Axe vs. Splitting Maul: The Ultimate Wood-Chopping Showdown

A splitting maul and an axe are both tools designed for chopping wood, but they serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics. Here's an explanation of the key differences between the two:
1. **Design and Weight**:
**Splitting Maul**: A splitting maul has a heavy, thick, and wedge-shaped head that is specifically designed for splitting wood along the grain. The head is often wider and heavier than that of an axe, typically weighing between 6 to 8 pounds (2.7 to 3.6 kilograms). This weight helps it deliver powerful blows.
**Axe**: An axe, on the other hand, has a narrower and more pointed head compared to a splitting maul. Axes come in various designs for different purposes, but they are generally lighter, with weights ranging from 2 to 5 pounds (0.9 to 2.3 kilograms). Axes are versatile tools used for chopping, cutting, and shaping wood.
2. **Blade Shape**:
**Splitting Maul**: The blade of a splitting maul is often flat and wedge-shaped. This design is ideal for forcing apart wood fibers, making it easier to split logs into smaller pieces.
**Axe**: An axe typically has a narrower, sharper blade with a beveled edge. This design allows it to cut through wood fibers more effectively, making it suitable for tasks like felling trees, limbing branches, and shaping wood.
3. **Intended Use**:
**Splitting Maul**: The primary purpose of a splitting maul is to split wood, especially large logs, into firewood or smaller pieces. It's designed for tasks where you need to separate wood along its natural grain lines.
**Axe**: An axe is a more versatile tool that can be used for a wide range of cutting tasks. It is commonly used for felling trees, cutting branches, shaping wood, and even for tasks unrelated to wood, such as cutting rope or preparing food.
4. **Safety Considerations**:
**Splitting Maul**: Due to its weight and design, a splitting maul requires less precision and is less likely to get stuck in wood. However, it demands more physical effort to wield.
**Axe**: An axe requires more precision when aiming, as its narrow blade can get stuck in wood if not used correctly. It may be more challenging to split large logs with an axe compared to a maul.
In summary, while both splitting mauls and axes are tools used for wood chopping, they have distinct designs and purposes. A splitting maul is ideal for efficiently splitting wood, especially large logs, whereas an axe is a versatile cutting tool suitable for a broader range of tasks, including felling trees and shaping wood. Choosing between them depends on the specific woodworking tasks you need to perform.
Many videos are comedic & satirical & not intended to cultivate antisocial or unlawful or dangerous behavior.
Thank you for supporting our Channel through the following affiliate links. There is no price increase for you but we may receive compensation.
-Amazon - our store - wranglermart.com
-Jk Boots - www.jkboots.co...
-Radios Made Easy - radiomadeeasy....
-Amsoil - www.amsoil.com...
-GoDark Bags - godarkbags.com...
-Premier Body Armor - www.premierbodyarmor.com/wranglerstar
-Vertx - shareasale.com...
-My Patriot Supply - www.preparewithwranglerstar.com
-Eden Grow Systems - edengrowsystem...
Become A Wranglerstar Member For Exclusive Content and Perks
/ @wranglerstar
SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/2btWfQR and turn on notifications to get them
#Proho #wranglerstar

[@RSKLove]

The maul eventually became the wedge and my axe eventually became the maul.

[@yorkleroy5605]

Did your body become a receptacle for spall?

[@krazykyle393]

@@yorkleroy5605us east coast men set off metal detectors with our imbedded shrapnel.

[@kevingillespie159]

Yo, you drinking ?

[@pizzadude6615]

You can use old maul heads as wedges if you take the temper off of them. Get it red hot and let it cool slowly with no quench.

[@RSKLove]

I’m talking about real life. Grandpa showed me. RIP.

[@KingSolo7214]

I know an older mountain man kind of guy who lost an eye from this. Safety gear is important. I'm glad you included that part too!

[@bajamus69]

Safety gear is for East coast guya

[@koDaffi]

He ever find it?

[@akboyz1]

You don't need too many metal mushroom bits flying before you grind them off early...

[@notchipotle]

sounds worse than mountain lion

[@RanchKings]

@@koDaffibruh

[@BattleChemist]

For the same reason, any mushrooming of the striking surface should be ground off, as it tends to be work-hardened and can chip off as a projectile.

[@sbprime2483]

no lie

[@ScrubLordJenkins]

Thanks for the tip

[@outrun7455]

Shake hands with danger

[@82726jsjsufhejsjshshdjso]

That’s a good tip thank you I’ll remember that

[@sebastianharris-aldred8057]

​@@outrun7455Was just thinking of that.

[@peterwagner7848]

Always wear safety glasses when you split wood barefoot......

[@xurcom]

A foot injury is most likely temporary while an eye injury is permanent .

