First Attempt at an Adze

[Muddypaws]

I've been wanting an adze for a while now, and I have been experimenting with a rudimentary forge set up, so I was able to bash out the blade for this.

Adze1 by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr

Adze 3 by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr

The blade is forged from a piece of leaf spring, but it is quite small (the bar started out only three quarters of an inch wide), so doesn't have much heft to it.

I didn't have any really suitable timber for the handle, so my bodged up compromise is a two piece elbow, dovetailed, glued, dowelled and a couple of small woodscrews for good measure. Hopefully these pictures will show how this was achieved.
Adze2 by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr

Handle joint by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr

I owe a debt of gratitude to Robson Valley, for all his posts about his Pacific Northwest tools, and for the links to Kestrel tools, all of which has given me valuable pointers for sharpening and mounting the blade.

In use I have found this adze to be a useful addition to my toolkit. I hollowed out a small dish in quick time, needing only minimal cleanup with a hook knife. Previously I would have tried to remove the bulk of the waste with a drill and Forstner bit, before using a spoon bent gouge.

That said, I know it is not perfect, so I already have plans for adze mark 2, with a wider, heavier blade, a shallower sweep, and not so much forward curve. Needless to say, I will keep you posted.

Thanks for looking.

 

[Kepis]

Thats brilliant, love the dovetail, really elegant solution

 

[snappingturtle]

Ace work! have to let us know how that joint holds up!

 

[forginhill]

Nice work! Since I started using adzes, there's been no looking back....

Such wonderful tools...

 

[Robson Valley]

Wonderful. Don't thank me. It's Gregg and Charlie at Kestrel and the lifetime of study by Bill Holm that puts the geometry of a serious adze into focus.
The PacNW adze allows for rapid wood removal, just simple efficiency to get the job done.

Your adze is like the Baby Sitka, still a force to be reckoned with for fine carving.
Narrow the tip and add some steel behind the heel to give you more mass in the strike.
I broke a handle and just made the next one thicker, about 3/8". the added weight was really obvious!

I'm running 55 degrees at the elbow. Gregg said that some carvers likes 45 degrees. I can't see it but always meant to mess with it.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Lovely looking tool. You'll have to post up some pics of your carvings now.

 

[Hunkyfunkster]

That looks useful. And well made too. Be interesting to see how that lovely dovetail holds up