What steel for wood splitting wedges?

[MadsRC]

I'm looking to forge myself a few wedges for splitting wood, but I find it rather hard finding any material on what type of steel was/is used to forge them?

I would think that some kind of soft steel would be used? Maybe even mild steel - As the steel would need to be harder than the wooden log, but softer than the tool striking it (and then the fact that I know wedges are consumables).

Having a hardened wedge would, as with having a hardened poll, increase the chance of the metal fracturing and throwing chips in all directions (Please correct me if I'm wrong?)

So I should either use mild steel (and reforge them when the get too deform) or maybe use a hardened steel forgewelded to a softer striking surface?

 

[Gergely]

Hi MadsRC,

I make them from C45 usually. 42CrMo4 is good, too. If you can find scrap vehicle axles camshafts in dia 40-50 mm those are ideal.

1 hour ago, MadsRC said:

Having a hardened wedge would, as with having a hardened poll, increase the chance of the metal fracturing and throwing chips in all directions (Please correct me if I'm wrong?)

So I should either use mild steel (and reforge them when the get too deform) or maybe use a hardened steel forgewelded to a softer striking surface?

Ok, so you don't want to harden the whole wedge. You only need a tough edge for it. And as you said very well, a soft poll. You have to quench only the first - let's say one centimeter - part of the blade. The steels above are water quench types, so heat the blade orange and put it in a big tank of water. But only the first cm of the blade. Keep it in the water as long as you can see the reddish color heat move back from the water surface (lets say about 5 mm is enough). Then you quickly clean the edge surface to shiny looking - use an old file or a piece of old/broken grinding stone. I really mean quickly! You have only a couple of second to do it. Then look for the tempering colors: first stray-yellow, purple and blue is the final. When you got blue dunk it in the water again, and again only the edge! Keep it in the water  until the whole piece has lost its heat colors.

You can make wedges from mild steel - it's not the best, but it's the most simple. Don't grind it too sharp though.

You can also make a wedge from two stocks forgewelding them together - I just don't think it's worth the trouble

Bests to you and happy hammering:

Gergely

[Steve Sells]

I have a wedge I bought at yard sale for $1 very large made by STANLEY.  Its actually made from L6. which is a low Chrome/Nickel/Moly steel