adze?

[JohnL]

Hi,
I am interested in an adze, I dont really need one, but I want something to play around with. I have seen this on flebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/anglo-saxon-v...Collectables_Ethnographic?hash=item3a588c33fb
It looks like it is geared towards re-enactors, but it says hand forged carbon steel.
any thoughts?

 

[phill_ue]

I have heard of Daegrad before, he is often at the Sheffield Show and his stuff looks well made. I've never seen his stuff in the flesh though, but it may be worth a punt.

 

[Adze]

daegrad@hotmail.co.uk

His e-mail address is at the bottom of your link - why not ask him what it'll stand up to?

Sadly... I'm not for sale... at any price.

 

[Dave Budd]

Hi,
I am interested in an adze, I dont really need one, but I want something to play around with. I have seen this on flebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/anglo-saxon-v...Collectables_Ethnographic?hash=item3a588c33fb
It looks like it is geared towards re-enactors, but it says hand forged carbon steel.
any thoughts?

actually, it says forged iron blade Probably isn't iron (too expensive), but if it's easily sharpened with a file as suggested then I suspect it's just mild steel. Could be wrong, but I know I couldn't make a proper adze for that price

 

[mr dazzler]

How much is wrought iron worth a pound Dave? There was an anchor made of it for sale at auction last week......just curious
Just as a matter of interest, I myself am thinking about getting a little adze to hollow spoons and ladles. The concept is basically a 2/3 scale down veersion of a bog standard "Henry taylor" form, but still the same weight-so bigger (deeper) in the poll area than the taylor. simple gouge shape but tighter radius curve (sweep) then the taylor, approx 130 degree elbow bend, no fancy wings on the eye or at the cutting edge.......any sudgestions as to a ball park price? An applied edge on a softer body wouldnt bother me
cheers, Jonathan

 

[JohnL]

actually, it says forged iron blade

doh!
I emailed him & asked what it would be suitable for, & he said it was a re-enactors piece, not really designed for lots of use.
Guess I will save up a bit more money & maybe look for something second hand.

 

[Bravo4]

I've no idea how you are at putting a handle on one but I recall that can be a serious cost saving option.

 

[Dave Budd]

How much is wrought iron worth a pound Dave? There was an anchor made of it for sale at auction last week......just curious
Just as a matter of interest, I myself am thinking about getting a little adze to hollow spoons and ladles. The concept is basically a 2/3 scale down veersion of a bog standard "Henry taylor" form, but still the same weight-so bigger (deeper) in the poll area than the taylor. simple gouge shape but tighter radius curve (sweep) then the taylor, approx 130 degree elbow bend, no fancy wings on the eye or at the cutting edge.......any sudgestions as to a ball park price? An applied edge on a softer body wouldnt bother me
cheers, Jonathan

Not sure what price iron is per pound, but it's not made anymore so any that is used is reclaimed. So for individuals making stuff it's as cheap or expensive as you can find it around your local (so free if you find it in a hedge, but the prices of scrap ferrous metals at the recycling places). The Real Wrought Iron Company buys up old anchors and chains and re-rolls them for sale as 'new' barstock, I don't recall how much it is but it's several times the price of mild steel (which is fair enough I think)

As for making a new adze, I couldn't say right now.I've gotta make a couple up soon and then I'll know how long it takes and how much of a ball ache it is (the only ones I've made thus far have been at shows and on courses where I'm not concious of time or other costs). I've been making other types of adze for a while that are very lightweight with slip on heads, but I think the heavy traditional style is more popular most likely a 1-1 1/2lb adze is going to be £80-120 I expect.

As Bravo4 suggests, not making the handle will save some money as there is quite a lot of work in making an axe or adze handle from scratch like I do

 

[mr dazzler]

Thanks Dave . What is a slip on head?

 

[JohnL]

ok, any thoughts about this one?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Genuine-Forge...lectable_ToolsHasdware_RL?hash=item414dac68fe
looks alright to my untrained eye.
thanks,
John

 

[Dave Budd]

Mr Dazzler:
the slip on head that I mentioned should have been described as a socketed one, maybe. It has an open socket that dovetails onto the top of the handle. I was asked to make one a few years ago fro somebody (from a grainy little picture) and after a couple of attempts at it, I quite like,it It's a very lightweight tool. The ability to remove the head makes sharpening and storage easier and you can fit a straight handle to it and use it as a gauge instead

John:
Robin Wood would be the man to ask about that adze, It could be a good tool, but I'm still trying to work out the best mechanics of an adze myself I wonder if the straightness of the blade from the edge upwards would cause any problems in use?

