The Adze - My Favorite Farm Tool

The adze is of the earliest tools humans used to cut and shape wood, and to a great extent, dig in the ground. It has a blade which is perpendicular to the handle, and ought to be just as sharp as an axe. Also referred to as a “foot adze”, it’s swung toward your foot in stout, chopping motions and is mostly used for smoothing rough, hand-hewn wood like floor puncheons, benches, and even the surface of a shaving horse. On this edition of My Favorite Farm Tool, Pa Mac shows the use of the adze for the small farm or homestead, and explains several different types including the carpenter’s adze, the railroad adze, and the shipbuilder’s adze.
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[@D-B-Cooper]

I’m a retired shipwright, still have a few adzes. All shipwright adzes have wings, the pointy thing is not for driving nails, you would never use it for that. Not only wouldn’t you do that to it but the handle is wrong. What it is for has been lost, probably for driving into a log so you could sharpen it easier with two hands. To use an adze to square a timber you would chop notches about every ft and then split them off in a big chunks to rough shape it. The handle is made for the user (be careful not to put it in backwards) . To smooth it you put a plank or log on either side, stand on them and standing upright strike it between your legs, not in front under your foot, and swing through so you scoop out chips and not have splinters and you will never cut yourself. This will give you that smooth, slightly wavy look. Do not bend your waist and use mostly your wrists . Railroad ties, when hand made, were made by flattening the sides of a standing tree with a broad axe and if it was up to spec then cut down with crosscut saw. I have seen trees in old tie hackers camps that were left standing because it wasn’t big enough. A lot of the adzes you find now are from WW II. They commissioned a lot for building mine sweepers but they are not very good because they are too heavy. The good ones are very light with incredible steel that you could shave with. You would never use it around nails or bolts because it would chip and be ruined.

[@farmhandscompanion]

Thanks for the info, D-B!

[@mikeevans3766]

If a beam was only smoothed on the showing side then the work was considered to be "half adzed". . A .sharp pointed spike was used for moving small timbers while the blunt spike was used for driving nails and metal spikes below the work. Shorter handles usually indicates the user straddled the timber while longer handles allowed for standing atop the work.

[@farmhandscompanion]

Great information, Mike! Thank you for puttin' that to rest. Now I can sleep at night.

[@radaraacf]

Half adzed love it know I know where the half assed term probably came from! People just messed it up in time and ignorance, like with all intensive purposes which should be with intents and purpose

[@IveysFamilyFactotum]

I do love the adze and enjoy making them. For the ship builders adze that spike is actually used for dowels...The process of drilling and installing dowels into the hull that part of the adze was used. I am not sure exactly how as I said I am not a ship builder but I do know that much.

[@LitoGeorge]

Pa Mac, that thing on the end is called a poll. And like the folks below have said, on a shipbuilders adze, that poll is used to knock in nails. Alternative uses were knocking out the knots/eyes in wood, when necessary. A typical name for the adze's with the curves on the side, are "gutter adzes" for good reason. They are also used for bowl carving (the smaller/ smaller handled ones of course) ps: the Japanese have traditionally and still frequently use the adze barefoot or with slippers on.

[@farmhandscompanion]

That's good info, George.

[@JacobvsRex]

I got into blacksmithing years ago because I wanted a decent adze and couldn’t find one. I still love mine

[@kenthorsen4558]

I found a carpenter adze in a cornfield years ago, but in rough shape. I cleaned it up the best I could and made a hickory handle for it. It's kinda past the working wood life but it's used for grubbing out young mulberry and honeysuckle. I would love to come across a good one just to make a bench for sitting on.

[@aloberdorf4579]

you just made a hoe out of an adze....kinda sounds Political does it not ?......LOL !!. Just as our forefathers....utilization encompasses all. Good Job !!

[@farmhandscompanion]

Go re-plow the cornfield, Kent; maybe there's a better one still out there.

