How to Split Wood with a Maul and Wedge

In my previous article, I explained how to best split logs with a splitting maul. However, you’ll find that some logs are just too large or too stubborn to be split with the maul along. Ever notice how the back of a maul head is shaped like a sledge hammer? Well, that’s going to work to our advantage when using what is called a splitting wedge.

A splitting wedge is just a metal wedge that actually resembles the maul head quite closely. The purpose of a wedge is to use downward and outward force like a maul head, but to keep APPLYING that pressure. Thus, when you’re frustrated on logs that are too big to get a good split going or on knotted wood that your maul just bounces off of, it is time to turn to the wedge.

Using the wedge effectively takes even more practice than using the maul. The problem with the wedge is that you need to strike it directly on its flat side with the flat side of the maul in order to get it embedded correctly in the log you want to split. Be prepared for a good deal of initial frustration when the wedge does stick, falls out, or doesn’t give an anticipated split.

First things first. Take the log you want to split and place it on its side (i.e. with the flat ends perpendicular to the ground). Now, take your wedge and position it at a forty-five degree angle at the top corner of the log so that it points up and away from the center of the log. As you hold the wedge firmly in your left hand, take the flat end of the maul head with your right and slowly begin to tap it into the wood. If you are splitting wood with thick bark, you’re going to have more difficulty that wood with thin bark. You want to tap the wedge so that it gets embedded about an inch and a half into the wood itself. This is so that it will remain stationary when you start swinging the maul head at it for real.

Now, stand with the wedge in front of you, on the side of your dominant arm. Now, apply the knowledge you know about swinging a maul, except now you’re going to be striking with the flat side and you’re going to be trying to hit the flat side of the wedge rather than the log. This takes a lot of practice to get down, but it’s very satisfying when it works and the wedge gets a split going. Generally, few logs can stand up to the splitting force of a wedge used in conjunction with a maul, unless it is extremely knotted. At that point, you might want to throw that log off to the side because one log really isn’t worth exhausting yourself over.

Once you’ve got a good split going in the log with the wedge, it’s a good idea to remove the wedge before splitting the rest with the maul. You could keep it in, but you could potentially dull the blade of the maul if you accidentally strike the wedge with it, or the strike could send shards of metal upwards. This is something you want to avoid. To get the wedge out of the log, simply strike the body of the wedge with the flat end of the mall to loosen it from the split. This might take some effort, but take your time and don’t hit the wedge too hard. Once it’s out, place your log on the splitting stump and go to town with the maul.

Hope this helps you with splitting stubborn logs. Best of luck!