The Maul and the Warhammer are two terrifying weapons from ages long past.

Modern hammers can have broad similarities drawn to these ancestors, such as the sledgehammer to the maul, and pick hammers to the warhammer, but hammers were resigned from combat roles in the military centuries ago.

In the modern era, proper warhammers and mauls are relegated to display in museums or use in popular video games like Dark Souls.

But what made each of these monstrous weapons so intimidating? If you found yourself teleported back in time to Medieval Europe, before the onset of the gunpowder era, which would you be better served by?

Look no further my fellow time traveler, I’ve gone through the ages to bring you the information you need to keep your farm safe from roving bandits and bloodthirsty knights.

The Maul

You’re going to need some serious upper body strength to wield it effectively against voracious rapscallions wielding daggers and wearing leather armor, because this heavy weapon will slow down your swings quite badly.

On the plus side, it gains massive destructive power from the weight of the hammer, and the construction is rather more simple than a warhammer.

So, you’ll have an easy time establishing peasant companies armed with mauls, when the time comes to overthrow your oppressors and bring freedom to all the people of the land.

The Warhammer

It’s especially suitable for use by armored knights, to keep on hand to use against other knights – keep that in mind if you decide to join in the ranks of the nobility and the army of the king, you loyalist swine.

Defending Your Homestead

When it comes to protecting your home and family, the two threats you’re most likely to face in 10th century Europe are mercenary bands looking to get by between wars, the local, above-the-law nobility and knights, and foreign armies pillaging the lands to pay for the war they’re waging against your local noble.

If you’re facing a rabid, hungry band of mercenaries, you’d likely be better served by a warhammer. Its lighter construction and the sharpened point will let you tear up their leather armor, and missed swings won’t leave you too vulnerable.

Plus, being one-handed means you have a free hand to use the buckler that was left to you by your spouse’s father before he passed away at the ripe old age of 39.

When it comes to a foe with armor, you’re better served by the maul.

While your swings will be slower and heavier, it’d be hard for you to generate the force to really hurt a man in armor with the warhammer while you’re on foot – cavalry get that momentum and power from their horses, which you don’t have.

When it comes to facing an army, neither is really adequate. You’ll be badly outnumbered and pitted against a formidable enemy. You’re going to need to get the other farmers, practice fighting individually and drilling as a unit, and maybe establish a well regulated militia.

Use In The Royal Army

So you’ve sold out and finessed your way into the upper class by gracing His Pungency with modern sanitation techniques, and you’ve found yourself owning land, and in the possession of serfs and property of your own.

But that also means preparing to be called with the rest of the banners when your king declares war on Ulm.

You’ll probably be mounted on horseback, in which case the maul would be an interesting choice against infantry, for the simple reason of its incredible overkill.

If you’re on a horse galloping down the field, the weight and momentum of a heavy maul will demolish anything you hit. But it’ll be so unwieldy on horseback, owing to its great weight, as to make hitting anything rather difficult.

The warhammer, on the other hand, was designed for this. Not for fighting infantry, but for use as a secondary weapon among dueling cavalry.

The relative weight of the warhammer, and the sharpened point that focuses it all will let you aim its full destructive power at the joints and weaknesses of their armor.

You’re going to need a lance or something similar to do most of your fighting, but the warhammer is excellent at ensuring you come out on top against enemy knights.

The maul lacks utility and practical value for cavalry, but it’s quite impressive nonetheless. The real winner here is the warhammer, with the dexterity allowed by its lighter weight and its respectable armor penetrating qualities.

Raising An Army To Defeat The King

You’ve returned to the side of freedom and justice, and you’re rallying and organizing the peasantry and the disaffected nobles.

Your resources will be scant, so expensive, finely crafted warhammers won’t really be of much use to you.

All that forged steel is much better off going to pikes to arm the rank and file, although those nobles who defect to you will be able to make good use of the odd warhammer, you won’t be using many of them.

Mauls, on the other hand, will be plentiful among the poor and the downtrodden who rally to your cause.

They can be used as practice drill weapons to help you whip your array of civilians into an army, and they can let you pad your numbers if you can’t create all the professional weapons needed to arm your force.