[@kenthorsen4558]

@@farmhandscompanion I did find a splitting axe 🪓 that is in worse shape than the adze. Thanks for the reply. Ken

[@nicolem376]

Every time I watch one of these videos, I end up spending excessive amounts of time looking on fb and C’slist for these old tools. 😂

[@jeanlucchasse3571]

The adze with lips are ship construction adze , the regular adze are for smooting flooring board, or take a junk out behing, so the board sit well on the floor beam. The pin behind, with square tip is use to kill a knot,. Sure, someone could have used it to drive a spike deeper...but the primary is for killing knots.

[@DonWarfield]

I think the bend in the handle puts both of your hands in line with the edge of the blade which affords more fine control of the cut -at least it seems that way on mine. Another kind of adze you are missing is a curved or gutter adze for hollowing out a timber or log as in making a log canoe or a trough. The blade edge is arched and, like a gouge, come in various radii of curvature. -the right tool for the right job. Another common name for that grub hoe is mattock -they typically have a handle that is not bent and is oval in cross-section.

[@EC6-USA]

Hello from PA. I'm not a shipbuilder, but it sure looks like that pointy side fits in a hardy hole in a bench or anvil. It could be simple like for sharpening or to hold the tool and draw the work over for some operation

[@jeffs5093]

I have always been told the spike on the ship builders adze was to drive spikes down below the woods surface. Preventing the blade of the adze from hitting the spike. Correct or not, I don't know, just what the old guys always told me.

[@homesteadengineer]

I have a vintage tool book that states the same thing

[@farmhandscompanion]

Makes a whole lotta sense!

[@Barbarra63297]

Here in Danmark they still make Viking ships with all the primitive tools. I'm not sure but I believe that point on a Ship Builder's Adze is for driving spikes or metal fasteners deeper than the surface of the wood which makes it easier and safer to further smooth the wood. Next time I'm at a place where they make the ships I'll see if I can find out.

[@farmhandscompanion]

Thank you so much, Barbarra

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Great video Pa Mac, the adze is a real handy too to have around the farm. Also have a good whet stone so you can fix it up after the youngun's use it for a tater grubber. Thanks for sharing with us. Stay safe around there and keep up the good videos and sharing the fun you have around there. Fred.

[@farmhandscompanion]

I hope you're doing well, Fred.

[@phillyfathead]

Very interesting!

[@j_omega_t]

I have a carpenter's adze and love it. I bought a pair of ship adzes for my brother - one had a poll, and the other had wings. I use mine to rough out beams from logs. A broadaxe might be the correct tool for that, but I can't get any accuracy with one. I find the adze far easier to control, much faster, and it doesn't wear me out nearly as fast.

[@johnreno9418]

And boys, don't forget to clean up your chips into a good galvanized bucket. They make great kindling for the stove or fireplace.

[@dlbuffmovie]

Good to know the difference between the carpenter and shipwright adz. Didn't know that, just got a gift of one last fall, going to have to go look at it real quick.

[@cdantzer4984]

I like your farm tool section,your shop reminds me of mine,we could talk a spell. Enjoy your channel.

[@farmhandscompanion]

We sure could, cdantzer; thank you so much for watchin'

[@spudhut2246]

I love the shaving horse. I would like to make one for myself. Is this something you can recreate? Is the Polaski of the same family as the Adze ? Do you make your own handles? Im up here in NW Arkansas with LOTS of hickory on my land, I would like to repurpose it for handles or other garden tools that we use. BTW, I have a blunt nose Adze, and I love it!

[@alittlebitofeverything8178]

Thank u for the video pa Mac

[@farmhandscompanion]

You betcha!

[@Axe.blacksmith]

I'm from Cambodia .Cool Video

[@farmhandscompanion]

I'm from Arkansas .Thank You

[@bird3287]

Also, the curved up edges on some adzes, are made as to NOT leave a edge groove. Ya know like some hand planes, they will taper the edges so it doesn't leave a edge groove. So the taper, or in this case, the curve allows a more smooth cut and transition. A Smoother cut, and blends each cut better with what remains. In other words, I'd say, you can do a finer job with a adz like that. I happen to have found on eon eBay, and it's very nice, and very hard metal as well. Question for you. I have what you described as a carpenter's adz, square eye and all, but it appears to be made of cast iron, does this sound right? I took it to work at the golf course, and set it up on my bed knife grinder, and milled the edge perfectly. Very happy with the results. Now that the edge is renewed, all I have to do is sharpen when needed. Anyway, great series of videos. thanks

[@quirty864]

Cast steel, no doubt.

