Originally Posted By: D Wagstaff
...nothing more than a fairytale. Could be I'm wrong but it would sure be handy to have seen evidence behind these whisperings of adze use as a common means of working on timbers like we're discussing here.


One observation about "adz work" can be a very possible indicator toward whether or not the individual sharing the information has ever actually employed this family of tools to any great capacity whatsoever?

Simply put, adz work, from almost every culture known, exist strictly as a finishing tool...be it lithic or of the iron age. Though there is evidence that lithic adz may have been more of a work horse tool that others? Even when working smaller stock material, outside the realm of timber framing, the ax, in all its many permutations, is the undefinable workhorse of stock removal...While the adz is usually only one of the finishing tools, perhaps to be followed by others...

Originally Posted By: D Wagstaff
Be that as it may it only begs the question why there are no corresponding representations coming out of the European/American scene.


It really isn't surprising (at least to me) that we don't see...most...of what we perform within the vintage skill sets of any craft; be it timber framing or others arts/crafts ever being well documented or "represented," in citation of any form.

This is a common talking point accross a myriad of fields that examine traditional skill sets. From Cultural/Social Anthropologists to Historical Interpreters...the aspect that is too often overlooked and/or not at all by lay folk...is the substantiation that we have conservatively only about 30% of what Traditional Knowledge Holders had. Through history (and even today) much of this is only passed on through oral traditions and experiential event of those learning. What little we see in whatever manner of citation, is quite often interpretive at its very best, and not an accurate depiction of either means, method or material utilization. We have lost much...and relic illustration, or even a 3rd party observer within literature, is a poor example or proof of activity...