BOHLE Hardwood Wooden Wedges x 50 Pieces BO 5162002

Product Information

Weight – Wedges can weigh anywhere from 3 – 5 Ibs usually, but 4 Ibs is the most common weight. Anything outside this range will affect how easy it is to maneuver and actually split the logs. Despite what modern media would show you, it’s not actually that easy to heft an axe and cut clean through a piece of timber. The most efficient (and effective) way to cut wood is to actually use a splitting wedge. Extended Lifespan – Using a splitting wedge can preserve other cutting equipment such as mauls and axes. These tools take more force and time to cut wood, wearing them down and potentially shortening their lifespan or increasing the cost of maintenance over time. The quality of a splitting wedge is tied to the material it’s made of, but that’s not the only factor at play. Shape Splitting wedges are made of hardened steel so that they can handle repeated impact from an axe, maul, or other tool. They may also be made of aluminum,

Location – Place the splitting wedge in the middle of the log or piece of wood, in the most central location possible. This will help you break the wood into even pieces and is most effective at breaking through the wood fibers. It’s crafted with drop-forged, heat-treated carbon steel for durability and longevity. It has ‘teeth’ that line the four blades to help prevent it from shifting when you first place it in the wood, but nothing as extensive as the Collins Diamond option. Material, cost, and shape/type are a few elements to keep in mind when selecting a splitting wedge, all of which are covered more in-depth in the sections below. MaterialAluminum – Aluminum holds up better to extreme temperatures, but is lighter and therefore less effective. It’s also softer, which means that it may need to be replaced sooner than a steel variant. And among each material itself is a range of hardness. For example, there are some types of steel that are harder than others, which will affect the wedge’s overall performance and longevity.

Steel – Steel is the strongest material and most robust when it comes to impact, but doesn’t hold up as well in cold temperatures. If used in freezing temperatures, it’s actually possible that a steel wedge may freeze and break.It’s best to use a splitting wedge whenever you have multiple pieces of wood to split, rather than just a log or two. If you’re going to be working on lots of wood or for a longer period of time, a splitting wedge makes the overall process easier and more efficient. This will essentially boil down to the type of wood you deal with most often and how you want it split.

Because of this, it’s a worthwhile investment to get two instead of one. Buying two wedges has its own benefits: Clean Splits – As a bonus, wedges split the wood more cleanly than other tools. Instead of swinging an axe multiple times and cutting in multiple different places, the splitting wedge creates one cut that’s continually deepened. The dimensions of a splitting wedge (size and weight) can influence its performance, efficiency, and longevity. Placement – The wedge should be placed so that it lines up with how the tree grows. Don’t try to drive the wedge perpendicular to the fibers or across the tree.Using a splitting wedge also means you won’t be wearing down your axes or risking breaking your tools, such as the axe handle. These aren’t the only benefits of a splitting wedge, but they are four of the most important. So while splitting wedges aren’t must-have’s, they certainly should be on the top of your wish list. How To Select A Splitting Wedge If you’ve ever split wood before, especially for a longer period of time, then you know exactly how exhausting it can be. Using a tool like a splitting wedge speeds up the process and makes it less physically demanding. You may not need a splitting wedge with smaller logs or stumps, or with softwoods like pine and fir. But for any larger pieces of wood, knotty wood, and hardwood, it’s easier to use a splitting wedge. This saves you from having to employ mauls or other heavy equipment, which are effective but require more physical force.

Safer Process – Splitting wedges create a safer cutting process because they give you a larger target to swing at and reduce the amount of time and energy you need to put into splitting. Both of these reduce the chances of an accidental injury. If you’re looking for a traditional splitting wedge, you can’t go wrong with the Estwing Sure Split Wedge or Hooyman Splitting Wedge. The Collins Diamond Wedge and Truper Super Splitter are the best choices among diamond, grenade, and torpedo wedges. Felling – Felling wedges are distinctly different from splitting wedges; they should only be used to fell a tree, not cut through wood or split logs. These types of wedges won’t hold up to being repeatedly hit with a maul or axe. Easier Cutting – Splitting wedges make the process of cutting wood easier and helps you leverage your natural strength and tools to their best effect. Instead of focusing on which type of wedge is objectively better, think about what your current and future splitting needs are. From there, choose the wedge that fits these needs.

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Another term for a diamond wedge is a wood grenade wedge. As such, you’ll often see them used interchangeably. However, diamond is the more common of the two. Less commonly, you’ll see them referred to as a torpedo-type wedge. If your wedge is dull and you don’t have any sharpeners on hand, you can switch to the second wedge. When splitting particularly large logs, you can set the wedges up in a line and “leapfrog” from one to the other. Choosing a splitting wedge will depend on a variety of factors, such as your budget, needs, and current equipment. Splitting wedges range from basic models to more advanced versions, such as those with four-way splitting designs.