In woodworking there are some tools you can skip having them and you won’t have any serious disadvantage , but it would helpful having them and for sure the splitting fore , is one of this cases .
Usually in all the woodworkers tool boxes and wood tools “armory” , a couple or at least one splitting froe exists .
The woodworking splitting froe is an L shaped hand tool which consists( if it’s not one L piece ) , of a cuneiform shaped metalic blade ( straight or light curved )being wide in its edge , but not sharp and it’s attached to a strong wooden handle(haft) .
See my Top splitting froe suggestions , in HERE .
What is a Splitting Froe , Used for ?
In woodworking , we use the splitting froe to split always along the wood’s grain , wooden pieces as a board , a lath and small or big enough logs .
What is the Froe for Cleaving ?
The splitting froe is the most accurate and specialised hand tool you can have for cleaving – tearing apart with high precision and total control by you , a wooden board , a lath , a log .
What is the purpose of a Froe ?
You can split wood using many other hand tools and equipment , but the biggest advantage of the froe is the combination of placing its blade to the exact spot you want to split the wood , have total control while splitting , avoiding mistakes and use little force .
How do you Split with a Froe ?
1) You place the wood you want to split above your workbench or in another stable place .
2) You mark the exact spot you want to split the log , lath , et.c .
Attention : You split only along the wood’s grain !!!!!!
3) You put the blade of the froe in this spot and you make a small first hit with your hammer , just to place it in this exact spot correctly .
You don’t use much force for your first placing hit . You don’t want the froe to move , even for a little .
4) You proceed hammering the froe to penetrate more , inside the wood’s fibers . In here , you’ll start hearing the fibers cracking – seperating .
5) When you feel that you’ve penetrated enough and the fibers have weakened enough , you rotate the handle( using little force ) and creating torgue , the blade twists , tearing apart the wood’s fibers and open totally the piece .
That’s it . The splitting is done .
Do you need to Sharpen a froe ?
No , you don’t have to sharpen it , because it isn’t a cutting wood’s fibers tool as the axes , saw , et.c . You only have to check the bevel of your froe and according to the lumber you split , to adjust it in order to penetrate – seperate wood .
Can you use a froe to Dry wood ?
Yes , you certainly can use a froe to all the levels of your wood’s dryness and a well dried wood is easier to split , than a wet – green wood , which its fibers are seperated harder .
What is the best wood for a froe Handle ?
Any type of hardwood is suitable for your froe’s handle , with the oak , ash , yew , beech , hickory and maple , being in the top choices .
Remember in HERE , all the types of wood and their properties .
The only thing you should check for your handle’s wood , is to be very well dried , in order to fit with the metal perfectly and don’t have shape changes .
What Size is usually a froe ?
The froe usually have a 5″ – 15″ blade length( shorter to longer ) , a 15″ and more handle length with around the 3/8″ thickness and a bevel of 30o degrees , for all the types of wood , hard or soft .
What is the Differene , between an Axe and a Froe ?
The axe is cutting – tears the wood’s fibers in all directions if needed , on the contrary the splitting froe is seperating the fibers only along the grain , without tearing them apart .
The axe is cutting ould using a hammering – straight force to the wood , on the contrary the froe uses a straight force only in the beginning of the splitting , but the torgue from the rotation splits the wood .
What is the Difference , between a Froe and a Wedge ?
Even if the wedge doesn’t cut the wood’s fibers to tear apart wood and seperates wood with the same way as the froe , it uses the same straight hammering force from the hammer – maul and not torgue , from rotation .
To see the “big picture” , a froe is a longer wedge with a handle , but this handle makes the difference , creating the torgue by us for splitting .
What is the Disadvantage of a Froe ?
The disadvantage of splitting wood – logs with a froe is that a froe cannot split a wood piece which is longer than its blade length .
If you want to split wood with a froe , the blade of the froe should cross the wooden surface entirely , from side to side and then proceed ot the next splitting steps .
A woodworking froe is a very helpful traditional hand tool in my opinion , it’s very easy to use and it gives nice spiltting options for a carpenter .
Keep woodworking and the happiness will there for you always .
