Have I reinvented the froe? Aka simple DIY froe...

[Tjurved]

Hello I've wanted a froe for a long time. I've never seen one around where I live and those from GB is quite expensive and they look heavy. So today I got an idea! I bought an angle iron at my local hardware shop and reused a piece from a discarded table. Most work was to file the angle iron on one side. I put 3 wooden screws through the wood for added strength. Then some water resistent outdoor glue.

This froe is 90 degrees of compared to the traditional froes I've seen online. But then your maximum turning of a froe is 90 degrees so theoretical they should have the same useage only they are shifted 90 degrees. Although this angled froe you can use different. For example you could chop with it! Or you could use it upside down and use the piece you want to split on top and throw them both on the stump. Like some do when splitting wood.

The angle iron I got is about half as high as the normal froe blades which I think given the same handle length should double the splitting force but obviously also half the width of the split. I might shorten this handle cause I felt super strong using it! I probably mostly gonna use it for splitting spoon material.

Here are two pictures of it in action. I tried it on some small birch and a knotty spruce. The brich on the far right is used as a club. The spruce split really easy. Total cost about 30 swedish kronor. Give it a go!

 

[Clouston98]

That's a great idea, works great too!

 

[ozzy1977]

Neat idea, well done

 

[Tony]

Excellent stuff,

 

[crosslandkelly]

Looks very good. Only time will tell on it's durability though.

 

[Chiseller]

Tiptop :thumbup:

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[Dave Budd]

nice bit of lateral thinking with the bracket The idea of the blade at 90 degrees to the usual orientation works well when used as you have, but I suspect if used in a cleaving break as would be the case in splitting anything longer, the handle would cause a nuisance; but only trying it out will tell on that one.

I doubt the construction that you have will prove very durable though. The bend in the angle will likely twist or if harder would snap under torsional stress. If that didn't happen then the handle will snap out at the bolts.

 

[AussieVic]

Looks like it works !

One benefit of the more expensive units is that they will (should) use a hardened steel which will be more durable. The blade should stay sharper, longer, and it shoudl resist batoning

 

[ozzy1977]

Maybe wort treating it as a prototype for later manufacture by a local blacksmith?

 

[Tjurved]

Yes well it needs alot more testing but now the winter has come back here, tonight it was -21 C cold and snow. Have a go at making one, either the easy way or the blacksmithing way . The 3 wooden screws, the length between the bolts and the glue around the wood makes it much harder to split the handle I think.