What wedge do you like best?

[itn]

I haven't been a wedge user. I usually use the tractor or extra saw for a hand. I'm looking through my Bailey's catalog and I am tryin to decide which wedge will work best without buying one of everything. Which brand and length do you all find your using the most?

 

[John Ellison]

I like 10" wedges for all but the bigger trees. They don't get lost in your back pocket or wedge pouch like smaller ones will and are quick to grab.
Cheap ones are a softer plastic/ harder tougher plastic in the higher price ones. Cheap ones work fine and will last a suprisingly long time if they are used right and you dont have any big heavy leaners to wedge over. The better quality ones are worth it if you have serious pounding on a big one.
A single bit axe with a straight handle (rafting axe) is really the best thing for pounding because if you have to double up, an axe head with a nice flat poll matches the wedge head better than anything. Some axe heads have a rounded poll and will not work very well.

Until you get used to using them they will get messed up pretty quick no matter how much they cost. I would get a few of each. Cheap/Expensive
Once you have worked them over pretty good they can be "modded" back to usable shape with an axe or grinder or whatever.

 

[xcr440]

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=15337&catID=301

I 1 of these. I have a cheapy oregon little 6" that I use every now and then also.

I also have a stihl 12" that I have in the wedge pouch also.

 

[huskystihl]

I use steel not stihl splitting wedges. Those plastic ones never lasted for me.

 

[xcr440]

I use steel not stihl splitting wedges. Those plastic ones never lasted for me.

You use steel wedges for felling??

 

[brownie525]

I get cheapies from the local rental shop they are about 3 or 4 bucks. I dont cut down alot of trees mainly use them for bucking and they get chewed up pretty quick and get left behind sometimes

 

[thejdman04]

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=15323&catID= I bought some of these, havent used them a ton yet but so far happy

 

[RAF]

I haven't messed around with anything bigger than about 24" I've used these the past two years.http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200307165_200307165

 

[mickeyd]

You use steel wedges for felling??

you use plastic wedges for splitting ?:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Wood Doctor]

My Wedges

I like the sand wedge that my Dad gave me before he passed away. It's a Walter Hagen signature club that Dad always liked. Massive and heavy, I have used it for 35 years to remove my golf ball from sand bunkers. Most of the time, it stops the ball dead as a mackeral and close to the hole, but only if I hit it right.

When I split wood, I use three 8-pound splitting wedges, coupled with a 10-lb sledge hammer. These three wedges are indispensable, but almost useless without the sledge hammer.

When I work wood in my shop, I have a collection of 12 wedges that cut and use for various tasks, too numerous to mention here. The wedge is one of the oldest tools ever invented by mankind, and it may be the most useful one of them all.

 

[bruiser 1]

Are we talking "SPLITTING WEDGE" or "FELLING WEDGE"? Splitting wedge I have a 11" TWISTING wedge and for Felling I use those HARDHEADS (10" and 8") their GREAT , they don't mushroom when you drive them with a sledge or axe head.

 

[itn]

felling wedge is what I meant. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[slinger]

I carry two 10" wedges one is 3/4" and the ther is a 1" at the butt end. Got a little 6 I use on small diameter trees as well.

 

[Nuzzy]

If you haven't used felling wedges before, I suggest (from my own experience) starting with the cheapies. Sure the more expensive ones can give better lifting power and last longer, but most likely you will knick them with the saw until you get used to them being there. Just seems I'd rather knick the cheapies. My $.02



Personally I like my K&H Red Heads for general use.

 

[Nuzzy]

For length, seems I grab the 8"s or 10"s the most and always have a 5" in my pocket for bucking.

 

[husky455rancher]

i use 6,8, 10 seems the 6 and the 8 get the call alot more often than the 10.