What Wedges Do You Use?

[Nosetotail]

Hi. In lieu of my recent walk of shame. I am compelled to better my wedge quiver. I have two stadard triangle wedges and one grenade. One of the triangle wedges is sharpened to a pretty narrow edge and the other has the standard obtuse edge. Neither have very much gripping ability.

Any how, I have always been able to use the three in conjunction with each other to get through anything. I pretty much split oak exclusively, and for some reason, most oaks in these parts are somewhat twisted and knotty. I think it is a combination of their periodic exposure to high winds and the fact that I live in a pretty urban area. I have read that trees grown in the open tend to have many more limbs lower on the trunk since they are not competing with other trees for the sunlight. I couldn't be so lucky as to have a simple straight round oak to cut up.

Anyhow, I need a wedge combination to tackle the worst of the worst. I have kinda shopped and found the Eastwing, and various twisted wedges with grippy grooves at various price points. I'm sure the Eastwing would be a good addition at a relatively lower price point, however I don't think it will be helpful in getting that first crack started on gnarly pieces.

What wedges do you guys recommend and is there a lower price option for some of the more expensive ones? Do the aluminum wedges hold up over time? Lastly, I considered buying two or three Klein Tools Fox Wedges just to give a little relief to my other wedges when they get stuck in a tough spot, or use them to help get other wedges started: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...eld-keywords=fox+wedges&rh=i:aps,k:fox+wedges

I got the idea for the fox wedges watching this guy split a tough piece of maple using some pretty thin wedges in conjunction with a standard wedge:

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The splitting starts at around 1:45. The series is a good watch if you are into it.

 

[Vikingsholm]

I have a grenade and I just got a twisted Mueller in. The Mueller is expensive,but it splits wood better than any other I've used.

 

[heavy hammer]

I used two thinner long wedges for piercing the wood then a big triangle block for prying open the log. Those Twisted ones I have heard work very well just have not personally used one but considering getting one can't hurt.

 

[Nosetotail]

Who makes the thinner wedges that you use?

 

[heavy hammer]

They have nothing on them to identify them. I do know that they are old.

 

[Nosetotail]

Hmm. Seems I just read somewhere that you shouldn't use mushroomed wedges.

 

[D8Chumley]

Hmm. Seems I just read somewhere that you shouldn't use mushroomed wedges.

I have seen and learned about using mushroomed heads in classes through work. It's a good practice to grind that off so shards don't fly off and penetrate you or something around you. It can make for a bad day, but I won't criticize anyone for using them as I have done it also. I try to keep them trimmed up but sometimes I just say eh, I'll get it the next time I split

 

[jetsam]

I find that the mushroomed bits fly off by themselves if you whack 'em with a sledgehammer!

 

[Wildo]

I find that the mushroomed bits fly off by themselves if you whack 'em with a sledgehammer!

Great, now you told everybody my secret wedge de-shrooming technique...

 

[heavy hammer]

They probably should be cleaned up but I've never worried about it that much. If there are loose pieces I'll remove them but usually just get cleaned up by hitting with the sledge.

 

[DUMF]

They probably should be cleaned up but I've never worried about it that much. If there are loose pieces I'll remove them but usually just get cleaned up by hitting with the sledge.

Can you spell "grenade" ?
One more nomination for a Darwin Award.

 

[heavy hammer]

Sorry.

 

[Nosetotail]

Derailed!
I'm sorry, but I know I shouldn't get involved in the internal politics of this message board being as new as I am, but I think we are being a little too sensitive here. We are lumberjacks and construction workers and industrial workers and linemen here aren't we. I did not think the original Darwin Award joke merited being deleted, but then I don't know the history that led up to the blowup. I thought it was an appropriate ribbing given the very next thread where DUMF told his story about being seriously injured, and the prevailing attitude of self-deprecation on this forum. It is obviously important to him and rightly so.

I have learned to look out for mushroomed heads, and also that many on here are typical like me in thinking it won't happen to them. It's settled, don't use mushroomed heads, or be prepared to suffer the consequences. Since I often split with my children somewhere in the backyard with me, I won't put them at risk even though I may think I'm ok. And I sincerely hope that the invincible members here also consider the risk to their family members.

