a new elbow adze

[forginhill]

I’ve made several elbow adzes and used them quite a bit. I’m a huge fan of these tools. They’re very intuitive to me, and I’m not surprised that they are common in indigenous cultures around the world. One inherent weakness, however, is their light weight. I’m using mine to rough out spoon blanks from chunks of seasoned hardwood. I need something with weight and heft to it. I’ve been wanting to try a heavier elbow adze and I finally got around to doing it. I’m very happy with the results. I used a short section of thick leaf spring. The wrapping I have on is temporary, until the handle dries out. I didn’t want to put on something more permanent and nicer looking if it was just going to slip off as the handle shrunk. This is also my first time attaching the blade with a wrapping.

I also recorded a short video of me using the adze.

[video=youtube;R3IxtFV3k8o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3IxtFV3k8o[/video]

 

[Wild wandering woodsman]

Looks great and really effective. I made my own gutter adze from an old brick scutch. Keep posting your an inspiration to those of us that can't afford to buy tools.

Sent from my SM-G110H using Tapatalk

 

[Robson Valley]

The elbow adze is a very commonplace carving tool in the Pacific Northwest. Various sizes, various blade shapes.
I find it really hard to understand somebody proud of buying a "carving axe" when such sophisticated carving adzes exist.
Is there some reason to buy a less than fundamentally useful tool? Please explain.

Now for striking accuracy, you might consider a D adze. I never buy more than blades, the rest is easy for me.
You bladesmiths ought to be able to bash these out of leaf spring pieces with no problems.

http://kestreltool.com/index.html

 

[Mesquite]

Looks like it's a very efficient tool and very simple to haft.

What are you going to use for the final binding, rawhide or modern cordage?

 

[DogRose]

Looks like a nice capable tool, I like the simplicity of design and use of available materials. Thanks for the vid too, as well as seeing the tool in use it was nice to see some sunshine and hear the birdsong

 

[Russell96]

I really like that and thanks for the inspiration. I will have a bash at making one myself.
All the best.
Russ

 

[Robson Valley]

An elbow adze is very efficient. I'm working on 2 carvings. Began with two 5" x 5" x 64" split, knot-free & straight-grained western red cedar pieces. Needed a 40" length rounded off. Elbow and D adzes.
One carver, in Alaska I recall, refers to his elbow adze as a "bandsaw on a stick."

If you looked at the designs in the Kestrel Tool website, there are 2 things to include in your design:
1. Handle diameter = the tips of your second and third fingers should just touch the fat ball part of your thumb (Kestrel Constant).
2. Coming off the edge of the blade at 90 degrees, that line crosses the handle where your index finger should be. (Holm Constant.)
Of course you can choke up on the handle but for wood wasting efficiency over several hours work the above applies.
3. Listen to your heart. If you strike at your heart rate, it seems slow but you can go all day.

 

[dewi]

Great tool and great video.

I take it you've had a bit of practice doing that?

 

[Robson Valley]

I do believe that he has done more than I have. Consistent striking accuracy is harder to achieve than I imagined.

 

[Tommyd345]

Wow thanks! By chance, Iv arranged with a buddy to get the forge going tomorrow, and I'm defenatly going to make one of these!

 

[forginhill]

Thanks, all! These are so easy to make and you'll fall in love with it when you start using one. The blade doesn't even have to be curved. Can be simple and straight. I could see someone without a forge making one easily, though maybe not out of such thick stock. DogRose, sunshine and birds we have a plenty. Wood...not so. It's give and take. Mesquite, rawhide would be great. I didn't think of that. Tie it on wet and then as it dries and tightens, you'll have the optimal wrap. Nice! I don't have any on hand right now, and I was planning on using some thicker black woven cotton cord I have. Good luck, Tommy, post your adze when you get it made!