Mauls will be a great tool for your archers, both to hammer anticavalry stakes into the ground and to use as an improvised weapon, such as the British will do against the French in a few hundred years.

Some maul-wielding men scattered throughout your army will give the armored men of the enemy something to fear, while the pikes keep them at the distance and the maulers deliver crushing blows that obliterate their armor.

When it comes to raising a pre-gunpowder army of freedom fighters, the maul certainly enjoys much more utility than the warhammer.

Conclusion

Overall, the maul and the warhammer can both be useful weapons in the dark, dreary world of Medieval Europe. They each succeed in certain circumstances, and the weapon you adopt, much like the tool you use in your modern life, depends on the task at hand.

Most people end up buying an axe because they need to split kindling for the wood stove or to clear a few saplings.

It starts innocently, but buying your first axe can be deceptively dangerous.

You would think you already have the perfect tool for a certain task, but sooner or later, you’ll realize that the axe you bought cannot split logs, or carve spoons, or cut down a whole tree if you must, or whatever your wood-related project is.

In the end, you conclude that you need something else for the job.

Before you fully understand what’s happening, you end up owning another axe. And another. Then suddenly you’re faced with an axe collection, which girlfriends and wives dread alike.

I even know some people who buy axes just to hang them on the wall.

Regardless of what your interest is, it’s important to familiarize yourself with axes according to their purpose. I’ve written some pointers below that largely focuses on felling axe vs splitting axe.

The Felling Axe

A felling axe is different from a splitting axe in several ways. For one, its blade is sharper and narrower, and designed to cut cross-way through the wood’s fibers.

Similarly, a hatchet can be used in this manner, but the differences are quite obvious. A hatchet is unique because of its portable characteristic, about 2/3 shorter than a full size axe, so you can use it with one hand.

It’s best used for cutting small pieces of wood.

A felling axe, however, is the first thing you can think of when you hear the word “axe”. It’s basically what your dad used when you were little.

Keep in mind that a felling axe should not be used to split wood because its design and purpose isn’t for this function. You’ll only get it stuck in the wood.

The Splitting Axe

A splitting axe has a wider profile, making it more difficult to cut through wood. It’s so wide, there’s no way of imprinting a lot of force for it to cut deeply into a log.

However, the blade of a splitting axe can perfectly split wood, hence the name, because it splits the fibers of the wood and won’t cut across wood grain.

You’ll know you’re using a splitting axe because the head does not get stuck in the wood, which is what you’ll encounter when you use a felling axe with a narrower head.

If you don’t have a felling axe or a chopping axe around, you can use a splitting axe to cut wood, but you’ll have a more difficult time for use, as each cut will be pretty shallow. More likely, you’ll end up getting frustrated and buy a chopping axe.

Below are the main characteristics of a splitting axe, also known as a splitting maul:

• Broad butt
• Straight handle
• Wedge-shaped head
• Heavier head, approximately 7 lbs
• Not recommended for beginners
• More difficult to use

Felling Axe vs Splitting Axe

Both the felling axe and the splitting axe are the big boys of the axe world. These axes are made for felling large trees and splitting huge rounds of wood and big logs.

A felling axe is big and long enough, but a splitting axe can be even bigger and can weigh 7 lbs more and can reach up to 40 inches in length. You’ll be using a lot of kinetic energy in every swing.

A felling axe is designed so that it can drop trees – huge ones. This is an axe that’s not portable at all, and not dexterous either.

Although it’s not intended to split wood, some people are able to do so, although felling axes will get stuck more in rounds of wood than a splitting maul.

That said, using a felling axe requires fine skill. Just take a look at lumberjacks. It’s almost like these guys have reached an attainable status when it comes to swinging an axe.

A splitting axe, though heavier and longer, have wider heads, almost like a sledgehammer. That’s intended, because if you’re trying to split wood, you’d want the axe to push the wood apart, not cut into it.

It’s the reason why this type of axe is not as sharp as any other axe, because it’s just not necessary for them to be.

Splitting mauls aren’t exactly included in your camping needs as they are not meant to carry around. If you fell your own trees, however, or get rounds and logs of wood delivered, then you’ll definitely it.

