new handle for and old froe

[joel cervera]

Just posting my weekend neander accomplishment. Bought this old cast iron froe from RE-store several years go now for $3.00 . Came without a handle. Couldn't find a pre made handle that fit as the eye of my froe is 2" diameter and most replacement froe handles come smaller. Had no good firewood or scrap around so went to ace and found a hickory sledge handle ( replacement) that had the needed thickness.

Sharpened up an old drawknife ( a tool I had never used ) and went at it along with a spokeshave chisels etc ... Turned out well enough. The handle is a bit longer than most I've seen but seemed to feel right to me. I'll shorten if I feel the need later. I hope it holds I did my damnedest to wedge and shim her tight. lathered it up in some raw tung oil. Ready to go come winter for kindling and when I teach myself to make those spoons I keep saying I'll make.

While at the workbench, my wife walked by and asked me what it was when I was working on .. "Froe" I said. I think she walked away more confused boy the answer than she was before she asked the question :)


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[John K Jordan]

Nice job! I did the same thing about 10 years ago with an old forged froe. My handle is a lot shorter, though. It's great for splitting hickory (a great thing to do to make blanks for future handles!) I don't think I've ever seen one made from cast iron.

I made another handle about the same time, for a foot adze. A relative was using it for a garden hoe. My next handle will be for a broad axe I found in an antique store in Kentucky.

About 40 years ago my wife gave up asking what I was working on...

JKJ



Just posting my weekend neander accomplishment. Bought this old cast iron froe from RE-store several years go now for $3.00 . Came without a handle. Couldn't find a pre made handle that fit as the eye of my froe is 2" diameter and most replacement froe handles come smaller. Had no good firewood or scrap around so went to ace and found a hickory sledge handle ( replacement) that had the needed thickness.

Sharpened up an old drawknife ( a tool I had never used ) and went at it along with a spokeshave chisels etc ... Turned out well enough. The handle is a bit longer than most I've seen but seemed to feel right to me. I'll shorten if I feel the need later. I hope it holds I did my damnedest to wedge and shim her tight. lathered it up in some raw tung oil. Ready to go come winter for kindling and when I teach myself to make those spoons I keep saying I'll make.

While at the workbench, my wife walked by and asked me what it was when I was working on .. "Froe" I said. I think she walked away more confused boy the answer than she was before she asked the question :)


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[joel cervera]

Actually your right .. seems like cast would be way too fragile to wail on.. don’t know what I was thinkin..

[Jim Koepke]

Looks good, maybe if mine ever needs another handle I will look for something pre-made to adapt.

My handle was turned out of a piece of alder. It kept slipping so a large screw was installed just above the eye of the froe.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Is it my eyes...or is the froe's head on the wrong way? Shouldn't the "cutting" edge be up? Would be kind of hard to hit the back edge of the Froe ( to drive it into the wood) when the handle is hitting the ground? Or, am I using a froe wrong? Go and watch Underhill use one, sometime...handle is pointing up.

[Tom M King]

I think it's just a reflection that makes the back edge look like the cutting edge, in that one picture.

I don't think it's cast iron. The first picture, with the end folded for the handle, is hand forged, so it wouldn't be cast.

[Roger Nair]

One note, the handle is a prying lever and as such it would be better to align the grain 90 degrees to the blade. Very good job otherwise.

[bill howes]

You are sharp Steven! but its right in the last two pictures so I guess that's what matters
Bill

[Kees Heiden]

I’m with Steven on this. It certainly looks like it is upside down in the pictures.

[Jim Koepke]

I’m with Steven on this. It certainly looks like it is upside down in the pictures.

That was my thought at first. Images #3 & 4 show the blade properly in regards to the handle.

It looks like someone may have cleaned up the back side of the blade. It may have been mushroomed from a previous user using it with a metal hammer.

jtk

[joel cervera]

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Yes. its most certainly hand forged. As I said it was a brain fart on my part calling it cast iron. maybe I was confused and thought I was on OWWM :). Heres a few pics to clarify. Grain direction and blade orientation. With grain direction, should I have oriented it 90 degrees to the blade? As far as the blade direction. One poster had it right. The wide end used for striking is indeed polished and shiny to some degree. makes it look like the sharper end in some pictures. Happy Sunday to all.

[Kees Heiden]

That looks better, and I was wrong! Nice job joel.

[John K Jordan]

About the length, here's a picture of mine for comparison. I don't remember how I figured the length, I think it was from an photo in an old book. Seems to work OK. I turned the handle on the lathe then shaped the flared end to fit the socket.

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JKJ

[joel cervera]

Ya. I noticed most seemed to have a shorter handle than what o cut mine too. But I based mine on the height of my chopping block. Which is a shorter sized stump. Was going on what felt right to me. I’m on the hunt for a bigger/ taller stump. If/when I find one I’ll shorten my handle to taste.

[Jim Koepke]

Ya. I noticed most seemed to have a shorter handle than what o cut mine too. But I based mine on the height of my chopping block. Which is a shorter sized stump. Was going on what felt right to me. I’m on the hunt for a bigger/ taller stump. If/when I find one I’ll shorten my handle to taste.

It is always easier to cut the handle shorter than to make it longer.

Mine has a 'handle' turned on the top:

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It is there with one of my 'beater' tools.

jtk