Hi Richard,

I hope you're feeling better and that your up to looking in here still and passing on some of your knowledge to those of us who can learn from what you might have to say. I have one question, a conceptual one, about axes in general and that is the following; is the axe a greenwood woodworking tool only? And if so how does that inform us about sharpening geometry, angles of cutting into the wood, producing a good surface finish, in fact the very choice of wood to use an axe on, or any other consequences you can thing of. I realize that there are many assumptions in my query as I read back through it, but as clumsy as it is, you might have a comment or two.Thanks,

Don Wagstaff

Hello everyone tonight

Hi Don:

Well I am feeling a little better now and appreciate your question

Predominantly axes in general were best used on green wood, I will give you a good example:

Take an Oak tree --one of the harder woods growing--walk up to it and cut off a 3 or 4" diameter limb, it cuts fairly easily--let it lay there for 6 months or so and then come back and try and cut it through the centre, you will see what I mean

Now this cenario goes for just about any working with wood project, and I said just about--hand planing and the like seems to like a dried surface for one example--- maybe others might jump in to this conversation with some pros and cons, let hear some comments

This topic is great for those learning to "work with wood"

enjoy


NH

Hello,

I can think of one kind of axe used primarily on seasoned wood. Piilukirves.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

Hello everyone tonight

Well Don I went on your site looking for that axe couldn't find it, but did enjoy your postings

The ones on slaughtering are really good and it brings back old memories when we killed and dressed our own animals--you are lucky that you live in a permissive society, here in Canada it is really taboo to kill animals on your own property even just for your own use

NH

That may be true in your part of the country NH, but in Saskatchewan it is still common practice. I grew up on a cattle farm and we often butchered and ate our own meat. We also live with a fairly large hunting culture here. I'm told it lowers the stress level of the animal and creates a better meat.

Hi Richard,

Much could be said about piilukirvees and Finnish axes and axe culture. Here are a few more or less interesting places from the internet to look at if you care to.

Piilukirves

And

Finnish axe

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

I would guess that these axes fall into the same family as similarly-formed axes such as the German Breitbeil and some Swedish-style broad axes with the long sockets. Although that is not to say they are the same thing. I suspect that this finnish axe and my goosewing both have a common ancestor somewhere down the line.

hello everyone tonight

Well its been a while but here I am again ready to talk about old times and all other topics

I just received a great assortment of old tools and I am going through them to get a handle on their age(s), and makers, it is wonderful how you can go in the web and bring up information that would otherwise be very hard to come by

I am right now studying a hand plane that has a very unusual adjusting mechanism, it has a metal base, and cast handle with a lever to adjust its depth rather than a screw adjustment method

will be back on shortly4

NH

hello everyone tonight

well here are a few items from the collection

saw set Morril's--------------- pattented 1840
saw set LA Sawyer & co--------- manufactured newark NJ
saw filing vise--diston--------1900--completely adjustable
adze--373 1/2------------------Sheffield England-good shape
adze handle-caverhill learmont & co--"cavelier"
diston hand saw--D8--philadelphia PA--
Bailey plane--#5--made in usa--godd conddition--

well that is it for tonight

enjoy comments

NH

Hello everyone tonight

Sure a good thread on the tool forum, that is covering sawhorse design, one thing that is close to my heart along with hewing timber

A few years ago I had to put together a group of tools and associated supporting work tressels for an accurate timberframing display, to do this I researched the archives at UCV for any appropriate information,in the end I found an engraving of workmen working on heavy timber supported on medium weight wooden horses, that were manufactured using 3" square wood pieces incorporating a wood shelf nicely morticed into each horse's legs, placed into position as each one was assembled. everything was wooden pinned together rather than nailed

hope you enjoy

NH