How to choose an axe for camping / backpacking:

Choosing an Axe Depending on Your Needs

Choosing an axe requires great effort from you, as there are many things to take into account, including choosing between a felling axe vs splitting axe.

By now, you already now which one works for a particular purpose, the shape of their heads, and the differences in length. It’s now time to discuss the other characteristics you need to consider when it comes to purchasing an axe.

Size

Choosing a small or pocket sized axe is a much simpler chore, but buying a bigger axe like a splitting maul or a felling axe can be quite challenging.

Firstly, you’ll have to consider if you can physically handle it – if it fits your body type. To know how, try grabbing an axe by its head and see if the haft’s end fits comfortably inside your armpit.

How to choose the right size Fiskars axe:

Balance

You should check if the axe balances well on your palm. To do so, place the axe head between your thumb and your forefinger. The haft should be straight in this position. That’s how you know if the axe can be handled easily.

Head alignment

Of course, the axehead should be perfectly aligned with the haft. Otherwise, don’t expect it to cut well. Try grabbing the axehead in your hand and place the haft near your eyes to check if the alignment of the axe is correct.

Conclusion

Ultimately, your personal needs, including the quantity and size of the wood you plan on working one, will determine which axe is suitable.

If you have to fell trees, naturally, you’ll have to use a felling axe, as it cuts through the wood better and is definitely sharper. Swinging it is also easier.

If you’re working on smaller pieces of wood, or splitting around the wood’s edges, you should use a splitting axe, which is just sharp enough, but not too much, in order to split wood in half.

All things considered, when it comes to buying an axe, you should choose a high-quality item that doesn’t damage or break too easily, especially if you’re going to use it for mauling or felling.

To be on the safe side, you’d benefit greatly if you have more than one type of axe.

Large axes are great and efficient for huge tasks, but you may need some pocket-sized ones too, or a machete if you have space for it. You’ll never know when you need it.

Long gone are the days where we had to chop wood by hand.

Due to the evolution of wood cutting technology, it is now possible to cut, chop and split wood with little to no effort.

Woodcutters can achieve this through the use of either a splitting axe or a splitting maul. But how do you know which one is the right one to use?

Continue reading to learn the differences between a splitting axe and a splitting maul.

What is a splitting axe?

A splitting axe is a tool with a narrow metal head that cuts wood in half. Swinging an axe downwards splits the wood along the grains and breaks apart the fibers, unlike traditional axes, which go across.

However, there are a few slight drawbacks to using axes. First, you need to have good accuracy with each swing of the axe.

The reason for this is that the handles are relatively short and requires you to be up close and personal. Second, axes are prone to get stuck in the wood you’re trying chop or split, so try not to be too forceful.

What is a splitting maul?

Like an axe, a splitting maul is a tool with a wedged metal head that weighs slightly more than the head of a splitting axe. Due to the width of the head, a splitting maul is a lot more efficient at cutting wood than an axe.

How do they differ?

Even though both a splitting axe and a splitting maul share the same purpose, there are a few differences between the two. Here are three distinct differences between splitting axes and splitting mauls.

Weight

As I mentioned before, a splitting maul is slightly heavier than a splitting axe. A splitting axe can weigh between three to six pounds, while a splitting maul can weigh between six to eight pounds.

Splitting axes are often seen as a multi-purpose tool and its lightweight allows the handler to use it longer without fatigue.

However, it can reduce the efficiency of the axe. The splitting maul may be a bit heavier, but it makes it a lot more effective when it comes to splitting wood.

Head Design

A splitting axe features a tapered head with a very sharp blade. Because of this, it can not only split wood, it can also cut it as well. This is what makes the axe a multi-purpose tool.

Mauls have bigger and blunter heads. These heads have a wider wedge, which makes it very efficient. However, due to the sheer size and increased weight, it’s going to take pure muscle and effort to properly split wood.

Handle Material

Another distinct difference between an axe and a maul are the handles. Compared to axes, mauls have a longer handle to help the tool find its way to the ground and not back towards your feet.

This, in turn, completely eliminates the risk of injury brought on by accidents.

However, unlike mauls, axes are prone to breaking simply because most of the handles are made of wood themselves. On the other hand, some maul handles are made of metal, so it’s less inclined to break when splitting wood.

