Granfors Froe

[Scoffham]

Hello All...

Just thought I'd show you my newly arrived Granfors Froe.

I havent used it as yet.. so will have to report its effectiveness tomorrow! The only problem I had is that it doesnt come with a sheath, so i thought i'd make one;

Sorry if its a bit pic heavy! What do you reckon??

 

[Chris G]

Can you resize the first picture please??

 

[Scoffham]

Hope that helps

 

[Chris G]

Much better. So what is it then; a sort of scythe?

 

[British Red]

Lovely work

Never seen a Gransfors one in the flesh - love the idea on the sheath. I must admit I don't tend to carry mine around much ona belt- it stays in one piece. Bet you curse if you've never used one before - I did after Eric kindly gave me mine theres quite a knack to getting a thin, straight split!

Red

 

[Scoffham]

Its actually a green woodworking tool, used for splitting wood. Another name for it is a riving iron. You hammer the blade into the end of a log in the direction of the grain, then twisting the blade in the wood by rotating the handle.

Maybe a better explanation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Froe)

I'm going to be using it for greenwood work, and making shingles. They are extremely effective, accurate and also extremely safe, as you do not swing it, like an axe. In the past they have been used for fencing, shingles, preparing stock etc.

I'll take some photos tomorrow whilst im using it, as i find photographs often speak a thousand words.

R

 

[Mikey P]

V nice but I didn't realise they were self assembly!

Do they normally come in two pieces? I assumed they'd be like an axe and the head would be fixed?

 

[British Red]

Nah - they are all friction fit (like a tomahawkk). When you think about it, each time you whale on it with a wooden maul you drive the head tighter on.

Works well

Red

 

[Scoffham]

Cheers Red, I wasn't originally going to give the sheath a belt loop or handle holster, but as i was planning it out on paper, I thought why not!

I'll admit, It is too heavy to practically carry on a belt for any great distance without having the result of your trousers down by your ankles! I suppose it will allow secure attachment to the side of rucksacks, or storage off the ground whilst in use.

Are there any hints and tips you can give me to limit the cursing?

 

[British Red]

Nope - I'm no expert - varying direction and angle of attack guides the split - think push, pull and sort of "twist"

Bet Eric can tell you better - he's a proper woodworker!

Red

 

[Scoffham]

Nope - I'm no expert - varying direction and angle of attack guides the split - think push, pull and sort of "twist"

Bet Eric can tell you better - he's a proper woodworker!

Red

-Is that the Eric that has made those awesome leather flasks? My order from tandy arrived today, after being inspired, specifically with the intent of making one of those.

R

 

[Dave Budd]

Nah - they are all friction fit (like a tomahawkk). When you think about it, each time you whale on it with a wooden maul you drive the head tighter on.

Works well

Red

nice in theory BR, but in practice that doesn't happen The blade is only struck a small amount, basically to get it into the wood. Granted it is struck more when making shingles (for example) than when splitting a long pole as it is driven through teh long rather than coaxed..

To get the split going and to guide it you have to lever on the handle and sods law says that if you push at just the right angle then the handle slide through the hole trapping a bit of skin in the eye with much swearing! the spilt is directed by adjusting how much pressure is on either side of the split, relative to the fulcrums of the froe and the cleaving break. Easy to show but I can't think of the words to describe it

My froe handle is fixed to save swearing and pinched skin. The only reasons I see for the removable handle are 1) make it easily replaceable, 2) easier to store, and most importnat? 3) it allows you to lever from the other side of the froe in unusual situations (such as splitting a large diameter pole/stick in a cleaving break)

Aside from proper green woodwork, I tend to use mine for splitting firewood after dark or drinking.

 

[Dave Budd]

as it happens, I was taking some pictures for a magazine article the other day and I had my froe out then

My friend alex is splitting this piece of wood in two:

In order to guid teh split he is levering down on the handle whilest pushing down on the lower half of the piece of wood. This forces the split to move down back toward the centre of the wood.

 

[British Red]

Interesting - as I said in an earlier post - mine stays in one piece - indeed its almost unmovable - I tapped it in when Eric gave me the head (yeah that Eric Scoffham) - but its not wedged or anything like that - have you added a wooden wedge to yours? Never occured to me to do that to be honest!

Never thought to use mine for kindling though - far too slow Thats why the 10" Elwell Knighton was invented mind you - that might not be a good idea when a little "tired"

 

[Tye Possum]

Nice sheath, looks like a good tool, well as far as I can tell anyway.

Aside from proper green woodwork, I tend to use mine for splitting firewood after dark or drinking.

Well at least it's not as dangerous as using an axe in those situations...

Oh and here's a video of one being used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jenC0y2azsE

 

[ForgeCorvus]

I've seen froes handled up the other way round (you need to make a handle with a pointed and wedged end rather then the standard 'pick-axe' type) used for riving down really long poles (long handle as well, about three to three and a half feet )

You use it by lifting the pole in your off hand, hooking the cutting edge on the end and bumping the other end of the pole against something solid

 

[Dave Budd]

I made my handle to fit the froe akin to an axe or hammer, quite deliberalty

I've made a bunch of fores for different craftspeople. ranging from a little 4" one for splitting laths to a 14" long narrow blade for shingles. The handles are kept in proportion to the job in hand but to be honest most of my customers make their own hadnles so I don't know how they like to fit them.

 

[British Red]

Makes complete sense to fit it securely really. I wonder why I never thought to do it? Mind you mine sin't uset to split 3 foot poles like that which might explain why it doesn't shift much

 

[launditch1]

Ive never seen one of these in the flesh(so to speak)How long is it and is it made from one piece or is the eye welded on separately?

 

[Scoffham]

This one is 12 inches by 2 inches by 1/4 inch thick. They can either be forged, in which the eye is part of the same piece or machined in which it is welded. This one is forged. Forged tools can make for stronger more durable tools, although tend to be more expensive when compared to machined tools.

NB: I think all of the above is correct... Been a more than a few years since the engineering degree...