 

[heavy hammer]

I didn't think there was a blowup, nothing wrong with someone here looking out for another wood cutter. I didn't see the post your talking about but everyone here has valid posts and concerns. No body ever wants to see someone get hurt, the concerns about pieces flying off are valid. I appreciate the concern and will try to correct the mushrooming. Never a bad thing to get someone's else's view about tools or situations your in its how you look out for each other. I've been a lineman for over five years and was a bricklayer for over ten. When something doesn't look right call it out. DUMF was right to call it out, all is good I think, we're all adults here.

 

[Nosetotail]

I didn't think there was a blowup...

It was nothing, but someone did delete a post after being called out for making a joke. I usually don't address these things as it draws more attention to really nothing, but now I have and here we are. Like I said it was nothing and I was over as soon as I addressed it.

 

[D8Chumley]

Well I guess that's for the moderators to decide. That's all I have to say on that matter

 

[DUMF]

As an open informative forum, sometimes mods will look for insults or inappropriate comments where no offense was intended or meant.
From experience, "mushroomed wedges" are dangerous. Sometimes to make a serious point of information, humor is used....as here.

So, here's the Wiki explanation of what the Darwin Award is for those not familiar with it:
"The Darwin Awards are a tongue-in-cheek honor, originating in Usenet newsgroup discussions c. 1985. They recognize individuals who have supposedly contributed to human evolution by selecting themselves out of the gene pool via death or sterilization by their own actions.

The project became more formalized with the creation of a website in 1993, and followed up by a series of books starting in 2000, authored by Wendy Northcutt. The criterion for the awards states, "In the spirit ofCharles Darwin, the Darwin Awards commemorate individuals who protect our gene pool by making the ultimate sacrifice of their own lives. Darwin Award winners eliminate themselves in an extraordinarily idiotic manner, thereby improving our species' chances of long-term survival."[2]

Accidental self-sterilization also qualifies; however, the site notes: "Of necessity, the award is usually bestowed posthumously." But the candidate is disqualified if "innocent bystanders", who might have contributed positively to the gene pool, are killed in the process.

The Darwin Awards books state that an attempt is made to disallow known urban legends from the awards, but some older "winners" have been "grandfathered" to keep their awards. The Darwin Awards site does try to verify all submitted stories, but many similar sites, and the vast number of circulating "Darwin awards" emails, are largely fictional."

Recent mild example from a news story is the guy who walked into a state police barracks for guidance on carrying a firearm. The officer on duty smelled
a strong odor of pot on him and booked him after a search of his truck found a few pounds of pot.

So, please don't sledge hammer mushroomed wedges; grind them at ~ 45 degree angle all around. The end.

 

[D8Chumley]

Now that was informative, and even humorous. Thank you

 

[Nosetotail]

I think it should be pointed out that death by hitting mushroomed wedges is not probable, but it is possible. I think in this case, accidental sterilization is much more likely.

 

[jetsam]

I am pleased to report that a google search for

+"splitting wedge" +testicle

...returns zero hits.

I cannot recommend searching for just wedge and testicle, as google returns some articles that, while not related to wood splitting injuries, are nonetheless genuinely uncomfortable reading for members of the male sex.

 

[Nosetotail]

I had a similar experience when I googled images of my dad's hybrid Shitzu Poodle mix. Seems I may have misspelled it slightly.

 

[DUMF]

It is clear that this otherwise serious discussion of mushrooms has degenerated into testicles.
Kudos.....

 

[jetsam]

It is clear that this otherwise serious discussion of mushrooms has degenerated into testicles.
Kudos.....

Welcome to the Internet. Please take a goatse gift basket on your way through the lobby. NEXT!

 

[DUMF]

Welcome to the Internet. Please take a goatse gift basket on your way through the lobby. NEXT!

"Have you found everything you need ? "

 

[BrotherBart]

And on occasion a moderator determines that a thread has not only provided all of the information needed, but has headed off the rails and into the weeds.