Hatchets, axes & sculptor's adzes (dexel)

Hatchets and sculptor's adzes are traditional carving tools used in woodcarving. They are ideal for creating larger shapes and can also be used to carve large cavities. The different functions of hatchets, axes and adzes can be seen in the different shapes of their cutting edges and handles.

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Like all wooden tools, hatchets, axes and sculptor's adzes need to be sharpened regularly for optimum sharpness.

Sculptor's adze (Dexel)

Sculptor's adzes are traditional sculpting tools. They have an axe-like shape, but the blade does not run parallel to the handle, but across it. The cutting edges of adzes have different curvatures depending on the type of work to be done with them. Strongly curved adzes can be used to create large cavities, for example. Flatter adzes can also be used to create surfaces.

Cutting edge shapes and functions of hatchets & axes

The main difference between hatchets and axes lies in the length of their handles and thus their function:Hatchets have a rather short handle. They are usually wielded with one hand and are used by sculptors for carving, by carpenters for trimming wood and, for example, when trekking to limb trees and cut smaller branches.
Hatchets have a long handle and are usually wielded with both hands, for example when felling trees or splitting wood.
Sculptor's hatchets have a curved and often longer blade, which makes carving easier. Sculptor's hatchets or carving axes are good for rough work, but can also be used to shape surfaces, for example. Carpenter's hatchets have a straight, thin blade, which makes it possible to shape dry wood straight and precisely. The bevelled edge of both the sculptor's hatchet and the carpenter's hatchet is usually ground straight. Sculptor's hatchets are also available with a bevelled edge on one side only.

A small, lightweight, handy hatchet is very practical for travelling, e.g. when trekking: it fits in any rucksack and helps when making firewood, among other things.

Splitting axes and splitting axes come in different sizes. They have a straight handle and a rather narrow head with a short cutting edge. A splitting axe is used to split wood – to make firewood or smaller blocks of sawn wood. Some splitting axes can also be used to fell and limb small trees. The bevel of splitting axes and hatchets is usually crowned, with a wider cutting angle for optimal splitting.

Foresting axes are used, for example, in the traditional felling of trees.

A throwing hatchet is a double-edged hatchet. In the past, double-bladed hatchets were mainly used by lumberjacks: With the double blade, two different cutting edges were available at the same time, but you only had to carry one hatchet into the forest. The lumberjacks' pleasure of demonstrating their skill by throwing the hatchet during breaks or after work has now become a sport in its own right, known as hatchet throwing – which is why this type of double-bladed axe is also called a throwing axe.

With a splitting knife, small pieces of wood can be split by pressing them down. A shingle splitting knife has a similar function.

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