Our second “January Jolly” social event on 15th January was well attended. An excellent buffet meal was followed by a quiz and a practical demonstration by our Curator Edward Eastwood on tools and techniques for splitting wood. Edward showed the differences between a cutting axe and a splitting axe. The latter is heavier and has a concave shape with a thin edge. The thin edge goes into the wood quickly and easily and the broader section following through pushes the wood apart.
In the picture, above Edward and a brave Ian show how a grenade wedge splits a log into four parts.
Below, one of our members has a go at splitting a hazel pole using a froe, an ‘L’ shaped tool that can split wood very finely, as here, or to make shingles, for example.
Below, one of our members has a go at splitting a hazel pole using a froe, an ‘L’ shaped tool that can split wood very finely, as here, or to make shingles, for example.
