Bandel, thanks for sharing that pic. The form of that adze is not dissimilar to the bronze age adze that Robin Wood used in a project a few years back. The curved edge meant it could be used for hollowing as well as flattening.
adze?
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I have been using the same 2 elbow adzes for around 6 years now, both using natural crooked branches for handles....one is an old sheffield made thick plane iron with a straight edge, and the other a 1 inch wide strip cut out of an ancient french billhook-with a radiused curve (radius approx 1 inch) at the cutting edge even though the blade itself is still flat. I can carve a spoon bowl with it in less than a minute. I am so attached to those adzes, its like handwriting when using them
Both the elbow adze and the D adze are popular wood carving tools in the Pacific Northwest.
An additional function not mentioned so far is surface texturing where years of practice produce
accurate striking results. Kestrel is a highly respected bladesmith.
http://kestreltool.com/index.html
An additional function not mentioned so far is surface texturing where years of practice produce
accurate striking results. Kestrel is a highly respected bladesmith.
http://kestreltool.com/index.html
An additional function not mentioned so far is surface texturing where years of practice produce
accurate striking results./QUOTE]
When I started using those adzes I must say it was weird, getting used to operating the tool in one hand, and the workholding function (on small pieces at least) in the other hand, getting used to the interplay, when the western sculptors tradition is to have the work piece fixed to a bench in a vice and to use (usually) a tool in either hand (chisle and mallet) I did get discouraged after ruining plenty of pieces (spoons) with badly aimed strikes. Usually knocking the sides of spoons off. But after a real lot of practising, a few years, that accuracy came very suddenly, I realised | was carving as I saw and felt I wanted to, if that makes sense? I almost always adze-carve while sat down, and I use a big immovable stump around 20"D x 24"H. It has a tall and a short wood posts set in to hold work against sometimes, also a small step to act a bit like a bench hook that joiners use. I generally have my right arm locked right in under my lower ribs and get a regular swing going. It works best when not fighting the wood...I only had one bad cut in those 6 years or so, a bad glance and the straight adze ended up in.....base of my thumb on my left hand, theres a nice squared up scar as evidence
btw if you have never tried carving "tree of heaven" (Ailanthus altissima), give it a go. It does smell disgusting (like rancid peanuts) like ash with a coarse stringy grain, but carves very nice and is TOUGH when dry, almost like hard phenolic plastic
See if I can load a pic of the adzes that I use. The carved snail on the D adze is a reminder to slow down = strike rate no faster than my heart rate.
While it seems ridiculous, I can go all day at that speed. The snail also describes my overall carving speed. Kestrel blades, the rest is my work.
Don't worry, Kestrel supplies a 12 page booklet of info and handle patterns!
The upper change from yellow whipping (#18 nylon) to black actually marks the Holm Constant = the position of my index finger for best balance in striking.
You can also see a thinning of the hand-grip area when compared with the elbow. That applies the Kestrel Constant which in my case is a handle of approx 7/8" thickness. The elbow is 55 degrees. Some carvers like 45 but I've never messed with that.
I carve what I see in the woods, principally the local western red cedar. Some yellow cedar and birch, a little pine and spruce.
While it seems ridiculous, I can go all day at that speed. The snail also describes my overall carving speed. Kestrel blades, the rest is my work.
Don't worry, Kestrel supplies a 12 page booklet of info and handle patterns!
The upper change from yellow whipping (#18 nylon) to black actually marks the Holm Constant = the position of my index finger for best balance in striking.
You can also see a thinning of the hand-grip area when compared with the elbow. That applies the Kestrel Constant which in my case is a handle of approx 7/8" thickness. The elbow is 55 degrees. Some carvers like 45 but I've never messed with that.
I carve what I see in the woods, principally the local western red cedar. Some yellow cedar and birch, a little pine and spruce.
So wired I came on the forum and saw this thread I started literally years ago! I never actually bought an adze at the time, but last month I was in the Amazon and nearly every tool store sells adzes for constructing dugout canoes so I picked up a couple, one gutter adze and a flat one. I only got the heads so I will make some handles when I get home. No idea about metal quality but they look robust and set me back 55 Peruvian soles which is about £12!
Here's a link to a picture on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMpfyuihmuf/
they both need a good sharpen and I need to find some decent wood for the handles.
thinking to have a go at carving a dug out canoe if I can find a big enough trunk!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMpfyuihmuf/
they both need a good sharpen and I need to find some decent wood for the handles.
thinking to have a go at carving a dug out canoe if I can find a big enough trunk!
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