Which tool is better for splitting wood?

Even though people have used axes to split wood for centuries, most people recommend that you use a maul instead. This is because mauls are blunt and not sharp, unlike axes.

In fact, axes create small, sharp chips whenever it comes into contact with wood. As the blunt edge creates cracks in the wood, the V-shaped part of the maul is what ultimately splits the wood.

Long story short, axes are made to cut wood while mauls are used to split it. In the end, it’s a personal choice, however, you need to consider the size and amount of wood you are going to split.

Fiskars x27 Husqvarna S2800 and Stihl pro splitting axe:

Larger pieces of wood usually slit faster and easier with a maul, but as any good woodsmen do, do what feels right for you.

In the 21st century, homeowners, property managers, farmers and outdoors-people have countless technological gadgets to help them manage – or otherwise live off – the land.

From emergency generators and snowblowers to brush cutters and floor sanders, getting things done is quicker and easier than ever.

Acknowledging this, many of us nevertheless will occasionally opt for low tech solutions: the garden hoe, the machete, the chisel and, yes, the axe.

Sometimes these basic tools just work better. At other times, using human strength and dexterity satisfies the soul as it conditions the body. The chainsaw gives way to the axe – for chopping and for splitting.

How Wood Grows

Although axes can apply to other materials (not too many, hopefully!), their primary medium is wood – i.e. the limbs and trunks of trees.

To examine a cross-section of one of these segments is to discover an array of concentric rings. From the center project rays – like radius lines – as spokes do on a bicycle wheel.

In trees like the basswood, for example, each trunk ring roughly corresponds to one year. Rings are formed by the changes in growth rate between wet and dry seasons. This is why tropical tree rings are barely visible, if that.

How Wood Gets Cut

Wood can be cut from multiple angles but the two most effective ways are tangential and radial. Go to a lumber yard and peruse the boards and planks on sale.

If you can see the wavy pattern up and down the piece of wood, you are looking at a tangential cut: the cut was made at a tangent to the grain. Alternatively, a radial cut is made along the rays – those “spokes” noted above.

Using the lumber example again, a board from a radial cut will look striped because the wood is cut at right angles to the rings. The pland cuts through the rings rather than along them.

The same principle applies to axes. Splitting makes radial incisions while chopping does so tangentially.

Chopping Axes

When you want to fell a tree, you would not try to split it from its highest extensions to its roots. More logically, you would cut horizontally at the trunk. This is the act of chopping.

Certain axes are fashioned for just this kind of movement. Constructed to penetrate against the grain of the wood, a chopping blade is (or should be) very sharp and narrow.

Whether you chop horizontally – as to fell a tree – or verically, like when shortening a log, you want to make your way through the wood with as few strokes as necessary.

Splitting Axes

Splitting logs is almost always a verical action. With downward motion – ably assisted by gravity – the splitter cuts along the grain of the wood to section a log into halves, quarters etc.

Such axes are designed to deliver maximum penetration with each blow. Because of the cutting direction, a well-crafted splitting axe should ideally separate the log in one stroke.

To achieve this, the heavier weight of the head must be in optimal proportion to the sharpness of the blade and the strength of the handle (often called the haft).

Whereas a chopping axe needs a streamlined head to overcome grain resistance, the splitting axe must offset sharpness with the force of weight to separate wood fibers swiftly and completely.

Talking with an arborist or landscaping expert will help you select the right axe for your needs.

If you have been working on old machines, you know how heads can snap off when you give it your all trying to unscrew.

It is a nightmare! You just cannot get the bolt off. There is no head!

Most people find themselves in such a tight spot, not knowing what to do next.

Of course, you carried your toolsets, but with the current goings, nothing can work. There is absolutely no way for unscrewing the bolt.

How would you get yourself out of this fix? Fret not – there is a solution at hand – a tap and die.

You might be trying to figure out the next course of action; maybe you have even spent hours devising a DIY with what you have but have not arrived at a solution.

You will always get it right with a tap and die, giving you the opportunity to continue with your work. [Read more…] about Don’t Lose Your Mind Removing a Broken Bolt – Use a Tap and Die