Types of Swedish Wood Mauls

Large Splitting Axe

• A splitting axe is a smaller version of the maul, one that’s intended to split smaller rounds of wood, although it shouldn't be used when hitting repeatedly on a wedge. The flare of the axe cheeks is intended to split the wood along the grain, using that rather than force to do the job, making it easier for the cutter. The face is generally wide, averaging 3 inches, and the axe weighs in the region of 3 1/2 pounds, with the handle 27 inches to 28 inches long.

Small Splitting Axe

• The small splitting axe won’t work on the larger pieces of wood its bigger cousin can handle, but it makes up for that by being smaller and light enough to use with one hand. The blade is thinner, and it’s intended to go quickly into the wood with enough power to be able to create a split along the grain. The handle is usually around 20 inches long, and the head is about 2 pounds in weight.

Splitting Maul

• The splitting maul is the biggest of the three axe types, weighing in at more than 5 pounds and with a handle length of around 31 inches. With the extremely heavy head it can easily slice deep into the wood to split a large log, and, where it can’t do the job, it can be turned around and used as a sledgehammer to drive in a splitting wedge, unlike the smaller hammers, neither of which are heavy enough to use repeatedly in this fashion.

Wedge

• The wedge needs to be positioned on the round of wood to be split and then hit, either with a sledgehammer or the back of the head of the maul. It is generally heavier than the head of the maul, usually over 4 pounds, and made of forged steel for strength and durability. The face of the wedge is smaller than the axe or maul, as its power comes from the force with which it penetrates the wood.