adzes

[robin wood]

This is an adze, it is just like an axe but the cutting edge is at 90 degrees to the handle.

Adzes come either with straight blades for creating flat surfaces or curved ones for hollowing. This is a very old one I bought in Romania in 1998 and works exceedingly well. I use it every time I make a plate to hollow a little of the wood before I start turning. Curved adzes are very hard to come by in the UK but straight ones are quite common. I have a few old rusty straight ones and really need one with quite a deep hollow for hollowing the gutters I want to make for my new barn. So today I spent the morning in the forge.

Begining to take shape

And this is the curve I was trying to achieve.

And after finishing forging. The next stages are; annealing, to make it as soft as possible, grinding, to refine the edge shape, hardening then tempering.

I had never understood why hand forged adzes were so much more expensive than axes when they look fairly similar. I had not realised the complexities of creating thos two even curves in two planes and if either curve is just not perfect the tool will not work properly. I hope mine works OK.

 

[Gailainne]

Looks like you can "turn" your hand to quite a few skill sets, nice peice of work, hope it does the job after the effort you put in.

Stephen

 

[w00dsmoke]

That's one heck of a cool way to make a curved adze. I have an extremely old mint condition full length adze with an almost s shaped handle given to me by an old shipwright who made traditional wooden fishing boots and sailing boats. It has not one speck of rust on it and was stored with an oiled rag around the head. It was his and he said before he died that I could appreciate it more than him. Wow, the advice this guy gave me and the stories he told about making masts, decking and ribs with this was amazing aswell as the stories of the guys (apprecntices) whole lost part of their feet when their concentration fell while using them! I've only used mine a couple of times but have always fancied a small hande curved adze for carving out stool seats and the like.
Your's is very good and ingenious way of making one! Thanks for showing.

 

[NatG]

that looks very nice, i love adzes, unfortunately i can't afford a decent one, i have a few nice pieces of wood just crying out to be turned into bowls but no tools to do it.

i made myself a pretty hefty scorp but it's just didn't really work

 

[rancid badger]

Yes I like it a lot, I love custom made things generally but tools in particular.
really interesting post Robin
cheers
Steve

 

[JDO330]

Ive never seen one before and now two in one day!

I was at a Xmas craft fair at Knebworth house today (Hertfordshire) and a guy had one on his display, he had a load of hand made stools etc with nicely carved seats so this is what he must use it for.

ATB, Jon .

 

[shocks]

Looks good now we need to see you using it. I learn something new on here every day!

 

[cariboo]

I like making adze. Make a lot of them.
You can find different versions of them in almost every part of the world.
On the Pacfic Northwest coast native carvers use them a lot. I make a modified Haida style. They are companion tools to crooked knives. Like crooked knives they come in all sorts of shapes.

Scott.

Adz

 

[Barney]

Really nice that. Have you a correct anvil Robin? The Romanian one looks like its straight from the bick if you ask me.

I love it when you have to make your own tools and to me its a sign of a true Artisan.,

"I have to make the things to make the things I have to make"

It looks like you had a real fun day and when its finished I hope its the best balanced adze you have ever touched.