Gransfors Bruk Splitting Maul 31.50 Inch Wood Splitting Axe, 450

To answer that question, my first thought is, if you're not an experienced axe/maul/sledge hammer user, buy yourself the Fiskars splitting axe first (either the regular or super)..... The Gransfors Bruks splitting maul is almost too beautiful to put to wood.... especially for a green woodsman. From the imperfections that are the tell tale signs of a crafted forge, to the beautifully finished and fitted handle; from the pride of the forgers' initials, to the branding mark of the manufacturer on the wood, this piece of tool speaks volumes of the old world craftmanship and attention to pertinent details. It swings beautifully with its balance and it splits crisply with its geometry and its razor edge.Obviously, you'll need to learn the capabilities of this tool and its limitations since hand tools are not easily judged simply by a lable of its horse power. Through experience, you'll learn when a log is ready for splitting and how much force to swing for each individual piece; to get the job done efficiently, cleanly, and know how to avoid biting off more than the tool can chew. Yeah, I learned the hard way; it is also the natural way..... and got frustrated over getting the maul stuck in wood too big for its weight. I swung a sledge over the maul to finish the job when I should have used additional splitting wedges; I over swung at times and scared myself as the head rushed cleanly through the log and continued into the ground..... All things you don't really want to do to a pricey, well crafted tool.So.... If you're a newbie, learn the craft with an alternative, well built tool that will be your 'first car' so to speak. Less expensive, less ache when you mar it up, and teaches you appreciation when you're ready to move up to a classic... When your skills have matured and you are still stoked by the art and zen of wood splitting, then get your hands on one of these beauties and emerse yourself in the pleasures of being out in nature and being one with your Gransfors Bruks splitting maul.Additional note as of 9/28/2013.... When you run into logs that are too big for this maul, you'll either need a couple of splitting wedges and a sledge hammer or use a larger eight pound splitting maul. You'll know when a log is too big for this maul when it simply gets stuck in the log when you swing it with maximum controlled force and the wood simply would not split. I've found that an eight pound splitting maul is about as big as you'd want to go with since it is hard to countrol anything bigger safely. When a log can't be split with an eight pounder, it's time to resort to a hydraulic splitter.

I recently purchased this Gransfors Splitting Maul from Amazon after years of using cheaper mauls from Wal-Mart, Lowe's, and the like. I've been splitting wood since I was a child in the Scouts, and I've even lived a couple of summers in a log cabin with nothing but a woodstove and fireplace for cooking and heat. In all that time, I've seen good tools and bad ones, but they all required a lot of care and effort to get the most out of them. That's certainly not the case with this maul. It came out of the box much sharper than I was expecting, and my first impression was one of quality. I've done some smaller blacksmithing projects, and it's clear that this axe was made with attention to detail, from the forging of the head to careful selection and treatment of the handle. The leather sheath was a nice touch, although it does seem like the strap may wear through in time where it contacts the sharp corner of the head.As far as performance from this maul goes, you couldn't ask for more. It's relatively lightweight means I can swing it all day and not be so sore I can't move at the end. In addition, it also allows for greater accuracy and speed of the swing, which in my experience is more important than weight. While it certainly doesn't split everything on the first hit, when it does fail to split cleanly it almost always gets a good crack started. I've split about two cords of wood with this maul since I got it, and it's still as sharp as ever. Despite the fact the the last half a cord I split was full of knots and fairly dense wood, I only had to resort to using a splitting wedge on one round. Speaking of using wedges, the poll is designed to strike the top of the wedge to drive it into the log, eliminating the need for a separate sledge.I would like to note that the maul head is susceptible to rust if you don't take the care to clean it after use, more so than other painted or coated tools (which is usually done to hide imperfections). I take good care of my tools, and I've found that cleaning with a nylon scrubbing pad like I use for dishes and coating lightly with gun oil after each use keeps it look like new. All in all, this is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to split wood easily and effectively, and I am highly impressed with Gransfors overall. I will certainly be turning to them again in the future for any axes or hatchets I may need.