I picked this thing up at an estate sale a couple years ago and never tried it. Looks like the homeowner fabricated it himself. I cut down a dead ash this morning and decided it was time to give it a whirl; mainly because my splitter is so hard to start when it's this cold. It weighs nearly 20lbs and crashed through that ash like it wasn't even there. Got about 1/4 of the tree split up. Quite a workout on a 23F day.
The other day, I split some bigger ash limb pieces that fell over about 2 years ago. My 6 lb maul went through it so easily, nothing like the american elm I split with that maul before that. 1 swing, easy split. That elm was 8 beast mode swings before it gave in on one split. I don't have a lot of ash to burn, and I want to keep it that way. My ash around my house are healthy.
Yup its one of the old Sotz original patents alright,not a newer knock off or a homemade fabrication..Dont know exactly when they went out of business,but it was sometime in the mid 80's. Had mine since late 1980,I was barely 17.The 12lb head model,total weight 15lbs.About 10 years ago it was reinforced with a piece of 1/4" thick wall galvanized pipe to fix the broken handle (don't ask) .That pipe fits so snugly over that collar underneath the head that I had to drive it on with a 12 pound sledge.Added a nice fat weld bead for security.Total weight now is 20 pounds on my accurate (unfortunately) bathroom scale. It only gets swung maybe 5-6 times a year now - Its too much now that I'm older.The X27,Husky 7lb maul,other sledge/twisted wedges do the job now instead.I hate to get rid of it,more of a sentimental attachment to it after all these years. I will say this though - it has never gotten stuck in anything.Period.Large American Elm rounds/stumps,old gnarly Apple,Mulberry,Bur Oak or Honey Locust crotches,stumps or twisted pieces.If if didn't split then it just bounced off.A saw kerf or two in the end of those stubborn ones & that busted 'em up.
yep, that would be more than i would want to swing at my age now..........i've fallen in love with my little 5 ton electric spritter, i can use it anytime, including inside the shed when it's raining or snowing.........also that's a nice bunch of saws in your sig, i own many of the same models.............
You got yourself a keeper! We have two laying out at the wood pile for those knarly rounds that the fiskars just wont bust. No sense in gettin rid of it. It doesn't cost a dime sittin there lookin all tough like.
Still "swinging" mine at 60! The trick with this beast is NOT to swing it like an axe or "regular" maul. Lift it close to your body and work it like a heavy sledge hammer letting the accelerated mass do the work. This knotty pignut is no match for the MM. This one weighs about 23 total.
Looking good Boog , seeing you in action at your age. Keep up the good work and split safe, nothing like 23 pds of wedge coming down on a miss and whackig a shin.
Who'd a thunk? I just figured it was a homeowner looking for a better way. Exactly. I figured that out pretty quick. If you can lift it, it'll do most of the work. I ended up splitting about a half cord with it yesterday.
I love the MM but it rarely sees any action since the X27 was added to the arsenal. I wish I had taken pics of the bruises on my wife's shoulder after her 5 minutes of fame with the MM.
Yup I never 'swing it' now compared to in my 20's.Just basically drop the beast & the earth shaking mass does the rest.
I gave up on mine after a couple rounds. Still use it occasionally it just seems to wear a person out faster.
My dad has an old maul identical to that, he broke the handle this winter so i took it to work and fixed it up for him even painted it pink to!
Gawd... am I glad sumbuddy said what I was thinkin'. I been breakin' out in a sweat just thinkin' about luggin' a tool like that to the corner of my garage... where all of my sweat breakin tools disappear...
I found an original ad for this: I have one that gets occasional use. Vibrations are bit rough on my hands. The wood handles are noticeably easier vibration-wise.
When I first seen the thread title yesterday I'd swore someone had stolen my top secret chili & salsa recipes...
I just noticed from that ad that Sotz was here in Ohio. The original "20+" lb ones are even sweeter to use!
I can split just about as much with a 8lb maul as I can with a 12lb. You can't swing a 12lb maul very fast.
