Adze

ancient tools · woodworking · farming

Stone Age invention. Adzes have been around since the Stone Age, making them one of humanity's oldest and most useful tools for shaping wood and earth.

Blade faces sideways. Unlike an axe where the blade is parallel to the handle, an adze's blade sticks out perpendicular to the handle, kind of like a right angle.

Two different sizes. Hand adzes are short and swung with one hand for detailed carving, while foot adzes are long-handled and powerful enough to require both hands for farming and digging.

Master carvers love them. Woodworkers use adzes to smooth and shape wood for boats, buildings, and sculptures with amazing precision and control.

Farming tool too. Farmers and gardeners have used foot adzes like hoes for thousands of years to dig soil and prepare land for growing crops.