Axe and Woodworking

[Ernest DuBois]

It's been said before, and I believe it too, but once the saw was introduced understanding of wood greatly diminishes. After all, sawing requires not so much reckoning with the structure of wood as a material, while working with an axe does. The simple example of making a notch at the corner of a plank can illustrate.

The grain of the wood is sloping inward in relation to the right angle of the notch so that a split coming from the end grain will take it beyond the corner and requires working in the opposite direction, or from the cut out towards the end.

And from there paring back to the lay-out.

for a good fit around the cabinet's rail.

At another corner with the wood working more in our favor a simple split and chop will work just fine, acknowledging all the time the convenience of the saw when it comes to working perpendicular to the grain. Also we can see the advantages of the well evolved subtitles featured in a suitable axe, in this case the so-called Dumstorfer carpentry axe.

 

[the-accumulator]

the so-called Dumstorfer carpentry axe.

It looks like a single-bevel lefty, am I correct?T-A

 

[Dusty One]

I agree.

 

[the-accumulator]

A lefty is perfect for the situation you show in your photos. I bet you have a righty close at hand for when the need arises.

 

[jake pogg]

The saw is also very,very old...Everyone who was good at woodworking,historically,used it...

But they used it Judiciously,knowing full well that not only it leaves a very roughed-up finish,but just logically can lead you unto temptation...to violate the grain logic and sense...

It's a great tool for removing waste,just takes a Lot of woodworking wisdom to not abuse it and do things with it that were meant to be cut or hewed.....

 

[jake pogg]

P.S.

Ernest's photos must be Huge in format,can't see them for love nor money,but i trust him implicitly for knowing what he's about,and illustrating correctly that very important concept.

 

[the-accumulator]

Funny coincidence: A few days ago I found in a bucket of edged tools in my shed a single-bevel half-hatchet. I have owned it for a while but had never noticed the single bevel. With just a few keystrokes, Google showed me a Plumb flooring hatchet. Mine is an OVB, but I'm suspicious it was made by Plumb.


What I couldn't find online was how a flooring hatchet was used. Now, thanks to Ernest, I have a little better idea. T-A

 

[jake pogg]

It's a nice little tool,T.-A.,good for you.
That chip out of the poll makes it look like the poll was hardened.

 

[Ernest DuBois]

P.S.

Ernest's photos must be Huge in format,can't see them for love nor money,but i trust him implicitly for knowing what he's about,and illustrating correctly that very important concept.

It's a damned irritation for me too. The last time, with your condition specifically in mind to boot, I made every effort to down-size only this go at it something computer-wise's gone haywire and this was not possible, or at any rate easily done.
As I say, not easily done but here it is, my best shot anyway

in no particular order though, for that you are on your own.

A lefty is perfect for the situation you show in your photos. I bet you have a righty close at hand for when the need arises.

To get competent using a right hander it surely an aspiration, an unfulfilled one for the time being.

 

[Ernest DuBois]

The saw is also very,very old...Everyone who was good at woodworking,historically,used it...

But they used it Judiciously,knowing full well that not only it leaves a very roughed-up finish,but just logically can lead you unto temptation...to violate the grain logic and sense...

It's a great tool for removing waste,just takes a Lot of woodworking wisdom to not abuse it and do things with it that were meant to be cut or hewed.....

It is possible to imagine getting to the saw absent the axe, possible, but without the chisel there is no saw. Goh, "violate the grain", that's one I will remember.

 

[jake pogg]

Ernest Thank you,please don't go through any trouble on my account...My reception is worthless...(and why Shouldn't it be?It's miraculous that i can access the world at all).

Yes,i remember that beautiful little Dumstorfer you had custom made for you...Such a clean,competent forging job,my hat's off to that smith...

 

[Ernest DuBois]

Custom made indeed. When he showed up with a right hander I told him I wanted left. An hour later he was back with the desired version, said he'd developed the technique to make producing them commercially viable, I chose not to pursue further inquiry though I am sure you would appreciate its pragmatisms.

 

[jake pogg]

The best smiths were also the Smartest ones!...(else none of us would've had any tools to work with,or at least to do a Nice job,using Proper tools!)

 

[the-accumulator]

Custom made indeed

It's beautiful. Can you share more in words and photos the unusual design features and what you like (and dislike) about it? Thanks, T-A

 

[Ernest DuBois]

Here is the classic profile shot including some reference to size.
The form is archaic going back to nearly middle ages times and representing really a high point when axes were tools of great precision work in carpentry and craft production and used with skill no longer known or at least in practice.

Here is a schematic of some known versions.
Because it is nicely balanced like that, upper and under, ( using the apex of the edges arch as a center-line), it encourages this intimate use for paring or carving, in particular the upward curve along the ridge, vorderflanke, out to the toe, along with that unusual extended blade section beyond the top of the eye. It gives you a clear line of sight all the way. The construction is strengthened with this rib or steg enabling the lightweight and thin-blade. After all along with being a tool which is thrust or swung it is just as much to be used with a push or paring action, chisel or slick-like.
A later 19 century version discovered in the village of Dumstorf near Lüneburg, Germany and from which the one I have is modeled has a pol and, we can presume it, a separate bit, which I see as among the unfortunate expediencies I mentioned earlier that are missing in this modern axe. I think the form of the eye is very fine and don't know if it was that way on the original or if this is also a liberty taken by the smid but the eye forms vary widely anyway.

Of course the geometry of the handle is my own contribution and whether I like it that way or if something less curved would be more suitable I can't say it though the choice of nettle wood cannot be beaten when used on any kind of axe.

 

[the-accumulator]

The form is archaic going back to nearly middle ages times and representing really a high point when axes were tools of great precision work in carpentry and craft production and used with skill no longer known or at least in practice.

Fascinating history, intriguing design, beautifully executed! Wish I could watch you work your magic with it. If I were a lefty, I'd have you drop it off at my place for safe keeping! T-A

 

[Ernest DuBois]

It is a funny, almost freakish axe and while more of a curiosity, out of place and from another hard to imagine time, I like using it whenever the right condition comes along.

 

[the-accumulator]

I like using it whenever the right condition comes along.

We can see that you use it for carpentry. Are you a carver, do you use it for carving? What else? T-A

 

[Old Axeman]

I am putting our past, and maybe future, differences aside for this post. I like this axe very much, it is my favorite of all of your shown axes.
What is the head weight?

 

[Ernest DuBois]

We can see that you use it for carpentry. Are you a carver, do you use it for carving? What else? T-A

I don't do much carving if it can be helped, with axes or otherwise, just carpentry. But I'm not the only one. Here are some old axe tracks I came across once

the beams used as a chopping block supporting some piece getting a fit.

I am putting our past, and maybe future, differences aside for this post. I like this axe very much, it is my favorite of all of your shown axes.
What is the head weight?

OK, we keep it in the moment, I agree. Having to look it up on the website where the axe is available I see the weight of the head is 550 g. I don't know what the oz equivalent is.