Quality Froe

[pgrbff]

Can anyone suggest a good quality Froe that doesn't cost over £100?
Does anyone have experience of the Ashley Isles?

 

[Jacob]

Can anyone suggest a good quality Froe that doesn't cost over £100?
Does anyone have experience of the Ashley Isles?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155020839875It's a primitive device I don't think quality come into it as long as it has the right bits in the right places!

 

[Adam W.]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155020839875It's a primitive device I don't think quality come into it as long as it has the right bits in the right places!

That one's got a short handle which is also fixed, it's not really a good design for a levering tool.

There's also Ray Iles, which are reasonably priced.

 

[pgrbff]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155020839875It's a primitive device I don't think quality come into it as long as it has the right bits in the right places!

I saw that one too but the handle does look short and what exactly is "good quality steel"?

 

[Adam W.]

I have the Gränsfors Bruks froe, which is very good and sports a long handle. As it's the only froe I've used extensively, I can't comment on the others.

Ray Iles are a decent brand though, so I wouldn't imagine you'd have any issues.

 

[pgrbff]

I have the Gränsfors Bruks froe, which is very good and soprts a long handle. As it's the only froe I've used extensively, I can't comment on the others.

Ray Iles are a decent brand though, so I wouldn't imagine you'd have any issues.

The Ashley Isles will incur not insignificant charges and postage importing it into Italy. It probably would cost nearly as much as the Gransfors Bruks if I went for a similar size.

 

[Adam W.]

Sounds like you need a friend on the island to send you a "gift".

 

[D_W]

find an older one in country. They don't have to be great steel -they're not a sharp edge tool and not breaking (lower carbon) is more important than hardness and fine edge.

If you can't find one marketed to woodworkers, look for listings for shingling.

 

[Inspector]

Or get a leaf spring from a car and make one.

Pete

 

[pgrbff]

Sounds like you need a friend on the island to send you a "gift".

Doesn't work, you still have to declare a value and will be charged VAT plus €20 handling fee. If you underdeclare the value and it goes missing you lose everything.

 

[pgrbff]

find an older one in country. They don't have to be great steel -they're not a sharp edge tool and not breaking (lower carbon) is more important than hardness and fine edge.

If you can't find one marketed to woodworkers, look for listings for shingling.

Does it really not need to be a steel that holds a good edge? Then why so many high end expensive froes?

 

[Adam W.]

It needs to be stiff enough to not bend. The edge on a froe is not kept sharp enough to cut yourself on, as it's for parting like a wedge, not cutting like a chisel.

I guess the Gränsfors is expensive now because of the trend for their axes. It's a very strong froe with a good quality handle. I've been using mine regularly for 17 years or so, so not bad value for money if you subscribe to the buy once, cry once purchase method.

 

[pgrbff]

It needs to be stiff enough to not bend. The edge on a froe is not kept sharp enough to cut yourself on, as it's for parting like a wedge, not cutting like a chisel.

I guess the Gränsfors is expensive now because of the trend for their axes. It's a very strong froe with a good quality handle. I've been using mine regularly for 17 years or so, so not bad value for money if you subscribe to the buy once, cry once purchase method.

Unfortunately I am of the buy once train of thought, spend as much as I can afford in an effort to not have to replace with something better 2 months down the line.
On the other hand, this is primarily for producing kindling for my wife, I usually use a rather large splitting axe, but she is renting a flat closer to my sons school and it has a wood-fired cooker with a tiny firebox which means she needs lots of small stuff to get it going. I often want to split boards for woodworking too so it will have other uses.

 

[Adam W.]

If it's for kindling, wouldn't a hatchet be a better option, using a wooden maul to drive the hatchet instead of chopping with it.

You really need a break to use a froe with any success.

 

[pgrbff]

There are so many types of hatchet out there, and I have to buy online so it's difficult to see which might be best, I was hoping a froe would work . I had an Estwing hatchet but it appears to have dissapeared.

 

[Adam W.]

The Gränsfors one is a beast, over 12" long and weighs a couple of kilos. Sometimes I'd like a smaller one, so I'm on the hunt for a leaf spring like Pete suggested. I had a couple off the truck a while back, but didn't have a welder at the time, so threw them away in a fit of madness.

 

[Tris]

https://gandmtools.co.uk/product/7-froe-for-green-woodworking-etc/

I've had one of these for many years, brilliant for chestnut palings and lath for plastering.
Of course you'll need a pole lathe or drawknife and shavehorse to make the handle

 

[pgrbff]

I thought this might be OK but maybe this would be better.

 

[Tris]

For kindling I have a small bahco axe of similar weight to the smaller gransfors. If you are only using small diameter stuff I'd go with a lightweight axe for less effort

 

[Tony51]

I use an old axe head that is let into,and glued into a large block of pine With the sharpened side up.This is great for kindling.I use a small log to hammer wood onto the blade.
Tony