ATTN kenben powder wedge pics

BT in NE · Feb 2, 2013

These were given to me by my Great Uncle. I have never used them, but he said they worked very well. The powder was poured into the body through the open slot in the wedge head and plugged with a piece of paper, then the fuse was inserted into the small hole you can see on the side. He told me used properly, the tree would split and the wedges would be laying right next to it. Hope this is of some help to you. BT

NEsota · Feb 2, 2013

To any who are questioning where the powder goes, it goes in a 1/2-3/4 inch round hole extending from the wedge back toward the other end.

CAUTION: Today's explosives may be way too powerful for some of these oldies. The old powder may have been far more gentle.

UncleTom · Feb 2, 2013

My dad always talked about these when he was a kid. That was there only way to split wood and there only source of heat. They would always lay a log on top of it so they wouldnt loose it. One day they were blasting in the winter and it went flying and it was lost in the snow.

teddy52food · Feb 2, 2013

Use black powder or pyrodex , not smokeless powder & it should be OK.

dkeav · Feb 2, 2013

Youtube video of powder wedge in action

Bill in IL · Feb 2, 2013

Do they work on those big ugly peices of oak? The ones that are 36-48+ inches? I usually throw them over the hill cause they are too much work to split and saw up.

kenben · Feb 2, 2013

hey-thanks for the pics.wonder where one might order/purchase these?
ken

Weldon K · Feb 2, 2013

I have a powder wedge that my father said they used here on this farm to split 5 foot long logs into manageable sized pieces to be burned in wood fired tobacco curing barns back in the 1920's and 30's.
It is a piece of steel shafting 2" diameter, about 12 inches long. Tapered on one end like a pencil is trimmed. The tapered end is bored back into the shafting like a pencil with the lead pulled out. This bore is 3/4 inch diameter and about 4 inches deep. A small hole is bored into the side of the shaft to reach the hollow bore hole inside the shaft. We fired the thing some years ago using black powder stored in a jar that had been in an old shed since the 1930's. Dad loaded the wedge to split a 12" diameter hickory log. After the blast, which sent the split log parts flying, Dad said, " Huh, used to much powder." LOL!!!

dgasper · Feb 2, 2013

My father would drill a hole about the diameter of a stick of dynamite near one end of a log. He tamped in a small slice of dynamite with a cap and a fuse. He lit the fuse and we ran like hell. I expected a big blast but it was only a good "whump" and the log split neatly from end to end.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 2, 2013

the trouble is trying to get the black powder we always got a 50lb keg you try that now and the ATF will be at your door. i have a round blasting wedge in the shop we used all the time when i was a kid

RGMartin · Feb 2, 2013

(quoted from post at 19:35:51 02/02/13) the trouble is trying to get the black powder we always got a 50lb keg you try that now and the ATF will be at your door. i have a round blasting wedge in the shop we used all the time when i was a kid

There are exemptions to the licensing requirements for powder, you can have it delivered to your door for about $11 a pound... I guess splitting rails would be considered recreational???

"b) Black powder. Except for the provisions applicable to persons required to be licensed under subpart D, this part does not apply with respect to commercially manufactured black powder in quantities not to exceed 50 pounds, percussion caps, safety and pyrotechnic fuses, quills, quick and slow matches, and friction primers, if the black powder is intended to be used solely for sporting, recreational, or cultural purposes in antique firearms, as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921 (a)(1 6) or antique devices, as exempted from the term "destructive devices" in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(4)."

RayP(MI) · Feb 2, 2013

Only problem, black power is getting hard to come by here. Daughter's family is into Civil War reinacting, and they like to use black powder for the battles. Makes lots of smoke. I gave her a bottle of Pyrodex, they tried it, and weren't happy with it. But they can't buy anything else here even in the "real" sporting goods stores.

GeneMO · Feb 2, 2013

How many hundreds of pounds of black powder do you want? I buy probably 5 to 8 pounds a year.

I have two places close by that I can get it.

It is much higher than the old days, but I think I gave $12 or $14 a pound for the last. I bought two pounds about 3 weeks ago.

I have a black powder cannon I use it in. 1" bore so I probably use a little under 1/4 pound a shot.

Gene

Anonymous-0 · Feb 3, 2013

The wedge in the video looks somewhat like mine. Mine has a
lanyard hole in it. You put a cable through the hole, and lash the
cable to something heavy, so the wedge won't fly away and be lost.

ATTN kenben powder wedge pics

BT in NE

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NEsota

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UncleTom

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teddy52food

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dkeav

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Bill in IL

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kenben

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Weldon K

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dgasper

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Anonymous-0

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RGMartin

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RayP(MI)

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GeneMO

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Anonymous-0

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