Tinker and Fix Skatewood Splitting Maul

** The first batch of these axes have now sold.  Axe #4, 5 and 6 and in production and should be available in Spring 2025.  If you would like to updated on when they will be available drop an email to hello@tinkerandfix.co.uk **

So here's the thing - although I really like the look and idea of felling axes I never really get the opportunity to use one.  That's how our first Skatewood hatchet came about.  I wanted a special version of the axe I use the most and that was a 1lb small hatchet (you can find that one here.)  We run a wood burner through most of the winter and that axe gets used for making kindling - plus various light jobs around the garden.

When we decided to make another axe it therefore made perfect sense to look at the axe that we use the second most frequently.  Again it wasn't a felling axe - it was a splitting maul.  Used regularly to split logs into a more manageable size for the wood burner.  But for my usage the 7lbs head and 30"+ handle of the one I own was overkill.

What I wanted was something around half the head weight and on a shorter handle .... so that's what we made.

The Head - made by Joe Garnett, Thorn Wood Forge.

Joe was the blacksmith that forged our original hatchets so it made perfect sense to speak to him about making this splitting maul.  We gave him one remit - it needed to be around the 3lb mark and the rest we left to him!  The result is a beautiful head shape that pulls a lot of inspiration from the traditional splitting mauls of Finland.  The head profile has a distinct "spear" shape that aids with forcing the fibres of the timber apart.  Made from EN9 steel by hand in his Somerset forge.  The poll is hardened so can be struck if a bit more force is needed.

The Haft (handle) - made by Sam Morris, The Axe and Edge Tool Company, Powys, Wales.

Sam did such an amazing job on the hatchet handles that of course we went back to him with this project.  These 20" handles are made Ash, hand selected by Sam to ensure the least amount of grain run out.  The finished handles are around 25mm in diameter and have a great feel in the hand.  Both the wedge and the palm swell feature laminated reclaimed Skateboard decks.  The design of the palm swell is inspired by handles made in Sussex and their facetted shape shows of the colours of the Skatewood really well.

The Skatewood detail - provided by Ben Footitt, Afterlifebf, Lincolnshire

We wanted to add a unique detail to these axes.   Functionality of a tool is a given, but they can also be things of beauty.  Knowing what Sam could achieve with the laminated palm swell and wedge gave us an idea.  Could we incorporate a material we’ve used on a couple of other handle projects?  That material is Skatewood – the term given to recycled skateboard decks.  These are made of multiple laminates of coloured maple.  We love the coloured effect using this material delivers.  We worked with Ben on our Skatewood handled Hori Hori’s and he’s provided the wedge and palm swell material for these axe handles.  Processing a skateboard into a workable block of material is a real skill.  Prepping, glueing and clamping multiple layers together whilst all the time keeping an eye on the aesthetic of what the coloured layers will look like in the finished handle. It's an art form in itself. 

The Leather work - made by Edd, Tinker and Fix, Rutland

The shape and detail on these heads is too nice to be hidden away by a large sheath.  To this end the design is relatively small, whilst still providing full protection of the cutting edge.  The sheath is made from 3mm veg tanned leather and completely hand stitched.  Spitting Mauls can take a battering so I also wanted to add a leather strike guard to give the handle under the head a little protection.  This is made from 2mm veg tan leather and baseball stitched together to give a tight fit.  Treat the leather to some wax occasionally and they should both last a lifetime.

And that's it - four UK makers coming together to make something unique and special.  Axes are numbered as no two will be the same.  There are three available in this first batch, with hopefully more to follow if you like them as much as we do.

Please note: We are happy to arrange international delivery - please just contact us to arrange this and we will provide a quote for how much this will cost to send to you. 

You must be 18 years or older to purchase this bladed item.

Your age will be verified automatically where possible.  More information about these checks can be found here.

We recommend that you purchase this item via a Paypal Account or Credit Card as this further helps with your 18+ age verification.

As of the 4^th April 2022, this item legally requires age verification upon delivery in addition to the age verification upon purchase.  We have included a ‘bladed postage fee’ into our retail price for all bladed items. You can read more about this here.