Hi everyone on this slant to the hewing topic,

Well I personally have seen many examples of adze finished timbers, especially those that were exposed on the ceilings of homes. These timbers are usually very smooth, with an undulating surface texture, and in many cases were beaded on the lower 2 corners with a hand plane.

I have studied your photos closely, and I personally came to the conclusion that what you think are axe marks are really overlapping adzing marks. This type of finish can be the product of using the adze with a slight tip to the blade, and working at an angle to the surface.

Also what you believe are marks on the edge of the axe blade are really the divisions between the overlapping marks of the adze.

Now this is just my observations, and I respect your comments, it would be nice to hear from other knowledgeable professionals who might have an opinion in this area of expertise.

It is just this type of observations that are very important in historic restoration and reconstruction, if you are trying to do exact reproduction of surfaces.

NH