at a permanent camp.
 
Regardless, that certainly doesn't prevent one from exchanging the handle for a longer one. But "lugging it out in the woods" isn't exactly the intended purpose to begin with. It's more for convenient kindling splitting in circumstances where transporting the thing isn't the greatest concern. For smaller stuff it's nimbler than a full-sized maul, and is a more optimized geometry and heft than a common hatchet. As already mentioned, I'd find it useful at home for the wood stove and at my family's camp cabin.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Regardless, that certainly doesn't prevent one from exchanging the handle for a longer one. But "lugging it out in the woods" isn't exactly the intended purpose to begin with. It's more for convenient kindling splitting in circumstances where transporting the thing isn't the greatest concern. For smaller stuff it's nimbler than a full-sized maul, and is a more optimized geometry and heft than a common hatchet. As already mentioned, I'd find it useful at home for the wood stove and at my family's camp cabin.
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Do you kneel when using this mini maul? I just wonder about ergonomics
 
They are often used low to the ground, or with a low stance, and a short, controlled stroke. Their duty is mostly for splitting standard-sized firewood down to arm-thick through thumb-thick size ranges.
 
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