Pulaski for splitting wood?

I am in the market for a new ax. For the last few years I have discovered how great a pulaski is for working around the homestead. It is a great multi purpose tool I was just wondering if it is any good at splitting fire wood? I know an ax would be the best tool for that, but would rather have one tool that can do many jobs.

So has anyone ever used a pulaski to split fire wood? Or would I be better off just buying an ax too.

I currently don't have either.

I use a pulaski for around the property odd jobs, but really need a splitting maul for splitting firewood.

John Weiland wrote:I use a pulaski for around the property odd jobs, but really need a splitting maul for splitting firewood.

Do you use the maul because of the extra weight? I could see It helping with stubborn hard woods.

Yes. We have an axe as well around here somewhere, but I think my wife uses it to split pumpkins for the pigs... The head-weight on the maul helps a lot, but can't overcome certain chunks of elm. So some pieces end up going into the woodstove in rather large form. What has come in real handy is an electric chop-saw......not for splitting, but for cutting anything 6" round or smaller. Use the chainsaw for larger diameters, but then store longer, 6" dia. (or smaller) pieces for a rainy day and cut them up to usable/splitable size on the chop saw. If you have tractor and generator or some type of ample-sized inverter, the chop saw can be operated on remote parts of the property.

I am up in Montana, mostly soft wood up here. From what I have seen the Pulaski heads are about 3-4 pounds. That seems to be about the size of small axes. Was kinda wondering if the grub hoe on the Pulaski caused any issues with spitting?

I haven't tried a pulaski for splitting, but in general a splitting maul looks pretty different from an axe, being much more blunt, so that it will literally split the wood rather than cut it. It's the shape as much as the weight that makes it split effectively, a chopping axe just sinks and and gets stuck trying to split wood.

I would expect the grub hoe side would indeed be in the way, but the main problem would be the axe side is designed to cut, so it's too narrow to effectively split.

(While there are axes designed for splitting, I haven't used one, given that I'm not interested in shelling out $80 for a Fiskars x27 or $200 for a Granfors Bruk when I've got perfectly fine mauls that ran me $5. I know the blade design is different than a chopping axe, in the same general way as a maul is.)

^^ that's a really good point - splitting versus chopping. i could see the pulaski being too light and slender to be an effective splitting tool.

Why not just use a maul Mr. Hagest? Or do you just want a badass pulaski

@Destiny H: "Why not just use a maul Mr. Hagest? Or do you just want a badass pulaski?..."

Aha.....well, the truth comes out!

Rob: "....b-b-b-but wouldn't it double as an awesome windshield ice scraper in the middle of winter, honey?"

Destiny: "Shall we add up how many ice scrapers I can round up at the Kwik Trip to equal the price of the Pulaski "Pulverizer"..?"

On the other hand, Rob, you could justify it as "rounding out" the swinging tool set. I mean, what's the point of collecting Dickens Houses if you don't have "Ye Olde Curiosity Shop"? What is "Barbie" without "Ken"?

[PS....let me know if any of these arguments work.... ]

Haha, well played John!

Well I suppose if I get to pick the baby carrier he gets to pick the wood splitting apparatus

Here I was thinking a Rogue Hoe and a maul would be a nice combination, but I suppose he'll definitely be the on using them the most!

Ugh, I'm just an Amazon, I can't imagine how much my back would hurt using a Pulaski to chop dirt and do groundwork - that's too far to go for me with such a short handle.

@Destiny H.: " I can't imagine how much my back would hurt using a Pulaski to chop dirt and do groundwork - that's too far to go for me with such a short handle."

There are many things in the US that you must be over the age of 18 in order to engage in. I think the Pulaski should have a reverse warning: "No one over the age of 30 should operate this piece of equipment". My introduction to the Pulaski was cutting trail with a group of fellow summer interns on public walkways in the Boise Nat'l Forest. Funny how the group leader (over 30 years of age) wasn't cutting trail, but just showed us how to 'operate' the device and then walked ahead of us enjoying the scenery while pointing out what sections of trail needed to be leveled. Needless to say, we were all the 'wise' age of 20 - 23.....and our backs *still* felt the effects of the previous day upon arising each morning. I used mine a bit in the garden this weekend......it brought back such sweet memories!

PS: Are you talking 'baby sling' or car-seat carrier?

John Weiland wrote:PS: Are you talking 'baby sling' or car-seat carrier?

Oh, I suppose I got to pick out both actually

Yes, that's exactly what I would worry about! But it's up to Mr. Hagest I suppose - sorry to bogart your thread, I was curious