 

[mr dazzler]

My henry taylor adze has that straight line up from the edge and it does snag in confined spaces (eg bowl ends) Its fine on shallow open curves eg chair seat's, but is of only limited usefulness on spoons/ladles etc. The swedish ones tend to have a much shorter distance from the edge to the elbow bend.....Out cannel helps as well.....
The slip on design reminds me of the african adzes, only they wrap a forged band around the top and rivett it either side. Check out these tasty tools
http://www.drumskulldrums.com/en2/22/Shop_Drumskull.php?ProdID=1647
Those african drum carvers are simply awesome in their confidence and ability.
Doesnt your method put a lot of strain on the bolt or whatever it is that fixes the head in place, (unles there is a stop at the front somewhere-cant see from the pic)? I would maybe have put a permanent rivetted strap around the handle end, and used a metal wedge to hold the blade against a rebate in the wood?

 

[Bravo4]

Hoodoo mentioned North Bay Forge on a previous adze thread. A different handle style; sold without handles for $100 less than with. Adzes with natural crooks photo gallery might be worth a look.
http://www.northbayforge.com/adz.htm#maintarget

 

[Dave Budd]

Doesnt your method put a lot of strain on the bolt or whatever it is that fixes the head in place, (unles there is a stop at the front somewhere-cant see from the pic)? I would maybe have put a permanent rivetted strap around the handle end, and used a metal wedge to hold the blade against a rebate in the wood?

I've seen those tools before (that site as it happens). It's amazing what you can make things from Old pick axes and leaf springs turned into drum carving tools

My socketed adzes aren't held in by a bolt, they dovetail onto the top. Basically the front of the socket (ie blade end) is narrower than the back end, like a spear socket with a section removed). That slides onto a matching partial cone carved onto the top of the wood. The screw hole you see is there so that you can put a screw in if the head has a fancy to come off when you withdraw from a cut that didn't sever the wood (i'e your adze gets stuck in a log and when you pull it out the screw stops you leaving the head behind!)

 

[Bravo4]

ok, any thoughts about this one?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Genuine-Forge...lectable_ToolsHasdware_RL?hash=item414dac68fe
looks alright to my untrained eye.
thanks,
John

I'm certainly not the expert here but I think for that price I would get a quality blade and put the handle on myself. I figure that if I am up to working with an adze, I should be able to turn out a handle for it.

This guy has blades for about what you would pay for the ebay item. No affiliation, etc, etc
http://www.davebudd.com/otherwork.html#anchor_81



Now I think I would like a scorp

 

[mr dazzler]

LOL I get it now Dave. The tapering acts as a self tightening stop, neat method. The partial socket is like an ancient iron age method on billhooks, sickles even peat spades and plough points. I never saw it used before with the socket running across the end grain of the handle rather than with the grain though. You learn something new every day.....

 

[forginhill]

The natives where I grew up use adzes for making dugout canoes. My father regularly gets adzes for them from Lee Valley, and the natives like them better than others they have used. Here's a link to one of their smaller, more modestly priced models:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=41159&cat=1,41131

 

[Hedgehog]

Remember that what side of the blade the bevel is on makes a difference to how it will cut. Outside bevel will follow internal curves like bowls much better where an inner bevel will cut deeper for fast removal of bulk.


Svante & Elsa Djarv make some superb little carving Adzes, they are great people to deal with too.

 

[bandel4]

Since we are on the topic 'Adze', I thought I'd share some pictures of a traditional Adze used by a Semelai (an indigenous tribe) in Peninsula Malaysia. This Beliung (Adze) belongs to Pak Pitok and it is his main tool in carving out a traditional dug out canoe. Myself and Bod took some pics back when we met him last year if not mistaken.

The Adze metal head is lashed on to the handle using rattan. The metal piece it seems can be 're positioned' by re-lashing the rattan for other specific tasks.

Hmmm...maybe its a good idea to get one and learn how to use it after all.

 

[Robi]

Masterpice! Admire all the traditional staff I see Good shoots, hope you had a great time in Malaysia!