OldTools Archive
Recent | Bios | FAQ |
273387 | Dan Beck <drumsandbacon@g...> | 2021‑04‑08 | WTB - Froe |
As I continue down this road of green woodworking, I'm at the point where I need to get a decent froe. Now, perhaps I'm really bad at using the google machine but I can't seem to find a decent froe at a decent price. Searching on the ol' electronics-bay.com and etsy also doesn't seem to turn up much. I don't want some rusted, mushroomed "antique" nor do I need (read: can afford) a handmade, bespoke, artisan-made froe. I'd like something that will simply and reliably split blanks out of green wood for several years to come. As much as I'd love to drop $195 on a froe made by our highly-respected Swedish brethren, alas I cannot justify the expense. Our valley-dwelling Canadian brethren seem to have a nice one they are selling for $56 but I was wondering if there wasn't a nice, well- made froe that someone is making and/or selling for less. Any and all suggestions are appreciated. -Dan -- I'm a simple man. I like pretty dark-haired women and breakfast food. |
|||
273388 | scottg <scottg@s...> | 2021‑04‑08 | Re: WTB - Froe |
not some rusted, mushroomed "antique" Yes Dan, you do. The new made froes suck!! Flat billets of 1/4" steel and poorly forged eyes just do not cut it. You want an old one with a 1/2" thick back tapered all the way to the edge, and a full forged tapered handle socket. The big 20" long blade froes are pretty much overkill. You can handle anything you are going to do with a 12" Rust makes no difference. You are going to wear that off the first time you honestly use it. If its mushroomed, grind off anything that might fracture off or keep it from going down through a billet. But otherwise who cares? I have had a couple of new made froes. I gave them away, and not to my best friends. yours scott -- ******************************* Scott Grandstaff Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca 96039 scottg@s... http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/ http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html |
|||
273390 | Dan Beck <drumsandbacon@g...> | 2021‑04‑08 | Re: WTB - Froe |
This is good info, Scott. Thanks! BTW - I realize I may have sounded jerky saying: "I don't want some rusted, mushroomed "antique". What I really mean is this - I generally prefer to spend time using tools to make things as opposed to spending time restoring the tools themselves. I will admit that mainly comes from the fact that I am relatively inexperienced, so if I rehab a tool, I'm never entirely confident I've done a good enough job. If the tool doesn't seem to work "properly" I never know if it's from lack of experience using the tool or if it's because I did not rehab the tool correctly (or a combination of both). But if my options are (a) buying an inexpensive tool that doesn't work well or doesn't hold up well, (b) buying an expensive tool, or (c) buying a vintage/used tool that works well, holds up well, and is relatively inexpensive but it requires me to spend time rehabbing it, I will choose "c" every day of the week and twice on the weekend. That being said, I've seen some froes at flea markets or garage sales that look really beat up and nasty (and usually missing their handles), that seem past the point of restoration. Perhaps I need to reconsider? -Dan -- I'm a simple man. I like pretty dark-haired women and breakfast food. |
|||
273393 | Paul Drake <bdbafh@g...> | 2021‑04‑08 | Re: WTB - Froe |
As I pulled the new issue of Mortise and Tenon magazine out of the mailbox I saw the beaut of a Froe in action and thought that it sure would be nice to have one when the desire to rescue a piece of what would be firewood for some higher purpose. I take it that there may now be a surge in demand from this bunch of galoots? |
|||
273395 | Ed Minch <edminch3@g...> | 2021‑04‑08 | Re: WTB - Froe |
The strength of the froe is when you get a longer piece you can keep the split going along the line you want it to. Don’t forget that wood that is firewood- length splits really well with a hatchet or a wedge. Ed Minch |
|||
273396 | Kirk Eppler | 2021‑04‑08 | Re: WTB - Froe |
On Thu, Apr 8, 2021 at 12:51 PM Dan Beck |
|||
273397 | Tim Pendleton <tpendleton@g...> | 2021‑04‑08 | Re: WTB - Froe |
Dan, Wifey got me a nice Lie-Neilsen froe a few years ago - no regrets. It was a bit pricey but it gets the job done while I dream about locating the ultimate flea market score or fabricating one. It is made in the USA as well. Tim Up to my knuckles in potting soil this week. |
|||
273399 | scottg <scottg@s...> | 2021‑04‑08 | Re: WTB - Froe |
Wait a minute. I'm being slandered all over the place? Kirk buddy, no way was I instrumental in getting you a bad froe! A good froe possibly. But not a bad one!! I 'd never do that to you. Any old ash bat would carve into a handle. Froe handles are not a lot different from froe clubs. They lead a hard life and aren't going to last forever anyway. So any suitably hard stick and any piece of hard firewood will do for a club Here are my current ones. Apple handle and pin oak club. (I don't know what the real name of this stuff is, but the important part is that it doesn't want to split very easily) Split out the firewood. Make some crosscuts into the firewood and split out most of the handle. Take your handy broad hatchet and give it adequate shape. You're done Works for me. http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/oldtools/froe.jpg yours scott -- ******************************* Scott Grandstaff Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca 96039 scottg@s... http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/ http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html |
|||
273401 | Kirk Eppler | 2021‑04‑08 | Re: WTB - Froe |
On Thu, Apr 8, 2021 at 4:23 PM scottg |
|||
273404 | Kirk Eppler | 2021‑04‑09 | Re: WTB - Froe |
