icon for Home page
icon for Kid's Home page
icon for Digital Collection
icon for Activities
icon for Turns Exhibit
icon for In the Classroom
icon for Chronologies
icon for My Collection

Online Collection

front
(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
Contact us for information about using this image.



label levels:

A broad ax is a specialized ax used to shape a round tree trunk into a timber, square or rectangular in cross-section. The cutting edge is longer than on a common ax and is often beveled only on the side away from the log face, allowing greater control and a smoother finished surface. The handle is usually curved away from the tree so that the worker lessens the chance of "barking" his knuckles on the log being dressed. When broad axes were widely used, a local blacksmith made them, but with the introduction of water-powered sawmills in the mid to late 1700s and especially with the widespread use of circular saws the broad ax became obsolete.

 

top of page

Broad Ax

blade   9.0"
length   19.37"
process/materials   wood, metal
item type   Tools/Woodworking Tools & Equipment
accession #   #1925.11.06.01


Look Closer icon My Collection icon Interactive Activity icon Detailed info icon


ecard icon Send an e-Postcard of this object



See Also...

Inventory of Edward Allyn

Iron Axe

Axe with modern haft


button for Side by Side Viewingbutton for Glossarybutton for Printing Helpbutton for How to Read Old Documents

 

Home | Online Collection | Things To Do | Turns Exhibit | Classroom | Chronologies | My Collection
About This Site | Site Index | Site Search | Feedback