hammer KO's froe in first round

[Paul Saffold]

My froe thumper split so I grabbed a hammer. The second time I hit the froe it broke and not even where I hit it. So I ordered a Langsner froe from Lie-Nielsen but they are out of stock. Not wanting to wait 4 weeks I ordered one from Highland Hardware and received it today, 2 days later.


So keep those hammers away from your froes. Yes, I knew better but sometimes when you’re in a hurry and it’s starting to get dark…


Oh yea. I made a new thumper, club, whacker, whatever. This one from Osage orange kiln dried ‘cause that’s what I had on hand.

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[Paul Sidener]

If you have to do that again, use a dead blow mallet instead. You won't break your froe.

[Larry Frank]

It appears you had a pre-existing crack near the sharpened edge based on the dark color. Hitting it with a hammer just made the crack run and fracture the fore. I have observed this type of thing on quite a few failure analysis. It would have likely broken sooner or later even with a wood thumper.

[Steve Voigt]

I agree with Larry. The glazed-looking texture of the break is the giveaway. So, don't beat yourself up. :p

[Tom M King]

I made one out of a leaf spring years ago that lasted until it got left in the woods somewhere. I don't think a piece of metal that size would have broken from the hammer without the crack.

[Mike Brady]

Please let us know how LN / Highland Hdwr deals with that failure. Is using a hammer considered an abuse of that tool?

[Paul Saffold]

Sorry if I created any confusion. The froe that broke was not a Lie-Nielsen but was from another manufacturer. I will not make a claim because I feel the break was my fault. The froe came with instructions which clearly and in bold print said not to strike with a metal hammer.

I ordered the Lie-Nielsen because I used them at Drew Langsner's Country Workshops and liked them very much. Drew is the designer of the froe sold by Lie-Nielsen. Highland Hardware had them in stock. L-N is temporarily out of stock.

Paul

[Brian Ashton]

If it were me I'd weld it back together. Sure it'll have a soft spot but you can use and abuse it without care...

[Larry Frank]

While you used a hammer against there instructions, the break was not your fault as there already was a crack. I do not know how long you had it, but if it a short time I would file a complaint. I would love to see a good close up of the fractured face.

I am a retired metallurgical engineer and saw a lot of similar looking failures where you had a pre-existing cracking just waiting to break.

[Mike Henderson]

If it were me I'd weld it back together. Sure it'll have a soft spot but you can use and abuse it without care...

I'd weld it also. If you don't want to weld, braze it. Braze if pretty strong if done right.

Mike

[george wilson]

Sometimes your tools can froe you a curve.

That coarse grain makes me wonder if that tool was made from a casting. Looks entirely too brittle.

[Mike Holbrook]

Especially if you froe too much weight behind a big hammer. Still sometimes it is hard not to just froe a bigger hammer at the problem. We have to be careful not to ignore the natural ebb & froe of the job at hand though.....I have a very similar small sledge to the OP's. I will try to resist the temptation to use it on my froe.

I just checked out Highland Woodworking's offerings for froe's. It is interesting that they offer five froes from four different companies. More options for green woodworking these days sounds promising. The LN froes, $75 for the small and $85 for the 12" are actually the moderate to low end cost wise. They do offer a 2" x15" froe made by Peavey Co. in Main for $59.99. The Barr Tools at only 10" goes for $140 and the Gransfors Bruks 12" 4 lb offering is $160. The few I find on auction sites typically look very old and rusted. These seem to be a tough item to find at lower prices.

A 10-12" froe seems to be a good size to me. I have the 12" LN/Langsner. I wonder if anyone has used the big 15" Peavey froe? A froe that large might be too much for most of what I use a froe for. It sounds like the OP would rather not mention the manufacturer or place of purchase for the froe that broke, so I want ask but, I don't think it is a LN/Langsner, Barr or Gransfors Bruks all of which have different looking blades. It does not look like the picture of the Peavey on Highland's site either so it may be from another vendor.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Heck, I think you get what you deserve for whacking that thing with that hand sledge.

[george wilson]

Now,now! Not a Hand Sledge. It's just a blacksmith's hand hammer!:)

I still maintain as a toolmaker,that if that froe hadn't been too brittle,it would have not broken. Might have gotten battered and sway backed,but not broken.

[Maurice Ungaro]

I think THIS is the proper tool for the job:
http://youtu.be/Dt1RlTjKP0s