OK, here are newish and older, side by side, so you can see what Scott was talking about as far as build quality. And neither is sharp enough to cut. You'd have to try hard to break skin, except maybe with the bit of mushrooming on the old one. Side view https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Axes-and-Hatchets/i-LkC6zCf Top View https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Axes-and-Hatchets/i-6GZV3RL On Thu, Apr 8, 2021 at 4:52 PM Kirk Eppler via groups.io |
|||
273406 | Tony Seo | 2021‑04‑09 | Re: WTB - Froe |
On 4/8/2021 3:10 PM, Dan Beck wrote: > As I continue down this road of green woodworking, I'm at the point where I need to get a decent froe. Now, perhaps I'm really bad at using the google machine but I can't seem to find a decent froe at a decent price. Searching on the ol' electronics-bay.com and etsy also doesn't seem to turn up much. I did a quick look through the archives here and I've only had about 8 good older ones over the past 16 years (which is how long I have been saving pictures for some strange reason). Most of what I see is usually beat to death or the eye is cracked and a lot of the flea market guys think that they are made of solid gold and price them as such. I did mention about making them to a local blacksmith who has been coming to the shop here lately. I'll have to give him a nudge over the weekend. Tony (whiskey night..nuff said!) -- Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tonyseomusic Old River Hard Goods http://oldetoolshop.com/ |
|||
273408 | Don Schwartz <dks@t...> | 2021‑04‑09 | Re: WTB - Froe |
On 2021-04-08 6:29 p.m., Tony Seo via groups.io wrote: > > I did a quick look through the archives here and I've only had about 8 > good older ones over the past 16 years That's 8 more than I've seen in OTH. Don, quasi-locked down |
|||
273412 | Nathan Goodwin <hiscarpentry@g...> | 2021‑04‑09 | Re: WTB - Froe |
Lie-Nielsen sells a really decent one that Drew Langsner help him with. I know a handful of “pro” green woodworkers that use them, including Peter Follansbee, Tim Manney, Peter Galbert, and Curtis Buchanan to name the ones I know. Nathan Goodwin H.I.S. Carpentry Honesty. Integrity. Service. (617)347-6744 Blog: https://hiscarpentryblog.wordpress.com/ |
|||
273413 | Nathan Goodwin <hiscarpentry@g...> | 2021‑04‑09 | Re: WTB - Froe |
It’s only $95. (Which might be a bit steep but certainly less than a Smithy made one) Nathan Goodwin H.I.S. Carpentry Honesty. Integrity. Service. (617)347-6744 Blog: https://hiscarpentryblog.wordpress.com/ |
|||
273414 | Nathan Goodwin <hiscarpentry@g...> | 2021‑04‑09 | Re: WTB - Froe |
Dagnabbit I keep forgetting to put the link in. https://www.lie-nielsen.com/products/lie-nielsen-froes-langsner-froe- Nathan Goodwin H.I.S. Carpentry Honesty. Integrity. Service. (617)347-6744 Blog: https://hiscarpentryblog.wordpress.com/ |
|||
273430 | Dan Beck <drumsandbacon@g...> | 2021‑04‑11 | Re: WTB - Froe |
One of the very fine forum members offered to sell me a nice-looking vintage froe for a reasonable price, but the blade was a little too short for my needs. So it looks like I will have to buy something new. I'm debating between offerings from Lee Valley, the Langsner froe from Lie- Nielson, and the Ray Iles froe from Tools For Woodworking. The Langsner and Iles froes are almost double the cost of the LV froe. Has anyone had any experience using the LV froe vs. either the Langsner and/or Iles? Is there that much of a difference? Am I totally overthinking this? -Dan -- I'm a simple man. I like pretty dark-haired women and breakfast food. |
|||
273431 | Tim Pendleton <tpendleton@g...> | 2021‑04‑11 | Re: WTB - Froe |
Dan ponders ... > Is there that much of a difference? Am I totally overthinking this? > > -Dan > Galoot wisdom suggests that you really need all three. :D Tim |
|||
273432 | Richard Wilson <yorkshireman@y...> | 2021‑04‑11 | Re: WTB - Froe |
Dan’s debate…. > a nice-looking vintage froe for a reasonable price, but the blade was a little too short for my needs. > I'm debating between offerings from Lee Valley, the Langsner froe from Lie- Nielson, and the Ray Iles froe from Tools For Woodworking. The Langsner and Iles froes are almost double the cost of the LV froe. Has anyone had any experience using the LV froe vs. either the Langsner and/or Iles? Is there that much of a difference? Am I totally overthinking this? > > -Dan > > -- > I'm a simple man. I like pretty dark-haired women and breakfast food. Of course I have a froe…. I believe it came from Charles Stirling at Bristol Design. My beetle has departed though, and I can’t recall it saying goodbye. I’m rambling round to the big question - you say ‘the blade was too short’ and I say ‘What, exactly, are you going to be doing with it? If you are hurdle making then a short blade is good. If you are splitting out blanks for chair legs then what sizes of timber are you starting with? A similar question can be asked about the handle - they are normally removable, fitted with a taper eye socket so you can separate blade and handle at the end of the day, and pop them into your tool bag for the long walk out of the woodland….. So a single blade can host a couple of handles - long one where you need plenty of leverage, short one where you have docile timber and are, say splitting off thinner sections. As for difference between blades - again - are you going to beat it within a shingle of its life, or is it more of a weekend tool that you won’t wear out. our fascinating discussion about hardness and so forth also has a bearing, in that you may not need to find and purchase the tool with precisely engineered alloy and hardness at huge expense. A cheaper tool may be a good investment for you to learn the skills and identify your own preferences, then, when the time comes, you buy the gold plated damascus Japanese A2 hardened blade version and sell on your learner tool. But then, that’s just my take on the problem. OH - I have to ask - dark haired breakfast food? Richard Wilson Yorkshireman Galoot. -- Yorkshireman Galoot in the most northerly county, farther north even than Yorkshire IT #300 |
|||
Recent | Bios | FAQ |