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A spike maul is a
There are two typical patterns of spike mauls:
* Bell: The more common, bell spike mauls are mostly cylindrical in shape.
* Standard: Which feature a square cross section, and a squared tapered end opposite the normal driving face.
Handles are often ash or
hand tool
A hand tool is any tool that is powered manual labour, by hand rather than a motor. Categories of hand tools include wrenches, pliers, cutter (disambiguation), cutters, File (tool), files, hammer, striking tools, chisel, struck or hammered tools, ...
used to drive railroad spikes in railroad track work. It is also known as a spiking hammer.
Description
Spike mauls are akin to sledge hammers, typically weighing from with handles long. They have elongated double faced hardened steel heads. The head is typically over 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:
* Bell: The more common, bell spike mauls are mostly cylindrical in shape.
* Standard: Which feature a square cross section, and a squared tapered end opposite the normal driving face.
Handles are often ash or hickory
Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes 19 species accepted by ''Plants of the World Online''.
Seven species are native to southeast Asia in China, Indochina, and northeastern India (Assam), and twelve ...
, but lesser wood species in economy handles, and nonconductive fiberglass
Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English) is a common type of fibre-reinforced plastic, fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened i ...
(valuable in work on electrified track), are also found.
Almost all modern spike mauls take a standard oval eye sledge hammer handle.
Use
Brands
Brands of spike mauls include Slug-Devil, Tamco and Warwood.References
* Tartman, E.E. Russel, ''Railway Track and Track Work'', McGraw-Hill 1909 * Camp, Walter Mason, ''Notes on Track'', Self Published 1904Further reading
* * {{Hand tools Hand tools Hammers Rail fastening systems Maintenance of way equipment