One of the most common and basic products used in steel fabrication and other construction trades is the steel wedge.
A wedge is used in numerous construction applications, including but not limited to: separating, leveling, aligning steel plate, or underpinning. While The Steel Supply Company carries a deep stock of standard wedges, we also carry a unique variant called the knock-out steel wedge.
Often, a wedge is designed to be placed permanently in a construction project, but there are situations where it is only meant to be placed temporarily and later removed. In these cases, the efficiency and safety of removing a wedge is paramount, and that’s exactly what the knock-out steel wedge is used for.
While more complex to manufacture, there are two distinct advantages of having the additional block. One, on installation it will stop the wedge from being driven too deep. Two, if a clear area exists to swing a hammer on removal, the knock-out block presents a solid surface which allows for removal in just a few clean strikes. Most often, however, the inner face is obscured, but in these cases the square top of the wedge creates a leverage point that allows for fast and easy removal with just a crowbar.
As with any wedge the slope controls the lifting force. The shallower the incline the more lifting force is created on impact, however greater force is required for removal. We provide a brief description of relationship between a wedge’s properties on our blog. These factors should all be considered when choosing the dimensions of a Knock-out Block Wedge.
If a knock-out block would suit your projects’ needs, feel free to fill out our online request form or give us a call, and we’ll provide you with a quote shortly.