As gas and oil prices continue to rise, more and more people are turning to alternative heating methods such as one Wood stovearound. In the cold season ensures well seasoned firewoodfast for cozy warmth in the house. If you want to have as little work as possible, you are already prepared to buy the natural and renewable raw material. Whoever beats his wood in the forest can save even more money. However, the tree-growing and processing is also associated with more work. It is particularly important to have the fuel in the right size for the fireplacebring to. An indispensable Toolis the case Maul , Find out where it is used and what differentiates it from similar woodworking tools here.

Splitting wood with the help of the splitting hammer

As soon as the tree trunk has been felled and sawn into suitable pieces, the wood must be replaced by a axor one Maul be split into logs. For soft wood is usually sufficient for the conventional ax or Splitting Axe, Her head consists of a cutting edge and a narrow head. If the wood is very hard and can only be split badly with the ax, this is a case for the Maul , He differs in several ways from the ax. The most important feature of the chisel is its broad head, which has a cutting edge on one side and a broad back on the other side. The latter is so big that you can drive riving wedges into the wood if necessary. In ordinary firewood, the use of riving knives is usually not necessary.

The head of a split hammer is also heavier than other splitting tools. Most products in this category weigh between 2.5 and 4 kilograms. For this reason, the Maul a longer stem that allows him to be ambidextrous. This increases the safety when driving the woodworking tool. The stalk has the important task to cushion the impact on the wood or the wedge. Some manufacturers equip their split hammers with rubber inserts and other special coatings.

Chipping manufacturer and models

A well-known manufacturer of split hammers is the Finnish company Fiskars. The specialist in woodworking tools has split hammers in various weight classes in the range. For the head material, Fiskars uses hardened carbon steel. In the handle, the company uses a mix of fiberglass and rubber, which avoids heavy vibrations when splitting wood, thus protecting arms and hands. An anti-slip coating also prevents the tool from slipping off with wet hands, and it is generally advisable to wear suitable protective gloves. A high quality and durable Maul comes from the Swedish blacksmith Gränsfors Bruk, who still manufactures their tools by hand. Gränsfors products feature a hand-forged head and a solid wood handle.

For the entry into the world of the split hammers it is not necessary to spend several hundred euros. Even low-priced models like the DEMA splitting hammer can convince. Here a hardened metal head with a weight of 3 kilograms ensures that large pieces of wood provide little resistance. The fiberglass stem with rubber inlay is known from more expensive specimens and ensures a long service life even with the low-cost model. In the mid-priced segment, the Simplex split hammer from Halder attracts attention. Made in Germany, this product features a multi-part head and a massive hickory handle. For professionals such as forestry workers and firefighters, but also in hobby lumberjacks are in demand the split hammers of Ochsenkopf. The products of the German ax forge are characterized by their forged hammer head and massive ash handle.