[@disillusioned070]

You've got ten toes but only two eyes. Lol

[@ashenskywalker5537]

​@xurcom tell me how swinging an axe towards you're feet can only cause a temporary injury? can you grow you're feet back

[@brizzle8797]

Not really, just when hitting a wedge with a maul!

[@kennethdoran5840]

Would someone actually be so stupid as to strike a wedge with an axe head?

[@aaronmewes-mn3so]

I appreciate this guy’s tips. I was born in 1991 when the education system really didn’t prepare me for simple survival things like this. Appreciate. That he wants to share that wisdom.

[@michaelhill5888]

👌🙌🫡😎👍

[@JonSmith-xh2jf]

Kids should be taught this in school, as well as how to open a checking account. But they don't get that.

[@Tony.795]

I'm pretty sure that the striking end of the maul is harder than the poll end of an axe. There are axes that have a hardened poll that can be used for hammering. Those were used in mines and wood rafting. A soft hammer would deform and mushroom. It's the wedge that is softer than the hammer. Axes are usually only hardened on the blade end. It's why old axes are often mushroomed because they were used as a hammering tool on harder materials than wood or plastic.

[@ClubBandMusic]

Yep. See my comment as well

[@thetemperedwoodsman]

Correct.

[@Falloutrevenge1946]

It's always good to see this guy talk about forestry tools for a bit. I thought KZbin took his channel down, but I guess not

[@dougpetersen7285]

Thank you for answering that question

[@lukuscarter3563]

Hmmm I didn’t know that little bit of knowledge. Thank you Mr. Proho

[@wyliecoyote1]

Good point, all too often see a nice axe with damaged back.

[@minionkevin6623]

Always wear safety glasses says the barefooted man! 😂

[@leonmilner9994]

THIS

[@minionkevin6623]

@@leonmilner9994 THAT

[@brizzle8797]

I mean I'm sure you're probably joking, or at least I hope so. Because if you're not it probably means you don't quite understand why safety glasses are important

[@GarthKlaus]

Safety Glasses 👍 Shoes 🤷‍♂️

[@helsonly722]

You have 10 toes but only 2 eyes.

[@vmwindustries]

Thanks for the tip! Definitely learned from this today.

[@thetemperedwoodsman]

No you didn’t

[@tysonehlers8885]

Thank you for breaking that down, it totally makes sense. Much appreciated Sir

[@thetemperedwoodsman]

He has it backwards as far as details

[@tiggywink1]

This is very important info...Thanks Cody.....

[@SatchPersaud-sm1gc]

Growing up i mostly used a maul, i loved splitting wood, every peice is like a puzzle,

[@Wastelandman7000]

This is true. Another fun fact: hacking or cleaving knives are designed to be hit with a steel hammer. They're used mostly for clearing away the molding around panes of glass. This also works for batoning wood. Act accordingly.

[@entropy5125]

Use a sledge with your maul makes life easy

[@winterphoenixforge483]

And this whole time I thought I had a splitting ax but instead I had a mall. Interesting. Cool, thank you for educating me!

[@mikevega7740]

Thanks for that information

[@eatwhatukiii2532]

I love my beloved maul!❤

[@adzthewise]

Thanks for that, needed that.

[@demonic477]

I bought by maul when I was 20 it's still in my shop and I only needed to change the handle once in all the time I have owned it and I'm 63 now.

[@louiefillet6932]

Thank you, ProHo.

[@wapper7777]

I didn’t know this. Thank you. Maybe some tips on how to identify which is which if I inherited a bunch of my grandpas old tools?

[@4by_yotaguy373]

Another great tip 👍

[@guano1274]

As much as I learnd in every safte curse and real life, never hit a steel wedge with an still maul. Always use an aluminum wedge, steel on steel can explode. Good friend of mine got a nice scar on his arm from that happening. That shrapnel from the wedge got him pretty good.

[@JPMerolla001]

Thanks for explaining the difference. *puts knowledge in mental tool box* I have a question though. What about... for example: an old plumb shinglers hatchet. Is that pole hardened enough to strike metal?

[@AnarchAngel1]

I would argue that the poll of a maul is harder than the poll of most axes. Usually the bit of the axe is differentially heat treated leaving the poll much softer than the bit. The maul needs a poll that is significantly harder than steel wedges so it doesn't deform over time 🤷‍♂️

[@thetemperedwoodsman]

Correct. All these soy boys are commenting “thank you for this info!” While I’m sitting here like wtf, you just said the exact opposite of the truth. Cheers The poll on an axe is not hardened and thus mushrooms if struck against steel. The poll of a maul IS hardened and thus keeps its shape while struck against non-hardened steel like wedges.

