Posted: 12/26/2016 1:45:36 PM EDT
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So this is a pretty neat tool... it is basically a mini splitting maul, or a wedge on top of a short handle. One piece made in the USA. Looks pretty strong. Gets great reviews on Amazon and Youtube.
Anyway, I got one. Really like it. It handled the light stuff really well - like dried pine with no knots, dry oak with no knots. Good for splitting kindling, although actually I prefer a full length handle. You can hit pretty accurately b/c the handle is so short. Today I tried it on some knotty pine. It got stuck. So I got out a small sledge hammer and wacked the back about 10x. If you notice in the picture, it appears that the back of the wedge is like a hammer, so I didn't think it would be a problem to smack it with a small sledge hammer. Worked great, and went right through the wood. Kind of very handy to have a wedge with a handle so you can steady the piece of wood (say a piece that is not cut straight) while you hit it with the hammer. Problem is that the handle on the Fireside Friend bent - maybe 5 degrees or so. It still works fine, but I'm wondering why it bent. I didn't hit the handle at all. I would think that a forged steel handle would be stronger. Makes me question the strength of the handle as it didn't even take any direct hits. I still would recommend it. Is very handy for splitting kindling. I do have a email into Estwing to see what they say. I can't really find where they say not to pound on things or pound on it with the backside (especially since it is shaped and finished like a hammer). 
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hitting two hammers together is bad juju. I still have a scar from doing it as a kid when one of the heads shattered.
I have that splitting axe as well. 1. wax the head to keep from sticking as much 2. if it gets stuck, just slam the log/axe to the ground, if its a big log, turn the hammer end down and let the logs weight do the work. 3. if your going to hit it with anything, use a plastic deadblow or another log |
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Quoted:
hitting two hammers together is bad juju. I still have a scar from doing it as a kid when one of the heads shattered. I have that splitting axe as well. 1. wax the head to keep from sticking as much 2. if it gets stuck, just slam the log/axe to the ground, if its a big log, turn the hammer end down and let the logs weight do the work. 3. if your going to hit it with anything, use a plastic deadblow or another log Good info. I didn't grow up chopping wood much so this all is relatively new to me. Estwing did get back with me and say that although the maul looks like it can be pounded on, you should never hit it with another heat treated object, like a hammer. They did say that you can use the back of the maul as a hammer to pound in unhardened wedges. We learn things every day. 
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| Shock loads on things (like hitting things with a hammer) can far exceed yield strength of metals. I believe in this case with the blade side in a fixed position, delivering a shock-load to the hammer side, the heavy steel handle had enough mass that inertia to get the handle moving to "catch up with" the head that was already forcefully moved by the impact, was great enough to case the bending. This is where/why wood/polymer handles are superior to metal. They can flex a great deal more before they permanently deform. |
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Shock loads on things (like hitting things with a hammer) can far exceed yield strength of metals. I believe in this case with the blade side in a fixed position, delivering a shock-load to the hammer side, the heavy steel handle had enough mass that inertia to get the handle moving to "catch up with" the head that was already forcefully moved by the impact, was great enough to case the bending. This is where/why wood/polymer handles are superior to metal. They can flex a great deal more before they permanently deform. Very interesting. Never thought of that. I always wondered why the best axes had handles made of wood and not metal. |
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I learn the damndest things hanging around here. That is some great information to have; I wouldn't have hesitated one second to use the Estwing as a wedge just as you did. And now I know better! I definitely have learned many things from reading in the Survival Forums. Lot of guys with experience here that share what they have learned. A great place! |
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Quoted:
hitting two hammers together is bad juju. I still have a scar from doing it as a kid when one of the heads shattered. I have that splitting axe as well. 1. wax the head to keep from sticking as much 2. if it gets stuck, just slam the log/axe to the ground, if its a big log, turn the hammer end down and let the logs weight do the work. 3. if your going to hit it with anything, use a plastic deadblow or another log Makes you wonder why they'd design this with an end you couldn't hit with a hammer. Seems like it just begs for that for hard to bust wood. |