Chipped Adze

[Ron Kelley]

I abraded the lateral edges but the bit is real sharp.
The adze is 5 1/2 inches long and 2 5/8 inches wide at the bit end.

[Scorpion68]

That's some beautiful work Ron. Is there a difference between abrading and grinding an edge? Trying to stay up on my terminology. Also - when you sharpen an edge on an Adze, do you bevel down to one side which would leave an angled cutting edge?

[Ron Kelley]

Thanks Chuck, I guess abrading and grinding are the same thing. I sharpened the bit end from both sides evenly: Not beveled to one side.

[Hoss]

Very nice Ron are you going to haft that bad boy?

[Ron Kelley]

At some point I want to haft it to a handle Matt. The V shape would be driven into a slot in the wood but I have read that the sides should not contact the wood. That could be a tricky haft to get a working adze. I have some rawhide that could wrap the handle to help prevent splitting. I should probably grind the bit to help prevent chipping the bit.

[G10+]

Would like to see that !!!

[Kyflintguy]

Gorgeous work Ron! Now could you imagine polishing one of those with natural sources?! I can't lol. Nice looking adze though, would love to see it in action. Also reminds me of a basal notch preform kinda. Thanks for sharing!

[Ron Kelley]

Hey Josh, I gave your idea of a knife preform some thought. I'm sure I could knap a knife from this but it would take a lot of thinning. The Adze is 5/8 inch thick.

[Kyflintguy]

Didn't know that Ron, would be hard to use as a preform in that case, or it would for me anyways! Were you going to polish the adze? I say give it a go anyways if it strikes you to?! Many were not polished also but interesting project to play with!

[Ron Kelley]

Hey Josh, I think I will polish the bit area only. That will make a bit that is less apt to chip while in use.

[SDhunter]

Again Ron, nice work!

[p kurt]

I have a sweet spot for adzes, I didn't notice the material. Is it hornestone? Nice looking piece for sure

[Ron Kelley]

Thanks Kurt, This is some Texas Chert from the Edwards Plateau area. I don't know if it would be called Edwards Plateau Chert because it is glassier that the other Edwards that I have knapped. This material knapped a lot easier than the other Edwards that I have knapped.

[Ron Kelley]

This picture is from Paleo Planet: I think it would work well whether hafted as an axe or an adze:

[Hoss]

Cool picture Ron It looks like Texas flint is it Edawrds?

[Ron Kelley]

Hey Matt, I didn't heat treat this Texas rock and yet it is glassier that the other raw Edwards that i have knapped. It did come from that region.

[Hi-Lo]

That is a fine adze Ron. Excellent workmanship by you.

[2ndoldman]

Well done Ron.
It is interesting how different that blade looks in each of your three pictures.
I like this one the best.

[Jethro355]

That thing looks deadly, or useful, but definitely beautiful.👍👍👍

[sailorjoe]

HI Ron. I guess I'm a bit late in viewing this post. Beautiful work as usual. But I have a question for my clarification and learning as to terminology of tools. If the bit end is beveled or sharpened on both sides would it be a celt? My understanding is that adzes are beveled on one side. Or does it have more to do on how it is halfted and eventually used?

[Ron Kelley]

Hey Joe, I have seen both types of bits on many artifacts which were called adzes. I have also seen it called a chipped celt. I wonder what the ancient people who used them would have named it.