As spring approaches, I'm preparing my shopping list for new tools to integrate into the fossil kit. Among one of the tools I'll be trying will be the use of a steel wedge for shale slab removal as opposed to my usual practice of using chisels, 4lb sledge, and pry bars (does anyone else get as excited as I do going tool shopping?).
I have been looking at wedges, particularly an Estwing one that has two sections that flare out. All the wedges are listed for log splitting, but I remember seeing one collector at Penn Dixie use a wedge to remove slabs to some good effect. What I was thinking was to couple a nice sturdy wedge with a long-handled 12lb sledge to effectively "play croquet" with the shale slabs. I'm just wondering if anyone else has some advice and experience using steel wedges, and if there is an "ideal" type I should be looking for.