[@alyawkram5156]

Miss your old content man

[@alexadams9644]

Question. Watched a video on axe and mual prep with lubricant. Is that something you would do. Made it easy to remove wedge. Have you ever heard of that?

[@nicholasmarshall901]

Mauls are also wider and typically heavier, because they’re for splitting, axes are thinner, made for cutting

[@saltyyankee5149]

west coast man did a video comparing horizontal axes and West Coast wimpy splitters (splitting axes)... they make axes for splitting, it's like a soft aluminum can, so even left coasties can feel macho

[@amurican35]

thank you sir

[@heyman5525]

Hardened steel cannot absorb. If you hit two hammers together, plan on going to the emergency room. I've told people this and they did it anyway. One guy had a chunk of steel bury in his chin. Another guy did it unknowingly and ran a good sized piece deep in his forearm. If I remember right, another guy had a piece hit him right in the forehead.

[@boriseldac1924]

You aren’t kidding when you say wear safety glasses almost lost an eye when I was younger because a chip came flying off

[@derekquintal]

Good stuff 👍

[@joodlebug]

Good to know

[@mjc4942]

I've seen a few people use a maul by just hitting in a line. After several hits the log will split.

[@stevenspringstead6190]

The first time I wore saftey glasses when splitting wood was because my dad suggested it, A 1/2 inch piece of metal broke off and lmbeded in my arm. I think about that every time I think glasses are in my way.

[@drewlong8991]

A post maul is a giant hammer that when your father is swinging when he says don't look up when you are holding the post.

[@almartiniii1541]

Us eastcoasters have been using mauls and wedges for centuries. The trees here, with their many burls, comand a strength in arm and intellect, that west coast man usually needs not. With your easy to split wood, im actually amazed you even have splitting wedges. Maby used for your children?

[@randysalvaje512]

You’re like my dad teaching me life skills every day lol

[@jayonez137]

It’s so nice to see West Coast men finally learning something manly.

[@PorchHonkey]

If your a whifflebird from the west coast it's OK to hit it with your purse.

[@jaybee8858]

was 13 and hit a splitting wedge with the back side of a axe and a piece of metal went in between my neck and chin and got removed about 15 years later for an MRI. Almost forgot to tell them ahead of time.

[@pjsurfer25]

That is sound information. My grand father hit an axe with a hammer and it chipped and took one of his eyes. He told me that story many times over the years to drive it home.

[@BoiOhBoiWeee]

Real men know these things 🔥

[@brodystevens-ew9vo]

Day 30 of commenting on every video. Thank you for sharing your tips. A lot of men nowadays don't know much about this stuff

[@ShellShock794]

You're right. You should never use an axe as a sledge hammer. That being said, I used to hand split all of our wood every summer as a kid/teen (using mauls, wedges and axes) and used the axe as a sledge on the wedges and also on the mauls thousands of times and never had any issues. I definitely broke a handful of axe handles which always pissed off my step dad but never had any chipping issues.

[@AnarchAngel1]

People like you are the reason it's impossible to find vintage axe heads that don't have damaged polls 😅

[@jeanangelo98]

Very satisfying T I N G, thank you for that.

[@TheDevilLine6]

I usually am able to quarter with a normal axe but for some I use a wedge with an 8 lb sledge 😂 solves that problem quickly

[@coker23cola]

some good to know

[@shaneadkins4323]

I grew up using a 20lbs sledge hammer with a 10 inch handle with my 2 wedges

[@saltyyankee5149]

ok Thor. Seriously, that's kind of wild. what are you splitting?

[@Erebus.666.]

​@@saltyyankee5149Everything with a 20lb sledge I reckon. I mean seriously, no sledge needs to be that heavy.

[@Adventure-Spark]

Can you do a video on quality belts for work and play?

[@aburningbear3138]

And punishing the younglings

[@balloon685]

That sound ❤❤

[@gerald7846]

"Always wear safety glasses" says the man who chops wood barefoot.

[@chaseandrews9354]

Splitting malls are so goated

[@robertshoemaker6204]

Exactly

[@pizzadude6615]

Next show us what a bench grinder is and clean up that wedge before you get a shrapnel injury.

[@chrislemmon3640]

Love that were safety glasses but go barefoot the bust firewood

[@joedaddy8044]

Thanks PH DAD 👍🏽

[@danimalgame8225]

God bless you and your family

[@bobsmith-ru7xp]

In the South that maul is called a go devil.

