Weird splitting maul head, what am I looking at?

FortyTwoBlades said:
Designed for twist-splitting much like the (expensive) Vipurkives axe. The edge penetrates, is stopped by the shelf, then the off-center weight induces a twist.
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Does it work? Rather than sell it off as another $5 item, I may try this one.
 
Haven't tried one personally, but the concept seems sound to me. Swing with a loose grip so the handle can twist in the hand. Wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of those personally, if mostly just to toy around with it.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Haven't tried one personally, but the concept seems sound to me. Swing with a loose grip so the handle can twist in the hand. Wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of those personally, if mostly just to toy around with it.
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It;s the only one that I have come across. I shall report back.
 
jblyttle said:
It;s the only one that I have come across. I shall report back.
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Would certainly dissuade a majority of folks from wanting to sharpen their splitter! When you do your field testing make sure to use a comparison ordinary (and similarly dull) splitter alongside. I'm looking forward to hear about your experience with this 'novelty' design.
 
Well, I don't think it's dull on purpose...should still be sharp to ease penetration.
 
300Six said:
Would certainly dissuade a majority of folks from wanting to sharpen their splitter! When you do your field testing make sure to use a comparison ordinary (and similarly dull) splitter alongside. I'm looking forward to hear about your experience with this 'novelty' design.
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I frequently use a traditional 8lb maul, so we shall see.
 
jblyttle said:
I frequently use a traditional 8lb maul, so we shall see.
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Right. And make sure to cut out any crap about honing and polishing of a splitting blade. Practical people have never done this. When a splitter is too dull (overly obtuse angle, nevermind any sort of sharpness of the blade) it wants to 'bounce out' whether it's shaving sharp or merely pointed. 'Slicing through wood' aspirations by novice wood splitters ('hipsters' many of them, I'm guessing) wielding mauls only serves to make a mess of getting wood rounds to readily come apart.
This is why I want you to 'go forth' and appraise this new/old discovery with some degree of impartiality.
 
The off set eye is an interesting feature. I would think it would make you strike with an angle to start with.
Glad you are testing this one JB.
 
300Six said:
Right. And make sure to cut out any crap about honing and polishing of a splitting blade. Practical people have never done this. When a splitter is too dull (overly obtuse angle, nevermind any sort of sharpness of the blade) it wants to 'bounce out' whether it's shaving sharp or merely pointed. 'Slicing through wood' aspirations by novice wood splitters ('hipsters' many of them, I'm guessing) wielding mauls only serves to make a mess of getting wood rounds to readily come apart.
This is why I want you to 'go forth' and appraise this new/old discovery with some degree of impartiality.
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Dullness and obtuseness are two different things. A splitter should be sharp, but thick. Practical people have done that for centuries.
 
300Six said:
Right. And make sure to cut out any crap about honing and polishing of a splitting blade.
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Who? Never done that personally. Maybe someone else? When I rehabbed mine the edge was pretty flat. I put it on the grinder and made the bevels come to a clean point and I would guess that it is in the ballpark of 40 degrees. a nice clean wedge, not too fat. Never had to sharpen it, works well. That's all that I know.
 
That's about all it takes. Don't need a fine edge, but it shouldn't be flat or rounded over either, and it does look like that maul could probably use a quick pass on the grinder just to freshen up the apex.
 
jblyttle said:
Who? Never done that personally. Maybe someone else? When I rehabbed mine the edge was pretty flat. I put it on the grinder and made the bevels come to a clean point and I would guess that it is in the ballpark of 40 degrees. a nice clean wedge, not too fat. Never had to sharpen it, works well. That's all that I know.
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You've got it! I was a little bit worried because sure as shoot there will be chainsaw restore forums somewhere down the road with 'newbie keen' contributors invoking 6000 grit stones, polishing compound and leather strops for cutting chains.
 
I'm not doing this tomorrow, but I promise to report back when I do it. I won't need to split wood for a bit with all of the axe handles that I have accumulated. I'm the opposite of most, I only burn outside so burn the least during the winter, most spring and fall.
 
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300Six said:
You've got it! I was a little bit worried because sure as shoot there will be chainsaw restore forums somewhere down the road with 'newbie keen' contributors invoking 6000 grit stones, polishing compound and leather strops for cutting chains.
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I can see it now...Japanese water stone chainsaw filing rods. :D :D :D
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
I can see it now...Japanese water stone chainsaw filing rods. :D :D :D
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To be sure serious competitors at chainsaw events probably have a few neat tricks (over and above sharper angles) up their sleeves beyond 'chain file sharp' but that's a very small segment of the population. Ordinary stiff just wants a chain to keep cutting as long as it can, and not have to re-sharpen the whole works every 15 minutes.
 
I bet they probably wrap fine sandpaper around a regular file or something like that.
 
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