Froe

From Sharon Historical Society

circa 1700 (Date manufactured/created)

Fifteen inch heavy steel blade attached to a twenty inch wooden handle. Used with a mallet to cleave roofing shingles or floor boards from a quartered section of log. the rough shingles were then smoothed and tapered with a draw-knife. These early cleft shingles lasted five times as long as the later sawn shingles. The blade may date to 1700. The handle is a reproduction. 1984 sticker says "K 79"

Accession/ID Number 1965.05.01