Dulling Wedge

[Bootlegger]

My neighbor literally destroyed the wedge on his Huskee with a 4-way cutter that torqued it in all the wrong directions. In exchange for unlimited use I ordered him a new wedge (came free, warranty I guess). It came nice and sharp. My neighbor used it all day and when I got it back the blade was blunted, pushed flat along its length, worse at top. Is this kind of wear normal? Should I sharpen it or is dull better with a wedge? I used it a fair bit this weekend and seemed to split just fine.

 

[Gooserider]

What's he splitting with it - Rocks? I wouldn't say that a razor sharp edge is all that critical, a dull point will split just fine, but I will also say that I've done about a dozen cords through my HF splitter, and a few hundred through my friends, and I've never noticed any particular dulling on the wedges... Don't know what your buddy is doing with it, but it sounds like abuse to me.

Gooserider

 

[Bootlegger]

What's he splitting with it - Rocks? I wouldn't say that a razor sharp edge is all that critical, a dull point will split just fine, but I will also say that I've done about a dozen cords through my HF splitter, and a few hundred through my friends, and I've never noticed any particular dulling on the wedges... Don't know what your buddy is doing with it, but it sounds like abuse to me.

Gooserider

Well, it's his splitter and he can abuse it all he wants, but that's all I can think of is "what the hell is he hitting with it?" When I got it back this last time there was wood pulp jammed in the little spaces behind the wedge, for the life of me I can't figure out how he got it there. He's splitting some big hickory rounds but the blade is literally mushroomed flat along its edge. Maybe I'll just file the burrs off the side.

 

[LLigetfa]

Is he still using the slip-on 4 way? Maybe the 4 way is not a good fit and is mashing the edge.

 

[Bootlegger]

Is he still using the slip-on 4 way? Maybe the 4 way is not a good fit and is mashing the edge.

Precisely what I was thinking last night. Its the only thing I can think of that would have smashed the steel like that, especially uneven with more flattening at the top of the blade.
He and I talked about what happened to his old one and he told me his problems started when he put the 4-way on, and I suggested he get it welded to the frame of the old damaged wedge. But maybe he's as hard headed as everyone else from this neck of the woods. He IS from southern Ohio
I'll fix the edge and tell him about it.
Next season I will purchase my own. I love splitting with the Fiskars, but I have a lot to split and some gnarly pieces, so I've only done about half a cord by hand this year, probably 2.5 with the Huskee.