Crossgrain wedge?

Diomedes Industries

Diomedes Industries

Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
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I was working in my garage yesterday after filing, sharpening and bluing a flint edge hatchet. I grabbed a off cut of Texas Ebony for the wedge and cut it back. I am not sure why I did this - but I shaped back the wedge on my sander and simply got it turned 90 degrees. So when I set it - it sank to the base of the curf - and then snapped off clean at the top of the hickory haft.

I knew immediately what I did - trimmed it back - and sanded back the haft on the top - leaving 1/4 inch over the top of the head.

The ebony is rock hard and didn't compress at all - but it leaves me wondering. Do you think there will be an issue with a NON end grain oriented wedge?

TF
 
If I'm following you correctly the grain of your wedge is parallel to the top surface of the head above the eye. Is this correct?

I don't think that will cause a problem so long as you got it in all right (and it sounds like you did). I prefer my wedge's grain to run the short way across the kerf.
 
Square.

Right.

I think it it were not ebony it would not work. When I see all of the wedges cut, and every one I have cut - you hammer on on the end grain when setting the wedge. Meaning, you are hitting the wood from the leaves to the roots if it were oriented in the tree again.

In this case - I was putting in the wedge with the grain running left to right if it were oriented in the tree again - starting in the back of the eye and running to the tip of the eye.

You, it seems, put in the wedge with the grain running from left to right in the tree from the left side of the eye to the right side. Which I had never heard of either, but I certainly don't have a deep knowledge of the subject.

I think the reason to hammer them in with the end gain is because it is stronger to hammer on and will not split as easily.

Thanks for your two pennies SP. I have come to trust your judgment.

TF
 
I'm convinced you'd never get a cross-grain wedge in far enough and/or tight enough to be of any appreciable use. Likely your hang is too loose or very shortly will become so. Try again but length-wise this time.
 
As long as the wedge was dove deep enough to do its job you should have no problems at all.
What some of us worry about is the grain orientation. Its about how wood shrinks. I like my wedges to be quarter sawn vs plain sawn. As wood shrinks the plain sawn will shrink more in the direction to loosen the wedge than the quarter sawn.
 
300

I would normally agree with you 300.

This was Texas Ebony and hard as a brick. I always mark my wedges with what would be the maximum depth and check them when sunk. As long as they are close to the max depth - I am happy.

It was within 1/8th of an inch when it broke - so I think I am good in this case. I will let you know if it becomes loose as I go and report what I find.

Garry,

I think I was fortunate in this case - and will pay much more attention in the future. This was kiln dried before being given to me - and then sat in my garage for nearly a year before I cut it for the wedge.

I am going to leave it because it is not an everyday user and I can see what happens. Sort of an experiment for me.

THanks to everyone for your advice!

TF
 
TF, I would like to see your work. If I remember right your the gifted craftsman that likes to work leather?
 
I like my wedge's grain oriented like this. I think this makes for the least compression of the wedge.

Wedge%20grain.jpg
 
Yep. Me too. That way it will shrink more in length than width. It will also split when you drive it. Which I consider a plus as it takes up all the space in the head.
 
Very nice. Those masks look great. Is that single bit Sweedish axe one of those army surplus? I purchased one that came with a handle around 28" and the head was 3lb or so(if I remember right). A very handy little axe with a nice compromise in size and weight and still being able to do some real work.
 
I'd have more confidence in a plain sawn piece of Texas Ebony than a quarter sawn piece of Poplar or some other junk from the hardware store.

Given your background and experience, I'm sure you are well suited to dealing with the humidity in your neck of the woods and how it affects your work. Very sweet looking masks, BTW.
 
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