Tuesday 13 October 2009

Saxon Froe ?

Nick came on Saturday & Sunday and was initiated into some of the arcane arts and secrets of Green Woodworking.


Such as bowl turning . . .

and spoon carving . . .


* * *

John Abel came for the day yesterday and told the following fascinating story . . .

He had found an old cleaver and was taking it to a welder to have a ring welded on to make a froe when he decided to do some metal detecting on the way. He was on a known Saxon site and amazingly turned up a froe!


The welder straightened the bends (possibly from the plough) and welded a crack. He reckoned it was very old metal...

He wanted to make a handle so he could use it. The eye was definitely tapered toward the blade so he made it with a lump on the end which he'll trim to fit when the Ash has seasoned.


John also turned a nice bowl from that spalted Birch.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

If the froe is actually Saxon, that would be a major find. As far as I know, no one has ever dated one even close to that period. Is there a way to check?

Unknown said...

If there froe is Saxon, it'd be of major interest. As far as I know, nothing even remotely that early has ever been documented. Is there a way to verify?

Robin Fawcett said...

They have checked and the steel is far too modern to be Saxon. Probably it was lost by a Victorian labourer or 'frown away!