froe?

[Wilderbeast]

Hi all,
Saw on rays website that he was selling froe's! I'm not going to buy one but what in hells name do they do??!! and how do you use them?!

[andybysea]

A popular hair style in some cultures!

[gzornenplat]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Froe

[rancid badger]

A froe is used for splitting wood, I'm quite surprised they bother to stock them to be honest
I use one, for riving ash poles down, into workable tool handles and the like.They can also be used for splitting large rounds of wood, for carving blanks. Very handy, but more of a trad craft tool.
Still; good on Woodlore
cheers
R.B.

[sandbender]

The froe Woodlore are selling is made by 'S. Djarv Hantverk AB', they produce quite a range of really nice woodwork tools, see their website here...

http://www.djarv.se/djarvenglish/toolhints.asp

[mr dazzler]

In the days before pit saws and wtaer or steam driven circular and bandsaw's, if you wanted usable wood from smaller coppice poles and other trees then you needed to use a froe. They have a long history, being used traditionally in this country for hundreds of years to make all sorts of products-eg cleft fencing, sheep hurdles, builders laths, tool handles, shingles, pegs etc etc. I find it a great tool to get kinderling done quickly. They are also known as bord axes or frombard's. They are a very fast and efficient way to split (rive) small logs to usable dimensions (larger trees need wedges and maul to open them at least for the first 2 or 4 splits), with the added bonus that the stock obtained is near maximum strength as the splits follow the grain whereas a saw doesnt, it just rips through regardless and creates weak points or cross grain. A riven component might be a tad wavy and bendy BUT it will be a lot stronger than one sawn in the modern way. I got mine after a long wait and search to get a good one.

[Dave Budd]

I've got a froe sat on the wood pile in my shelter (the one we take refuge in when working in the woods). It's by far the safest (and easiest) way to split wood down in cramped conditions, after dark or when inebriated Also good when working with kids who are just too little to swing an axe, but can manage to hold a froe and hit it with a beetle (or working in pairs)

Also a shed load safer to split smallish pole than using a knife for teh same job. I know lots of hurdle makers, fencers and the like who all have a tell-tale scar on the top of their hand.

[sandbender]

what in hells name do they do??!! and how do you use them?!

The only froe video I could find...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuJxlzerXzQ

[BorderReiver]

Hi all,
Saw on rays website that he was selling froe's! I'm not going to buy one but what in hells name do they do??!! and how do you use them?!

The basket maker on "Victorian Farm" was using one to good effect. Episode 3 I think.

[mr dazzler]

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/sho...ht=hazel+fence
This shows my froe set up. The frame ("brake") is made of thick hazel poles. Since this was posted the brake has taken root, or at least last spring it produced several new shoots . It will be interesting to see if it happens again next spring. You can see how the cleaving process has sensitively followed the grain and fibre structure of the pole. You start the split and lever with the froe to start and enlarge the split. Sooner or later it will tend to run off to one side or the other, thats where the brake comes in so useful. You lever AND press down on the side that is getting thicker, and the split corrects itself. It takes practise but is very satisfying. The youtube video above doesnt really show the full potential of the riving process, these are a little better, especially around 2.42 on the second one

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jenC0y...eature=related

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MtJRYRywR_k

[sandbender]

The youtube video above doesnt really show the full potential of the riving process, these are a little better]

Much much better, and more to see on his youtube page, thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=...ni&view=videos