VaughnT Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I've been wanting to forge an adze for some time, but never got around to it. Then I found an old masonry hammer in the bucket of spare stuff and thought it would suffice for the task. It certainly wasn't up to being a hammer any more. The handle has seen better days, so it was an easy decision to make. I don't know where this hammer came from, and I certainly never used it for laying block or stone. So, into the fire..... My fullering tool is really getting a workout. The decision to radius the end of the bolt shank is paying off now! I'll definitely have to rebuild my Godzilla's top die, but it was worth it. I've never handled an adze before so I wasn't sure what dimensions to go for. Basically, I listened to the metal and stopped when I felt it looked right. The edge measures just a hair over 2.5" and is about 3" long. Tomorrow, god willing and the creek don't rise, I'll do the heat treat and grind the bevel. Then it's just a matter of finding a decent piece of wood for the handle. And if I run into any more masonry hammers.... I would certainly like a few more adzes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 That's a fine-looking adze there, Vaughn. Well done!I have watched timber getters shape sleeper logs with these things. I worry about tools that are razor sharp being swung towards you. Shins look in grave danger.Be careful wit dat thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Will do, hoss! I've already sliced my shin open once and don't look forward to repeating that endeavor any time soon. Thankfully, this is just a small one for carving bowls and such. That means I only have to worry about my fingers! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I would suggest curving the blade in both directions. Especially for bowl carving, a gouge shaped adze with both side and longitudinal curves works much better! The flatter adzes are mostly useful for flattening planks for flooring and decking etcetera. I hope you read this before you do the heat treat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Foot, I was thinking about curving the blade. Honestly, I started out with the idea of making a bowl adze so I could cave out a few dough troughs. Something, though, is telling me to keep this one flat. I maybe it's just the first time jitters, but I like how it looks. I've already started looking for my second hammer, so maybe the next adze will get a bit of curl to it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Looking like a fine tool so far Vaughn. Sometimes the time to stop just is. Plans and ideas are one thing but this is a creative craft and a person's instincts and reflexes count, sometimes more than the plan. If your inner maker is saying it's good now, then it's good now. . Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitch4ging Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Cool project. Now I'll have to keep my eye out for masonry hammers as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Its not so much your shins as your toes with big adses. Keep your feet planted just over sholder width and donswing wildly, this is about finess. Looks good, sir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Its not so much your shins as your toes with big adses. Keep your feet planted just over sholder width and donswing wildly, this is about finess.Looks good, sir Or you can plant your feet firmly inside 12 gallon drums, one on each side of the log you're trimming. Seen that done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickOHH Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Thats a mighty fine adze you have there , good work. Doin the curve for the bowl adze isn't as bad as it may seem for your first time just keep workin it side to side and front to back in your swage until you get the shape you like, but you can always save that for the next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Finito! The cold weather is moving in hard and fast, but I didn't let that stop me from spending some quality time in the smithy. I brought her to a nice orange and let her soak for a few minutes while I got everything ready. Then it was a nice warm oil bath for her. The edge was drawn to a nice blue/purple which I've always found good for knives and chisels. We'll have to see how it does for an adze. Tomorrow, if the weather is suitably blustery, I'm heading out into the woods to find a bit of hardwood for the handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Looks like a very nice tool. Just one small question, shouldn't the bevel be on the bottom of the blade, the handle side? googled adze's guess there are a fair number out there with the bevel on top. Not sure what the dis/advantages are though for one way or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Really the location of the bevel is usually not critical. If the total angle is correct it mostly affects the attack angle for the swing and the handle. I tend to like mine as this is a bit better because you can pry a bit more effectively... helps if you are splitting some waste away. On this particular tool it will also give better clearance for the adze head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I do like to hone a mini bevel inside though... to get the edge thoroughly sharp. I usually round the corners a little too and on a flat adze like this I'd probably grind the edge with a slight curve so that the center cuts very slightly deeper than the edges. Slightly rounded, but sharp, corners give a smoother finish off the tool, minimizing ridges at the edges of the cuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Do you work with adzes a lot, Foot? I've only seen them in pictures, so this was something of an adventure and I'm looking forward to getting it hafted. I can see how the sharp corners would create ridges on the wood. What type of angle do you think is best for a GP adze edge bevel? Treat it like any other knife or chisel? Or, keep it rather obtuse for strength? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Ah ok! that all makes sense. Thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickOHH Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 i found some info on adze bevels somewhere, they were sayin an outside, or top bevel was better for roughing as it wont cut in to deep and you can swing harder without worrying about going to deep, and a inside or bottom in this case was better for fine detail as it will slice right in so is effective with less power, they were talking more for bowl adzes, but i think the theory wouold work for either, if i can find the write up ill post it in here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefflus Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Very nice! Any reason you didn't sharpen it on both faces, or is there a microbevel I'm not seeing? I'm quite sure it will not be ideal for hollowing, but it's perfect to have one like this for outside work even when making bowls. If you do make a curved one, might I suggest you bend the pick side of the hammer down the shaft? This would add a bit of mass, plus give you strength when levering out chips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Nick, that sounds like an excuse to make more of them! I can't very well go around with my bevel on the wrong side, now can I? ;) Interestingly, most of the small adzes on ebay have far more curve than mine does, and they all seem to have the bevel on the inside. This is the opposite of the adzes sold by a lot of the woodworking places. Stefflus, that's an interesting idea. I don't know how much mass you'd need for one of these things, but it would certainly look cool. I like having an excuse to experiment with these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickOHH Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Yea it does :) I made 3 bowl adzes so far one outside one inside and one combination bevel so I can see which I like better, and they're fun to make so it's a win win!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudman Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Nice work as usual dude. Quite a task. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I don't do a lot of adze work. I am fairly skilled with them though. I have a lot of experience with woodcarving in general. I own several adzes, some bought and some that I made. I really enjoy working with them! The angle you have here looks about right. I like SHARP and I am no fan of blunt angled edges... but for a roughing tool that is swung and sometimes used for prying splits... much thinner than this gets too fragile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 Foot, I'm still searching for a decent handle so I haven't been able to try her out on some wood. What little chopping I did just holding it by hand seems to show the secondary bevel maybe a hair too blunt. Could have been me and my technique, but I prefer to blame the tool for any lousy performance when possible. I've done a bit more research and it seems like only Plumb-brand masonry hammers have/had the thick walls around the eye. As rusted and corroded as my hammer started out, the side walls are still a strong 3/16" thick. Plenty of meat to forge out if someone was of a mind to do such a thing. I like the feature because it adds some nice mass to the adze and gives it the right look.I'm watching ebay for more Plumb hammers that I can convert; I'm hoping to make at least three more adzes for my personal collection before the year's out.More to follow when I get a decent handle..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 I would keep the secondary bevel very long, almost flat. More of a micro-bevel. I like to make my handles from local wood stock. I shave them on my shaving horse. I don't know what woods you have there but I prefer pecan, hickory, Osage orange, or mulberry. Ash is pretty good too. You might have rhododendron there and I think that would be good. Lilac is pretty good wood too, when you can get big enough pieces. Lots of overgrown shrubberies and nut tree woods are good. Stock with some flex is better than brittle woods. Maples are mostly too brittle... why MLB is having serious breakage issues with modern bats... bad wood choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Oh! I know one that you probably have there... Hackberry! The whole elm family is generally good handle woods, hackberry especially so. It's stringy, dense, yet flexible, wood makes super tough handles! Pioneers liked to use hackberry root for their froe clubs. I made a magnificent trestle dining table of hackberry lumbered locally here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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