want to make a froe

[Birdman]

I got a nice hunk of buggy spring n the end is already curled n could accept a handle. I'd like to make a froe out of it. Does a froe need heat treated or anything like that? Also does it have a chisled shaped cutting edge or is it only beveled on one side? I'm gonna do some reading n reaserch of course, but trust many of the opinions of the craftsmen n historians on here.Any info would be great, Thanks guys for any help, YMHS Birdman

 

[roger fisher]

Well I geuss the purpose of this forum is so we can all learn from one another, so I will just go ahead and ask... What is a froe ?

 

[Jim Blair]

http://www.craftsofnj.org/toolshed/articles/froes by hank allen/Hank Allen on Froes.htm

 

[fatboy]

Hey Birdman the one I seen had been made like a knife edge but guess you can do what you like and if its a buggy spring you could possible grind your edge or use belt sander to shape and if you keep it cool with water while your doing it you can retain its hardness and your good to go, if your planning to forge it you probably want to re harden and temper or your edge will need more sharpening hope this helps ya pics please when you get it done

 

[TinStar]

I have a copy of "A Museum of Early American Tools" by Eric Sloane. I got it last year off Amazon I believe. Anyway on page 31 there is a sketch showing it to have a knife edge and being struck by a wooden mallet shaped similar to a wooden potato masher. Good book. Do a search of the author on Amazon. He called the book a "Museum" as many books and magazines were called that; and magazines were meant as places of storage.


TinStar
Soli Deo Gloria

 

[roger fisher]

Thanks for the info .

 

[ohio ramrod]

His book is an excellant source for early tools. Bopth of my froes have a single beveled edge. Also since I got them at auctions they where both badly mushroomed on the back by peop[le using a hammer instead of a wooden mallet to drive them. A wooden mallet is importent. Remember when using a froe the prefered method is to drive them in to start them and then to"twist" the froe to do the actul spliting. Not drive them all the way through. If you are interested in learning about how to make one go to Anvil fire.com a blacksmithing site. :idunno:

 

[necchi]

does it have a chisled shaped cutting edge or is it only beveled on one side?

I've seen both.
At a local "Steam show" they always do a Cedar Shake shingle making demo with steam power tools and by hand. In that case the hand Froe was a single beveled edge and rather wide.
I've seen knife edge,double bevel at Flea markets.

My guess is that it depended on the specific purpose of the tool for the guy that made or had it made. :idunno:

 

[fatboy]

Yes Necchi your probably correct maybe they had there own specific use's

 

[loki04]

sir,

Welding the eye shut should be effective, but a concern would be that the weld may eventually pop open under the stress. But that will be a bit in the future, and not immediately.

Regards,
Loki

 

[freekforge]

Froes do not need to be hardened i imagine if it was it would brake from hitting it. the ones i have seen all had knife like bevels on the splitting edge and the top was slightly rounded

 

[fatboy]

Yes for what it's used for you wouldnt need to harden. But as long as you temper appropriately and and draw the spine to a blue while your cutting edge is in a pan of water you should be ok and or as stated above let as forged & normalized just will need the file taken to it more often but this is my opinion

 

[rafterob]

Sounds like a good project. I actually got a trial run at cutting shakes at an old timey demo, great fun! The only problem I see is that shouldn't you make a "to" before you make a "Froe".

 

[Birdman]

well I got it cut out with an angle grinder n heated the area where the handle will go so I can weld it solid, next comes the edge. Still not sure if I want to go with a wooden handle or metal, don't have to worry about breaking it if metal n could just weld it into place. Not really worried about HC/PC but still have to make up my mind, sorry guys , won't be any pics as I don't own a camera n being the trogladyte I am wouldn't have a clue how to post them anyway, LOL can live in the woods for a month with a knife n do fine but all this techno stuff baffles me for the most part, only reason I can type is from high school n the teacher was a hottie LOL
:haha:

 

[Rifleman1776]

well I got it cut out with an angle grinder n heated the area where the handle will go so I can weld it solid, next comes the edge. Still not sure if I want to go with a wooden handle or metal, don't have to worry about breaking it if metal n could just weld it into place. Not really worried about HC/PC but still have to make up my mind, sorry guys , won't be any pics as I don't own a camera n being the trogladyte I am wouldn't have a clue how to post them anyway, LOL can live in the woods for a month with a knife n do fine but all this techno stuff baffles me for the most part, only reason I can type is from high school n the teacher was a hottie LOL
:haha:

I worked a summer as an interpreter and demonstrator at a restored village. In that time I made more than a few shingles with froe.
It should have a knife edge but that does not need to be sharp. The idea is to force the shingles apart, not cut them. Doing this tears the wood leaving the cellular structure intact and not cutting them open. If your steel is stout the eye does not even need to be welded. A wooden handle is not only more 'authentic' it is more eye appealing and easier on the hands.
To tear the shingles you do not "twist" anything. The handle is pushed "to and fro" (back and forth) and forced down by hand, not by hitting with mallet. That is only for starting the spilt and inch or two. Ideally only green wood should be split for shingles. They dry after the roof is built. They curl then lay down with time. Using green wood is an art in itself.
BTW, the process is lotsa work. Enjoy. :wink:

 

[bennypapa]

I have an old froe blade that I intend to put a handle back on at some time. It has a steel blade and a wrought iron back. I have not rockwell tested the cutting edge but noone would have gone to the trouble to make a froe with a steel edge if the hardenability of steel wasn't worth the trouble. I assume that even if you draw the temper all the way to spring temper you will have a tool that will be much better off than one which is annealed completely. Just make sure to temper it or you might break it with all the twisting forces and impact forces it will need to endure in use.

 

[buffcreekforge]

I have made many a froe over the years - buggy spring is fine, but maybe a bit narrow. I like a blade about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide and about 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick. The blade should taper evenly from back to blade - blade does not need to be razor sharp. Before you weld the eye with an electric welder, you could place a rivet in front of the eye where you double it back on the blade. I forge weld mine, but have riveted the eye before forge welding - double strength. I have seen many old ones with that setup. Don't harden the blade - use a wooden mallet to start the split. You can control the direction of the split to a certain extent by pushing the wooden handle away from you or pulling it towards you - practice will be your best bet. Riving wood is a good way to make bow staves, handles for axes, or even small boards.

My humble opinion,

Just Dave