It's heavy, but what is it?

[mikeswrenches]

I got this at an auction with a bunch of Coopers tools.  My guess is that this piece is also cooper related, but how.  It weighs just over 8 pounds and appears to be used by hand rather than struck.  The knob on the end does not appear to have been struck, unless it was with something wooden.

There are chips out of the cutting/splitting end.

Any ideas?   Thanks Billman!  Looks like your computer is fine.

Mike

[Billman49]

Is it my laptop/ISP in the UK, or is the picture missing???

If it's cooper related, Branson is the man to ask.....

[Charles Garrett]

It looks like a log splitter used with a sledge.  Perhaps prior to making staves.

[Lewill2]

I think we had this on here before and it is for splitting staves for baskets or something like that.

[mikeswrenches]

How about for splitting staves to make barrel hoops?

Mike

[Branson]

Yeah, we had one here a while back.  And yes, it's a cooper's tool, but not for making staves -- that's froe work.  This is for splitting saplings for hoops for the barrels.  A smaller version was used by basket makers.

[mikeswrenches]

Branson, did it have a name?

Mike

[Papaw]

I don't think we had a name- Look at this thread-
http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=3612.0

[Branson]

Branson, did it have a name?

Mike

In this size, the only name I've found is "cooper's hoop splitter."  I'm certain the French have a different name, but I don't know what it is.

[mikeswrenches]

Thanks for the help guys!  I think you've nailed it.

Mike

[Charles Garrett]

You have to split the log before you can use a Froemard to cut staves or hoops.  Would probably use a Beetle rather than a sledge tho.

[Billman49]

This tool is not listed in Salaman's dictionary of woodworking tools - small ones, used in basket making, are known as cleaves - in French they are called fendoirs (de vannier) (v.t. fendre = to cleave) - I guess this one could well be called a 'dry cooper's cleave' or 'hoop cleave'.....

I cannot find this tool relating to European coopers - in France wooden hoops (usually made from chestnut) were split with a fro(e) known as a departoir, and trimmed to size with a sort of straight edged billhook called a cochoir (or cauchoire)..

[Branson]

You have to split the log before you can use a Froemard to cut staves or hoops.  Would probably use a Beetle rather than a sledge tho.

Yes, the log has to be split before you can use a froe.  The tree is felled, bucked to the proper lengths for the size of the barrels to be made, and then split in half.  The halves are split in half again, and then the froe is used producing essentially quarter sawn stock.  This tool would be useless in the process.  Note: not all barrel staves are split radially.  Oak is, but other woods -- pine and yew for example -- are often split tangentially.

[Branson]

I think we had this on here before and it is for splitting staves for baskets or something like that.

Here's the photo of the other one we looked at.  It's obviously been used, but we noted in this case that there was no evidence of it ever having been struck.  Pushed by hand apparently.  It was identified as a splitter for white oak saplings used in making wooden hoops for barrels.  I later found a couple of other examples made of wood. 

Honestly, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me in cooperage -- as Billman points out, splitting in half and dressing with fendoir or just a draw knife seems more useful, and more like the split hoops on the barrels I have examined.

On the other hand, it would work pretty well on bamboo to make the strips used in Asia for hoops.

[mikeswrenches]

The one I pictured didn't show any signs of use, other than the chips on the cutting edges.  They were not new as the overall patina is the same.  It's also possible that they are just casting flaws.  Sharp edges are hard to make in sand castings.  It also shows no signs of having been sharpened, which certainly would have made it easier to push thru the sapling in order to split it.

The other thing that puzzles me, is why split something into thirds, why not quarters?

Mike