Spike maul
Encyclopedia
A Spike Maul is a type of hand tool
used to drive railroad spikes in railroad track work.
Spike mauls are akin to the sledge hammer, typically weighing from 8 to 12 lb (3.6 to 5.4 kg) with a 30 to 36 in (76.2 to 91.4 cm) long handle.
They have an elongated double faced hardened steel
head. The head is typically over 12 inches (30.5 cm) long to allow the user to drive spikes on the opposite side of the rail
without breaking the handle.
Some spike mauls have symmetrical heads, but most have a slightly longer thinner side and a shorter larger diameter side of equal weight. The long side allows a user to spike over abnormally tall rails, and to drive spikes down next to highway crossing planks. The shorter side provides more surface area which requires less accuracy for normal spiking.
There are two typical patterns of spike mauls:
Almost all spike mauls take a standard 36 inches (91.4 cm) oval eye sledge hammer handle, which is frequently replaced through the course of heavy use. It is common practice in many locales to cut down the long handle to about 28 inches (71.1 cm). This makes the maul more convenient when used only to "set" spikes for a powered spiker. It also makes the "windmill" spiking technique more comfortable. Windmilling is when a user grabs the maul handle with both hands locked and strikes the spike with repeated fast blows by swinging in a circular motion over the shoulder. The standard "wood chopping" motion is more comfortable and natural for most people.
Regardless of the technique employed it is important to strike railroad spikes with the handle of the maul as close to perpendicular
as possible. This requires the user to bend over at the waist with every swing. If the user attempts to drive spikes while standing erect the spike will often bend and the maul head will begin to sit crooked on the handle. Shortly thereafter the maul handle will break.
Spike mauls are hardened tools. They should not be used to strike other tools as this could cause metal shards to fly. Occasionally the head may become upset or chipped. Heads are often reground on a bench grinder
to remove nicks and metal flow. This practice is becoming less common as grinding can hide cracks and other defects. It is also possible to overheat the steel while grinding and remove some of the temper from the tool.
Handles are often ash or hickory
, but lesser species of woods find their way into economy handles. Some mauls come with fiberglass
handles as well. Specialized mauls exist with nonconductive handles for work on electrified track.
Brands of spike mauls include Slug-Devil, Tamco and Warwood.
Hand tool
A hand tool is a device for performing work on a material or a physical system using only hands. The hand tools can be manually used employing force, or electrically powered, using electrical current...
used to drive railroad spikes in railroad track work.
Spike mauls are akin to the sledge hammer, typically weighing from 8 to 12 lb (3.6 to 5.4 kg) with a 30 to 36 in (76.2 to 91.4 cm) long handle.
They have an elongated double faced hardened steel
Hardened steel
The term hardened steel is often used for a medium or high carbon steel that has been given the heat treatments of quenching followed by tempering. The quenching results in the formation of metastable martensite, the fraction of which is reduced to the desired amount during tempering. This is the...
head. The head is typically over 12 inches (30.5 cm) long to allow the user to drive spikes on the opposite side of the rail
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
without breaking the handle.
Some spike mauls have symmetrical heads, but most have a slightly longer thinner side and a shorter larger diameter side of equal weight. The long side allows a user to spike over abnormally tall rails, and to drive spikes down next to highway crossing planks. The shorter side provides more surface area which requires less accuracy for normal spiking.
There are two typical patterns of spike mauls:
- The Bell pattern: This is the more common variety. Bell spike mauls are mostly cylindrical in shape.
- The Standard pattern: These have a square cross sectionCross section (geometry)In geometry, a cross-section is the intersection of a figure in 2-dimensional space with a line, or of a body in 3-dimensional space with a plane, etc...
, and a squared tapered end opposite the normal driving face.
Almost all spike mauls take a standard 36 inches (91.4 cm) oval eye sledge hammer handle, which is frequently replaced through the course of heavy use. It is common practice in many locales to cut down the long handle to about 28 inches (71.1 cm). This makes the maul more convenient when used only to "set" spikes for a powered spiker. It also makes the "windmill" spiking technique more comfortable. Windmilling is when a user grabs the maul handle with both hands locked and strikes the spike with repeated fast blows by swinging in a circular motion over the shoulder. The standard "wood chopping" motion is more comfortable and natural for most people.
Regardless of the technique employed it is important to strike railroad spikes with the handle of the maul as close to perpendicular
Perpendicular
In geometry, two lines or planes are considered perpendicular to each other if they form congruent adjacent angles . The term may be used as a noun or adjective...
as possible. This requires the user to bend over at the waist with every swing. If the user attempts to drive spikes while standing erect the spike will often bend and the maul head will begin to sit crooked on the handle. Shortly thereafter the maul handle will break.
Spike mauls are hardened tools. They should not be used to strike other tools as this could cause metal shards to fly. Occasionally the head may become upset or chipped. Heads are often reground on a bench grinder
Bench grinder
A bench grinder is a type of benchtop grinding machine used to drive abrasive wheels. A pedestal grinder is a larger version of a bench grinder that is mounted on a pedestal, which is bolted to the floor...
to remove nicks and metal flow. This practice is becoming less common as grinding can hide cracks and other defects. It is also possible to overheat the steel while grinding and remove some of the temper from the tool.
Handles are often ash or hickory
Hickory
Trees in the genus Carya are commonly known as hickory, derived from the Powhatan language of Virginia. The genus includes 17–19 species of deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and big nuts...
, but lesser species of woods find their way into economy handles. Some mauls come with fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
handles as well. Specialized mauls exist with nonconductive handles for work on electrified track.
Brands of spike mauls include Slug-Devil, Tamco and Warwood.