Awesome skills, interesting axes

O

Oxbow

Joined
Feb 5, 2015
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94
I feel like this video is one of the best things on Youtube.

Besides the amazing skill of the Czech axeman. He's hewing to a line mostly by eye as far as I can tell, (but the video is blurry). Also the amazing precision of his axe cut joinery. I have tried to cut a 90 degree face on end grain and can appreciate how much skill this guy has to get those joints so clean and tight. I've read some strong criticisms of using dovetail lap joints on braces in timber frame construction, but those are amazingly well executed especially considering the minimalist toolset.

I also really like the design of the axes. It goes along with the discussion on the weaknesses of the Hudson Bay pattern. It seems like all axes with deep beards and shallow eyes are going to have a similar issue. Japanese bearded axes and the Bulgarian axes you see on the bay seem to have the same design weakness with not enough metal/wood contact area in the eye. Obviously the axes in the video do not suffer from this issue with the super long socket for the eye. I imagine it hugely complicates forging them.
 
Look at the size of the chips that's throwing! Love the design of that ax, bet it's a beast to wield though.
 
Pretty impressive. The wedge at the end (aprx 7 min mark) locks in the beam I'm guessing? That axe control was amazing. It looks like he even made the hammer out of wood. Pretty cool.
 
Tankerwolf said:
Pretty impressive. The wedge at the end (aprx 7 min mark) locks in the beam I'm guessing? That axe control was amazing. It looks like he even made the hammer out of wood. Pretty cool.
Click to expand...

They don't actually show the construction or assembly of that particular joint, but if I had to guess that is a wedged half dovetail mortise and tenon. I'm not sure why you would use such a fancy joint in that location, but the whole thing is at a living history museum in the Czech republic. So I assume it is historically accurate for the period they are demonstrating.
 
That's incredible! He makes hewing look so effortless, if only that were remotely true. I subscribed to the channel after this and am suddenly pining for w good hewing axe xD
Great find Oxbow
 
If you look closely you will see strategic chalked lines here and there. Tricks of the trade!
 
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