Hi all,
not sure if this is the right board. So I finally picked up a GB splitting maul. Yes, they are expensive, but I really wanted one and figured for something of that quality could be in my family for a long time.
However, after splitting a couple rounds I noticed the head came a little loose. It jiggles very slightly, like a couple milimeters. is this normal? I notice it enough to make me wonder. Thing splits wood really nice. despite that. A neighbours silver maple was cut down by the city and my wife scrounged a few branches, 10-15" in diameter. It was fun splitting all that, even the knotty stuff.
The thing is...I went to another story that sells them and the one they had was a little loose so i didn't buy it. Now mine is doing that. For the price, it's a bit disapointing. I've got a Scandinavian Forest Axe, and that thing is on tight.
cheers.
I have one that is around 10 yrs old and tight as can be, no movement, for the cost of it ,I would send it back and get another one.
I think it is worth the money, the design of that head and balance of it, really does a nice job
Is it a wood handle? If so, the wood likely dried out and shrunk a bit. Seems perfectly normal for wood to do that.
I agree w/ Beenthere, likely the handle shrunk because it wasn't kiln dried to a low enough moisture content. If you have somewhere local you could pick up a triangular metal handle wedge, pound that in to take up the slack. Soaking the handle/head might fix it - temporarily -until it dries out again.
Yup, handle dried. Put it in a bucket. Certainly not a defect. Don't store it where it is extremely warm or dry (Like hanging next to your OWB or something)
Yes, it's a wood handle.
So for those suggesting I put it in a bucket of water...should I put anything on head of the axe to protect it? How many days?
Not a long term fix. The wood fibers will get crushed when the handle swells. When it dries it will be even looser. Get some handle wedges and be done with it.
I wouldn't immerse it in water, but would keep it out of a heated area and stored in a cool place where the humidity is some higher. It will tighten up. If not, a short term wetting with water I think will do the trick and tighten the handle without crushing any wood fibers as Dave mentions. And a wedge should do it too.
All the extra effort for such an expensive axe is annoying. the store I bought it from has a good return policy, so I might just do that and exchange for a new one, like Tom L is suggesting. Another store carries them, but has been having trouble keeping them in stock.
It is a nice piece of equipment though. Hope the next one stays snug.
The wood handle on the one you get in exchange could easily do the very same thing.. wood shrinks and swells, and is no different when it is inside a steel hole that doesn't move with the wood.
Money doesn't have control of that wood shrinking and swelling... but the relative humidity where the maul is stored does. ;)
That's why MFGs went to composit handles. Most folks don't understand traditional hand tools anymore.
I don't think you will have any better luck with another maul. I wonder if oiling the end of the handle in the one you have would do the trick? It would tighten up, but not dry out. Not sure what kind of oil. I think linseed is often used for handles, although I prefer a bare handle. If I put a new handle in an axe or hammer, I scrape all the varnish off.
I'd take a loose wood handle any day, rather than a composite handle..
A loose handle can be easily fixed to be tight.
I've been using boiled linseed oil on all my wood handles now. It's really good stuff.
I love the way wood handles feel that are unfinished and are lightly sanded down with a nice coat of the linseed oil (dry of course).
I wish my X27 had a wood handle.
Wood vs composite (fiberglass) handle. Always liked and use wood - absorbs shock impact from striking better. IMO
Well, the solution turned out to be patience. Had the axe hanging in my garage. I guess the ambient temps and humidity were better for the wood, and it expanded. The head is on tight. So happy about that.
Anyhow, I have this one and the Fiskars X27. I definitely find the GB more comfortable to swing. As far as effectiveness, i haven't done any head-to-head comparisons yet. Maybe this summer. The GB being heavier is also something I like right now as I'm trying to get into better shape. One drawback I find to the GB is that it does get lodged into the wood. More than what I've experienced with the Fiskars.
I've experienced this with my GB maul as well. I just put a couple additional metal wedges in the top and gave it some oil. It tightened right up. I'm looking forward to your head to head with the fiskars. I've really been meaning to buy one for a second person to use while splitting, but just haven't done it yet. I love my gransfors though, that's for sure!
Try soaking in a bucket of antifreeze a couple of weeks. Read this
somewhere online gonna try it on some hammers that keep losing
up and see what goes.The antifreeze keeps it moist for a long
time so I'm told well see.
I have their "American Felling Axe" and have not a bad word to say about it. I keep it in my room. Last thing it did was kill a mouse. I try to drop a few trees with it each year, but something about my chainsaws is more appealing for dropping trees :D I got it with hopes to pass down to future generations.
Keep away from water. It is a temporary fix and bad for the handle. If you have the expertise, remove the wooden wedge and replace with a larger one. Afterwards, stand the head in a container of boiled linseed oil and turpentine, so that it will penetrate the wood. Leave for a month or so. If it has been wedged properly, it should never come loose again.
I dont swing any thing any more just push a handle on the splitter.
We soaked our axes in oil of some kind in 1958 when at forestry school.
We were taught to use wood wedges never metal.
I still have my 2-1/2 pound double bitted axe from that period
My old 3-1/2 pound Plumb Michigan pattern axe bit the dust after spilitting lots of wood.
In my hand splitting days an axe worked better than any of the modern mauls.
A flip of the wrist when hitting did the trick and the bolt would pop open nearly all of the time.
Though I mostly use a splitter now, I still use the original 15 lb Monster Maul to split things too big for me to lift to the splitter. Speaking of splitters, anyone adapt truck cranes to lift logs to a splitter?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15228/3225/DSCF1039.JPG)