[@nick9463]

Talks about wearing safety glasses while being barefoot 😂😅😂

[@danjajeff1404]

I mean technically anything is a hammer if you hit it hard enough. 😂

[@alakazam482]

Genuine question here from a fatherless man trying to learn as much as he can. How is it that striking the back of a hardened axe would deform the eye? I thought the reason why hardened steel deforms when you strike it is because being hard means being brittle, not ductile. If enough force was being put in to deform the eye, surely it would be enough force to split the steel at the eye right? Also wouldnt a very hard blade make for an axe that's very hard to sharpen? I know for knife making you harden the steel, and then temper it back so you have a lot of strength and hardness, but not so much that the blade chips all the time and you can still sharpen it If for some reason you really needed to strike the back of an axe, lets say if you dont have a maul or are doing feel work and you left it at home, could you heat up the blunt end of an axe to make it softer? Or would that ruin the axe in another way

[@Thalanox]

I'm going to nickname my wedge Kenobi.

[@tonycox8746]

I've always split with a maul

[@donovanpeters5764]

You forgot " act accordingly" you slipping Mr.wranglerstar.

[@ZiGGi03]

What axe is that? it’s beautiful,

[@scotthartley7837]

See this is always somthing i just assumed but I'm glad I have the actual reason now

[@thetemperedwoodsman]

His details are incorrect. Maul’s polls are HARDENED, axe’s are NOT. His advice is right, but his reasoning is backwards.

[@caldwell20066]

Any tips on finding an old axe head? I am looking to hang my first axe and I would like something old to repurpose. Thanks.

[@ShOxCooking]

I have a wedge that has a handle is that a maul? Tootin your horn but it works good

[@ahoksbergen]

Yes, wear PPE...including boots. That steel can jam in you like a bullet.

[@RU-HDD-4-HVN]

Axes.... if you've used one... then you've used the maul.

[@PhillyFail]

Cool didn't know My father has a maul I just thought it was a heavy ax

[@larrymn636]

Where did you buy those,not home depot , Walmart or harbor freight.

[@tomevans4402]

Smart

[@tomk3635]

Dammit, I’m 41 and I’m nowhere near where I should be knowledge wise… thanks Dad

[@simonfarr8670]

now what about aluminum wedges for use with a crosscut saw?

[@rainbowrefraction_2414]

Block buster*

[@johngalt7818]

I did not know that

[@SimonsSmiths4006]

Whats a go-devil? My stepdad always calls his a go-devil and I’m curious if it’s a well know term or not

[@Huntbarternsteal]

I don't know about this soft metal to hit hard metal bussines, im beginning to make axes and as i understand it most axes are mild steel with a hardened bit of spring or high tensile or just high carbon steel. Axes and mauls made for hammeing with the poll are generally entirely of a high tensile steel like 4140 and you would definitely heat treat the poll as with any hammer face.

[@jackasshomey]

in all my years i never used a wedge with a maul... i just used a maul with a sledgehammer

[@seancripps4897]

Wedge and a sledge hammer

[@saltyyankee5149]

oh to be a west coast man where little axes are all it takes.

[@ryderwernicke9867]

Is it ok to use a axe on aluminum tent pegs since aluminum is a lighter metal

[@victorperez-vg4yy]

Oooppsss thanks for telling me that explains alot 😂

[@moptop85]

You dont need safety glasses after the second accident

[@PapaFozzy]

Our fire wood was built different and a maul and wedge was all i used.

[@peterdragonz7629]

Wear a cup to i blew a wege apart had pieces plastered up my leg got a little to close for comfort 😅

[@Rural_Legends]

Hello beloved, this is my hand and foot, they are similar but very different...

[@JONISTI1]

East coast man already knew that

[@thejonathan130]

Would a wood mallet be ok to use on an axe?

[@thetemperedwoodsman]

Yes. As long as the material is softer than non hardened steel. He actually gets it backwards in this video. A maul IS hardened on its poll. An axe IS NOT hardened on its poll. His advice is correct, but his details are backwards.

[@Talosbug]

I’ve got a friend who had a chip fly off the end of a maul and smack him clear in the eye. Millimeters away from permanently blinding him. Now he’s cross eyed. A daily reminder to wear your safety glasses kids lol

[@kanejanz4173]

What one do you wear shoes with?

[@chrissnow234]

So what do you consider a go devil?

[@demoticwhippzzztv]

May firstly I've never called it a splitting maul I've always called it a go devil. Maybe I'm wrong, that is what everyone around me has called it since I've been alive

[@JonSmith-xh2jf]

I always just used a maul during my firewood days. I tried the axe but after being used to the maul the axe felt too light and harder to aim. Or my trees were harder than woodpecker lips for an axe. I can throw a watermelon farther than a ping-pong ball by a lot

[@ifixeditmyself1926]

💯💯💯

[@bostoncfbrown]

Can you tell me how to decipher the different metals?

[@thetemperedwoodsman]

What do you mean?