Collins Mauls: The creme de le creme

J

JD Spydo

Joined
Nov 20, 2004
Messages
4,827
I used to cut and split a lot of firewood. I still cut and split a generous amount every year and I have not found a maul that performs better than one of the older USA made Collins mauls. Their axes were something special too ( the USA made ones that is).

I still use two USA made Collins mauls; a 6 pound and an 8 pounder respectively. I've used at least 4 other brands of wood splitting mauls but I've had my best luck with Collins.

What splitting mauls do most of you guys use? I've heard that GRanfors Bruks had a good one. I would sure like the know the latest on mauls and whats good nowadays. Also are there any of you that agree with me about Collins mauls?
 
My hubby splits with a 30 year old Oregon maul. He splits wood for 3 families. Can't tell you anything about the new ones.
 
I have used a Collins and liked it ( a friends ) I have an old 8 pounder not sure of the brand but it works great. The GB I am sure would be a very good one, there workmanship and quality is top of the line. Theres a couple cords waiting for me to do this winter. Its oak going to let it freeze first.
 
Don't have the GB Maul (5 1/2 lb head), but I do have the GB Large Splitting Axe (3 1/2 lb head) with similar geometry. Works great!

Jeff
 
Dusty One said:
I have used a Collins and liked it ( a friends ) I have an old 8 pounder not sure of the brand but it works great. The GB I am sure would be a very good one, there workmanship and quality is top of the line. Theres a couple cords waiting for me to do this winter. Its oak going to let it freeze first.
Click to expand...

Dusty that's interesting and very estute of you. Many of even the most wise axe & maul users don't realize that when wood is frozen you can sure split it much better. I even split a ric of red elm during an afternoon last winter when it was only -5 below zero and it all popped like seasoned oak.

I was unaware that GB made a spliting axe. I have no doubt that it's a good one. When I get back on my feet financially I do indeed plan on getting at least 3 of GB's great tools.

I just can't for the life of me imagine what Collins thought they could gain by having their axes, mauls and other striking tools made in some 3rd World hell hole :confused: Doesn't their pride in what they made well mean anything to them. Apparently not. They, like many other American companies chose to compromise their quality at the expense of most certainly losing everything that it took them years to accomplish.

I also have a Woodings Verona maul which seems to work pretty well. Not as good as a Collins but still worth having.
 
JD Spydo, good tip on splitting frozen wood. My hubby told me that gum could be split when frozen. Nobody around here wants gum for firewood because it's so tough to split. I split with a monster maul, my hubby tried my maul, and he could not split any faster with it and the extra weight didn't make any difference on tough chunks of wood for him.
 
I split about 7-8 cords of wood a year here on the Oregon coast. I've got a Gransfors splitting hatchet that is great for kindling. I've been looking at their splitting mauls. Would like to find what the profile on the Collins looks like as I have never seen one. It a bit hard to justify the cost of the GB maul when I split the majority of my wood with a splitting machine.
 
I just can't for the life of me imagine what Collins thought they could gain by having their axes, mauls and other striking tools made in some 3rd World hell hole Doesn't their pride in what they made well mean anything to them. Apparently not. They, like many other American companies chose to compromise their quality at the expense of most certainly losing everything that it took them years to accomplish.
Click to expand...

JD, just a note: Collins went bankrupt in the 60's I believe, and the trademark was bought by an indifferent company that moved production to Mexico, hoping that the incredible reputation of the company name would be enough to keep selling products. Sadly, modern Collins axes have become the "hardware store" axe that is often written about.
 
siguy said:
JD, just a note: Collins went bankrupt in the 60's I believe, and the trademark was bought by an indifferent company that moved production to Mexico, hoping that the incredible reputation of the company name would be enough to keep selling products. Sadly, modern Collins axes have become the "hardware store" axe that is often written about.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info "Siguy". Now I'm in no way trying to be disagreeable here but the 2 mauls I'm using I bought both of them in the early 1990s. And when I bought the 2 of them at a local Farm Supply store they were both labeled "Made In The USA". Also we went back to that same store and a good friend of mine bought one of their high end, single bit axes which was also labeled USA made.

All of those tools seemed to be excellent quality so I tend to believe that those at least were still made here in the States. The newer stuff I looked at last fall up in North Missouri at another Farm Supply store had stamped "Made In India" on the mauls and 2 of the Collins axes were made in Mexico.

Are you saying that they have all been made in Mexico since the 60s? If that's the case then they ought to be sued for lying about where their products are made. And it did not say "assembled in the USA" either I distinctly remember the label said Made In The USA.

Just trying to find out the truth brother :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top