Splitting slabs

[Robson Valley]

Just got the magic words from the blacksmith:
"Your froe is finished and it splits a cedar fencepost just fine."

A froe has a single-sided bevel, like a monster carpenter's chisel (mine is 10").
To get slabs of most even thickness, bevel towards the center of the log or towards the surface?

I should know this, I've read it. I'm positive that it's a comment made by somebody in a W.I. thread here.
Thanks

[Dicky]

Lee Valley dropped froes but has brought them back. They are cat# 09A09.05. At the bottom of the information, there is a little item in blue shown as "instr". Click on this and it tells you how to use one. Hope this helps.

[Robson Valley]

Thanks, I'll do that. I could have bought one from Magard Log Home Building Tools but for
splitting cedar carving slabs, I didn't need the 90 degree handle.

I had a look and a read. About equal price ($35) to the ones from Magard.
Different from mine, the LV froe has a double bevel and rounded besides. The instructions suggest
that the split will tend to run out towards the surface of the block, making a tapered shingle.
They make no distinction between splitting off the radial or the tangential faces of the block.
The taper is something I really want to try to avoid. True, I'll be splitting 2-4" slabs.

On the west coast, the house boards were split right off the (tangential) face of a living tree,
some as much as 3' wide!

The other thing that I'm determined to do is to learn how to make bent wood boxes,
the less taper in the slab, the less horsing around to plane the blank.

[Robson Valley]

I got it! I joined into the Australian-based Wood working forums. There's one called Box Making. For me, the moderator "RufflyRustic" found an old article describing the techniques for making bent wood boxes (In my bent wood box thread). From what I can recall seeing, a really good description. Of course, the wood carving involved several different and elaborate corner joints and the decoration of the box sides.

[arbarnhart]

I also have a double bevel. Mine was $40 at Lehman's - full size 15" heavy steel blade with a good 16" hickory handle. You can fight the tendency to run toward the surface by working the handle. I mostly split flute/whistle blanks that are about 2" x 2" x 14" and I can use them unless I can't turn tube a little over 1.25" in diameter and my success rate is probably under 90% but not much under. By that I mean about 1 out of 10 that I start splitting at 2" width will run too much to be usable.

[Robson Valley]

Thanks Andy:
Every bit of advice and info will help.
Found an acknowledgment reference in a book about Pac NW Coast cultural activities.
1980 Fine Woodworking. . . kerf (bent) wood boxes. They are most graciously going to mail me a copy of that article.
Initially, my boxes can't be very large as I have no clear cedar more than 24" long.