He was using it as you would a froe but it looked like a plain jane knife to me. The froe's I have seen were for making shingles and kindling like this one https://www.lehmans.com/p-686-lehman...oned-froe.aspx

That being said I watched this when ST first posted it and I still find it crazy impressive. I really want to try and do it but I think I would carve my fingers making some of the cuts that he did. Even on something as soft as basswood.