What is your favorite splitting maul for large oak rounds ?

I picked up a Council Tool Ol' No 7 maul over the summer and ended up using it to split nearly 2 cords of red elm, mainly in the form of 24ish-inch rounds (a tough test for any splitting implement).

It's now far and away my favorite heavy splitting tool. Anything it can't crack gets wedged or thrown on the bonfire pile.
 
.577NE said:
FWIW, Azula Gun Holsters Azula Gun Holsters , the Estwing also comes with a wooden handle if that is more to your liking. Amazon carries them.
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The wood handle Estwing reviews on Amazon had a lower rating due to numerous complaints of the handle breaking. The fiberglass handle has much higher reviews. Just lots of vibration from fiberglass handles.
 
kwantam said:
I picked up a Council Tool Ol' No 7 maul over the summer and ended up using it to split nearly 2 cords of red elm, mainly in the form of 24ish-inch rounds (a tough test for any splitting implement).

It's now far and away my favorite heavy splitting tool. Anything it can't crack gets wedged or thrown on the bonfire pile.
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Got one on the way to give a try.
 
Azula Gun Holsters said:
The wood handle Estwing reviews on Amazon had a lower rating due to numerous complaints of the handle breaking. The fiberglass handle has much higher reviews. Just lots of vibration from fiberglass handles.
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That is good to know, I appreciate the update on the wooden handle.
 
Azula Gun Holsters said:
Just broke a new Stihl 6.6 pound splitting maul after 30 minutes with an overstrike. Need to make some leather overstrike guards.
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First, stop when you're tired....Thats when stuff happens...... Second slow down! Over strike generally means your hurrying along...Take half a step back and keep your feet about shoulder width........Third a leather mask won't save a break if it's cracked already ( hard to know).... Its more to stop the wood by the head.from all the little bumps that would have tooth picks.coming off the handle.under the head......aka normal wear.👌
Good luck n enjoy it👌
 
1 hen I heated w/wood....about 25 years ago. A friend gave me a "monster maul" brand maul. They made two different weights and this one was the smaller of the two.He had a larger one and muchbpreffered the smaller. They aren't suitable to drive wedges with only splitting. I carried a 5lb sledge hammer w/ 15" handle in my kit to drive wedges with. Between the two all my splitting needs were taken care of. Finally bought a hydrolic splitter but still took the rest of the kit w/ me when citting
 
"Splits most logs in one lick - won't stick."

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Bob
 
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I've always despised Monster Mauls personally but concede that they have their place in the market and valid use cases for which they're the best match to the user. They're just very much not for me lol
 
Picked up a Council Tool 7 Pound Splitting Maul. Sanded the handle and used boiled linseed oil. Made a leather sheath and overstrike guard and sharpened the maul. Will give it a go in the next few days and see how it works. Those big oak rounds were mocking me today.

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The Council tool Ol 7 works quite well but the head moved upwards on the handle today. It appears if the wedge is not holding. Prior to that it was splitting quite well. Yes, we were splitting oak with big knots when the head moved.

Got to try the Council Tool FE6 today as well. Tends to stick in the oak and take quite a bit of effort to get out. Some have said they liked it for splitting and maybe on softer woods in smaller rounds.
Let's see what we try next
 
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Azula Gun Holsters said:
The Council tool Ol 7 works quite well but the head moved upwards on the handle today. It appears if the wedge is not holding. Prior to that it was splitting quite well. Yes, we were splitting oak with big knots when the head moved.

Got to try the Council Tool FE6 today as well. Tends to stick in the oak and take quite a bit of effort to get out. Some have said they liked it for splitting and maybe on softer woods in smaller rounds.
Let's see what we try next
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To tighten it up, pull any metal wedge that may be present, drill a pilot hole, and slap a tapered dowel wedge in it. It'll be good as new. To seat the head as tightly as possible, just turn it upside down and smack the butt of the handle with a rubber/wooden/rawhide mallet before re-wedging.
 
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