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Froe Forged with a Punched Eye and an Ash Haft
Skiba, Justin M. (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Forge

Created by

Forge

14. October 2026NO
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Froe Forged with a Punched Eye and an Ash Haft

A froe is a long, narrow blade with the haft at a right angle, like an axe sharpened along the top of its head. You drive its edge into the end of a log with a club, then twist the haft to lever the split open along the grain. Forge a flat blade, punch an eye at one end, grind a blunt wedge edge, and fit an ash haft. The picture: a froe driven into a bolt of wood with a froe club.
Intermediate
A day

Instructions

1

Forge the blade

Draw wrought iron bar to a flat blade about 30 cm long, 5 cm deep and 8–10 mm thick (our size); a froe splits wood no wider than its blade is long. Leave one end thick for the eye.

Materials for this step:

Wrought Iron BarWrought Iron Bar1 piece
CharcoalCharcoal3 as required

Tools needed:

Blacksmith ForgeBlacksmith Forge
AnvilAnvil
Cross Peen HammerCross Peen Hammer
SledgehammerSledgehammer
Blacksmith TongsBlacksmith Tongs
Welding GlovesWelding Gloves
Safety GlassesSafety Glasses
2

Punch the eye

At a yellow heat, punch through the thick end from both sides, then drift the hole out to a tapered eye, at a right angle to the blade.

Materials for this step:

CharcoalCharcoal2 as required

Tools needed:

Blacksmith ForgeBlacksmith Forge
Hot PunchHot Punch
DriftDrift
AnvilAnvil
SledgehammerSledgehammer
Blacksmith TongsBlacksmith Tongs
Welding GlovesWelding Gloves
Safety GlassesSafety Glasses
3

Grind the edge

Grind one long edge to a blunt wedge, like an axe but stouter; it splits, it does not cut. Leave the back flat to take the club.

Tools needed:

GrindstoneGrindstone
Metal FileMetal File
4

Fit the haft

Shave an ash billet round, taper its top to the eye, and drive it up through the eye so it tightens as you work.

Materials for this step:

Ash BilletAsh Billet1 piece

Tools needed:

Shaving HorseShaving Horse
DrawknifeDrawknife
5

Leverage of the haft

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Materials

3

Tools Required

13

This blueprint makes

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Froe

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