: I found this in a quick search:
: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2044570923

: This one is longer and appears much heavier than the one the Lee Valley
: sells. How does one decide what's a suitable froe?

You people need to read "Make A Chair From A Tree" by John Alexander, and maybe some of Roy Underhill's books. Splitting is a viable method for what you are considering. You must choose your wood species carefully, but it is a excellent way to get strength and bendability in a small piece of wood.

You need a large handled froe to get leverage to rive a big piece. You need a thin froe so as not to spread the split on a small piece so fast that it breaks sideways. Another thing I did not expect is that a froe should not be sharp, otherwise it will cut the fibers instead of splitting them out of the way. To keep centered with a froe when splitting down a thin piece, you bend one side with your hand as you go. This brings up another possibly non-obvious tip: You rive in halves, that is keep cutting each piece you get in halves, that way the froe will tend toward centering itself. You then clean it all up with a draw knife, spoke shave, or plane....whatever is appropriate.

I am no expert, but I hope these things help. - Scott