Name that thing!

[ksmith]

The metal wedge-shaped things that you drive into logs in order to split them--do they have a name?

(Besides "wedge")

Comments

[aeriedraconia.livejournal.com]

A wedge?

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

That's what I'm finding, but I thought there was a more descriptive term somewhere. Wood wedge, or splitter wedge, or something.

[aeriedraconia.livejournal.com]

A splitting wedge comes up.

My grandpa used to use a wedge and a maul to split logs.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I like splitting wedge.

My Dad used to split logs. I have about 4 sledgehammers, at least one maul, and many, many splitting wedges in my garage. Don't know what the hell I will ever use them for...

[romsfuulynn.livejournal.com]

I know them as splitting wedges.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

"Splitting wedge" would work fine in Maine. Both as a title and as a tool . . .

[connerybeagle.livejournal.com]

Maul!

BAWH!

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Thank you Connery!

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

Errr. A (wood) maul (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splitting_maul) is essentially a sledgehammer with one face of the head being a splitting wedge. Once you get good with one, much MUCH faster than using a wedge and a sledge. When I was growing up, our splitting tool was a maul...feeding multiple wood stoves, we got pretty good at swinging that thing.

The three basic types of wedges are: splitting, bucking, and felling. Bucking and felling wedges[1] have a fairly narrow angle and are typically used to hold open or widen a kerf (cut) in a log or tree (said cut being across the grain). A splitting wedge is generally driven into wood with the grain to force the wood to split, without having to use a saw to cut it apart.

[1] the difference between felling and bucking wedges is unimportant here.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I do like the term "splitting wedge", and will use it. I will also mention a maul because it makes sense that the characters would try to use it under the circumstances, and because given the subject matter, the word "maul" just fits.

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

In the context of normal life, the users would implicitly understand which wedge was needed and would not identify it by type.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

True. Likewise with the plastic wedges used in felling, that don't interact violently with a chainsaw . . .

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

Heh. Yeah, no steel wedges in evidence when I am using my crosscut saws! Soft metal (Al/Mg) or plastic only!

[e-moon60.livejournal.com]

I vote for "wedge" on the grounds that the people using them know which one they want.