[@changurr2705]

the point is to drive spike. the blade is a bit longer to get underneath the boat, and to work on all the curvy parts you can see a legnth of beam laid out, cuts ever few inches, nd the man come swinging an adz cuts to the line and voila, a backbone keel.

[@ServiceTrek]

Maybe talk about the handles ... they seem to have a bend in them and the head fit is unique as well.

[@LittleJordanFarm]

Awesome love it...I've discovered a new diy garden tool I'm in love with. Wish I could show you. Stay well

[@farmhandscompanion]

Have you done a video on it? I'll sure watch it!

[@LittleJordanFarm]

@farmhandscompanion know but when I do ill send you the link and I'll try to find the video I got the idea from and share it.

[@awldune]

Need to get one

[@BAD_CONSUMER]

right or wrong the guys from acorn to arabella used the adze to shape the keel

[@viccw2366]

I have a question. If smoothing a rough log or board is the goal, why not use a plane? It seems to me that it would make it smoother, and would also be easier. So what is the comparative advantage of the adze? Thanks a lot for this very interesting video, and for all your other videos. I just discovered them, they're great! Cheers from Southern France!

[@farmhandscompanion]

Yes, Vic, the plane would be the ideal tool for smoothing a board finely (especially if you were going to use it for a table top or something); but if it's only going to be a door board for a chicken house or something less refined, the adze might be the best choice since you can leave the board on the ground and get the work done rather quickly. It's a matter of fine woodworking versus coarse woodworking; both are legit but the application dictates which tool would be the best for the situation. So yes, the plane would accomplish a smoother finish, but it might be more trouble to place an 8-foot board up on your workbench, clamp it in some way, and use a plane...rather than just leaving the board on the ground, taking an adze and finishing the work within a couple of minutes. Also keep in mind that the plane takes very little wood off with each stroke. So with a rather coarse board that's just been split, the adze would make the board somewhat less coarse so that the plane could then do its job more efficiently. Great question, Vic!

[@viccw2366]

@@farmhandscompanion Thanks a lot for the very swift and clear answer. I understand now, it's true that if now were to go from a rough log to a flat surface with a plane, it would take forever I realized after writing this comment that I had heard of that tool before, but never made the connection, both because it was in French, and because it was talked about for a totally different use. The word in French is "herminette", and the uses I was told about were to dig a log into a gutter, or a canoe

[@farmhandscompanion]

@@viccw2366 You're very welcome, Vic

[@jeffreydevillez7433]

Wish could figure out what the point is for on ship builders adze. Might be for pulling lumber around that has the auger hole drilled in it. Don't know!

[@Lucky-ts7cb]

more than likely it's for pounding nails in deeper so you can work the wood

[@Lucky-ts7cb]

or it's just for balance

[@jerryprewett5294]

I’m asking if the pick end you were talking about is for moving your log around and flipping it over

[@asmrcritique6565]

I have forest adze from Warwood but it came separated from wood. How do I keep the blade from fall down?

[@johnsonr9]

My grandpa was good with one but I never learned the art. He used modern tools though when building grandma's house. Progress I guess???

[@brandonf1507]

What about the gutter adze?

[@jonareli]

Well that adz up. How much did you make off the adz?

[@bayareasparky9180]

Other distantly-related tools: 1) Mattock 2) Pulaski

[@MaisaKhatun-i3d]

Taylor Robert Johnson John Johnson Mary

[@longbowbanjoAL]

first!!!

[@Travecmo]

I would love and prefer to come to your store. Very cool

[@farmhandscompanion]

Well come on! We'll set on the porch and drink a coke