froe question

[Pat Turner]

I want to get a froe. I'm thinking it's a waste of money to get a hand forged one like Gränsfors Bruks makes, since the tool is more of a wedge then a knife- or am I missing something. I've built one, but have almost zero experience using one. I want to try making some blanks to carve into axe handles, just to do it. Assuming I don't spend the bucks on the G-B, I'm looking at the CM/Dixie USA made one for $40.

If anyone has a strong opinion on spokeshaves, feel free to offer it as well.

Thanks,
Pat

[mike saylor]

Pat I have 6 froes. One was my greatgrandfathers, one my grandfathers,one my great uncles, one I built myself out of an old leaf car spring and the other two I picked up at antique and yard sales. In l970 I handsplit 26oo shingles with the froe and mallet for a small twelve by sixteen log cabin I built. I think you would have to split a lot of axe handles to justify the price of a GB. 40 dollars for the Dixie is about right if you cannot find a used one . If you need any more information you can find it in the Woodwright or Foxfire books.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

There is no great hidden secret to a Froe. I'd get the US made one any day and not froe so much money at the Swedes. After all, they aren't froewing much money back this way. That way you can frow the $$ you save at other toys

[harry strasil]

No need to Froe a fit. LOL

[Bill White]

$10.00 for mine. Turned a new handle for it. Length of the handle is the secret. Made the maul from some ground level dogwood trunk. Man, you can flog that froe for a while and not mess up that dogwood. It's TOUGH. (Thanks for that tip to Uncle Roy Underhill).
Bill

[Rod Sheridan]

There is no great hidden secret to a Froe. I'd get the US made one any day and not froe so much money at the Swedes. After all, they aren't froewing much money back this way. That way you can frow the $$ you save at other toys

Cliff, that was good, I just about exhaled a mouthful of tea into the monitor.....Rod.

P.S. From a Canadian perspective Yanks and Swedes are froeign......LOL

[James Owen]

I want to get a froe. I'm thinking it's a waste of money to get a hand forged one like Gränsfors Bruks makes, since the tool is more of a wedge then a knife- or am I missing something. I've built one, but have almost zero experience using one. I want to try making some blanks to carve into axe handles, just to do it. Assuming I don't spend the bucks on the G-B, I'm looking at the CM/Dixie USA made one for $40.

If anyone has a strong opinion on spokeshaves, feel free to offer it as well.

Thanks,
Pat

Tools for Working Wood has a couple of nice froes made by Ray Iles; the larger one runs about $75.--, and the smaller a bit less, IIRC. Good quality steel and machining, and a stout handle.

Lie-Nielsen's spokeshaves -- both the Preston pattern and the Boggs styles -- are very high quality; however, as they come from the factory, they're set up for final, finishing cuts. Don't have any experience with the Lee Valley shaves, but would expect them to be of the same high quality as the rest of the Veritas line. Most of the Stanleys work well for removing lots of wood in a hurry (relatively speaking -- if you really want to remove wood in a hurry, then ya need a drawknife....). If you can find a vintage Preston shave, they also are very nice after clean-up/tune-up.

[Doug Shepard]

Geez I haven't seen a fro since catching Undercover Brutha a few months back. Don't you have to get the platform shoes too?

[Bill Houghton]

(this is a minority opinion, I know)

is the Stanley No. 52 - straight handles, no twiddly adjusting screws to get in the way (they can in tight corners). Handles like a sports car.

The spokeshave blades that Lee Valley has started offering for the Stanley shaves will then take it up a notch - but it's a good shave on its own.