The paving breaker frost wedge is winter steel: a deep-penetrating wedge profile that drives into frozen ground, ice and cold-hardened concrete or asphalt, opening cracks that widen with every blow until the material lifts out. Made from high-quality heat-treated steel for hardness and impact strength in cold service, it comes in five hex shank sizes from 7/8 x 3-1/4 in. through 1-1/4 x 6 in.
Once winter breaks, the same hammer swaps straight over to the asphalt wedge for warm-season pavement splitting both sit in our paving breaker & clay digger blade tools category. Frost work is hard on hammers too; if yours is due for replacement, start with our paving breakers & jackhammers or the article on choosing a concrete breaking tool.
- Wedge profile penetrates deeply and initiates cracks for controlled removal of frozen material
- Hex shank sizes: 7/8 x 3-1/4, 7/8 x 4-1/4, 1 x 4-1/4, 1-1/8 x 6 and 1-1/4 x 6 in.
- Overall lengths: 12 in. (17-1/2 in. on the 1-1/8 x 6 in. shank)
- High-quality heat-treated steel for hardness, impact strength and durability
- Applications: frozen ground and ice, winter pavement removal, cold-weather utility installation
- Stocked by Crowder Supply in Denver for the cold months
Frost Wedge FAQ
What shank size do I need?
Match the shank to your breaker’s chuck: five hex sizes cover 7/8 x 3-1/4, 7/8 x 4-1/4, 1 x 4-1/4, 1-1/8 x 6 and 1-1/4 x 6 in., so everything from light breakers to 90 lb class hammers is covered.
Frost wedge or asphalt wedge which one?
The frost wedge is the cold-season steel for frozen ground, ice and cold-hardened concrete; the asphalt wedge linked above takes over for warm-season pavement splitting. Same hammer, seasonal swap.
Why use a wedge instead of a moil point in frozen ground?
Frozen or cold-hardened material often defeats conventional chisels the wedge profile penetrates deeply and initiates cracks that widen with every blow until the material lifts out in sections.
