# sharpening wedge



## trguitar (Apr 10, 2012)

For any of you out there that split by hand with a sledgehammer and wedge...do you ever sharpen the wedge?  If so, how often?

Thanks!


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## ChrisNJ (Apr 10, 2012)

I would love to, some of my wedges are so dull I cant start a split with them unless there is already a wide crack, others are sharp enough that they  set with a single tap of the sledge, I do need to get a grinder as my wedge collection is up to about 15 with mushroom heads I would like to return to service. Not sure you would need to do it often as mine shroom out before getting dull.


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## Ashful (Apr 10, 2012)

I do grind off any mushroomed metal from the top of the wedge, where it is struck with the hammer.  This is a safety issue, not a performance issue, as I do know one person blinded by a flying fragment from a mushroomed wedge, and have been hit by them myself.  I also grind a nice edge on my splitting mauls, and do believe it makes splitting a little easier, but I never really bothered doing the same with my wedges.  Perhaps I should, but I do 90% of my splitting with the mauls, only resorting to the slower wedges when the maul fails.  Usually I already have a nice kerf to drop the wedge into, from the first swing with the maul.

As someone with many grinders, I prefer an angle grinder with a coarse sanding disc to a bench grinder for this kind of sharpening, and you can always chuck a cutoff wheel in it for repairing badly mushroomed heads.


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 10, 2012)

No.


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## weatherguy (Apr 10, 2012)

I sharpen mine with an angle grinder, i did it once last year and they're still pretty sharp but they're not getting much use lately.


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## ohio woodburner (Apr 10, 2012)

I'm with Dennis  I've never sharpened my maul or wedge just mt 2 cents though


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## ScotO (Apr 10, 2012)

I sharpened my 8lb maul a couple of times now.  And if you ask me it makes a difference.  Didn't have to swing as much on a split with it sharpened.  If you decide to do it, take equal amounts off of both sides of the point, make it a natural angle and you'll be fine.  Try not to get the point blue or you'll have taken all the temper out of it.  So between each pass or two with your sander or grinder disc, quench the maul or wedge in a bucket of water.  Will hold the edge better...


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## Ash_403 (Apr 10, 2012)

I sharpened my splitting maul (hand filed to perfection, heh) a few weeks ago.  It was worth a try for splitting some Siberian Elm rounds.  It did help a bit, but when it was all over I still had the put the saw to nearly a dozen of them.


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## Gark (Apr 10, 2012)

I sharpen the maul and wedges every couple of years. Not razor sharp, just a better edge. They seem to work better.


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## maplewood (Apr 12, 2012)

No, but I think I'll put an edge on it and see what happens.


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## billb3 (Apr 12, 2012)

No

I don't chop with it.
I wedge with it.


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## Thistle (Apr 12, 2012)

Nope. Dont need sledge/wedges on anything but the toughest or biggest rounds anymore.But do make sure any slight mushrooming to the head and/or knicks to the edge are knocked down with grinder or mill file.


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## tfdchief (Apr 12, 2012)

As others have said, just don't let the head mushroom.  That can be deadly.


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