Thread: Adze, Broad Axe, Froe etc

Google is your friend... "buy froe"

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-B...Froe-21635.htm

http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Shingle-...QQcmdZViewItem

I also think Lee Valley *may* have sold one...

Cheers,
Andrew

Try these second hand tool dealers...

http://www.hansbrunnertools.gil.com.au/

http://www.toolexchange.com.au/

Originally Posted by Bois

.........................PS. Does anyone have an old kerosene TV they no longer want?

No, I've only got one of the new-fangled gas powered ones (although I believe they can be converted to wood burners)

Mick

MIK sells shaping axes and the like. But they aren't exactly affordable.

I got an old adze, it was my grandfathers, the suprising thing is I bought a replacement handle from bunnings. I havent looked but maybe they also have the heads or complete units.

You can still buy adzes. Ones I've seen aren't as good a quality as some of the older tools , but with a tune up they'll do the job.

I own two old brades No.s 2, the 'old' industry standard for my trade, and a heavier adze I've used for shaping/fairing up sponsons on large boats.

I think the second hand dealers are the only places you'll find a broad axe.

Thank the lord these old buggers can't take their gear with them when they leave the workshop, eh

I have a small collection and still give them a run now and then,but mostly they are to pick up run your hand over and give a little sharpen if it takes your fancy.
The adze is still around in stores,have one at work in the truck for dressing power poles.It doesn't get used much anymore with the new hardware we have but the apprentice needs to know what it's used for. Not for digging the truck out of a bog!!
The last broard axe I saw sold at a clearance sale went for $450.00,but If your in the right place at the right time the farm clearance sale is the best place to pick up good old tools.
If you want to see an expert in action drop in on Stan at the Working with Wood Show,he swings a mean axe and loves a chat.
Hope you get some offers Bios,once you have a sleeper cutters broard axe in your hand you won't part with it.

Try the Traditional Tools Group - www.ttg.org.au

Thanks everyone. I have purchased a second hand adze head which looks like it may work well, and yes surprise, surprise, Bunnings still sell adze handles but not adze heads. I will have to hide it or keep it under lock and key as it is very tempting for the unaware to grab an adze and use it for nefarious purposes - mattock, hoe, hammer and even chipping concrete ("Well, it looked like that was what it was for"!!).

I have located a number of second hand broad axes, but am reluctant to buy them at the prices they are going for ($250 to $300 upwards) without a test drive, as I am sure there are broad axes and there are broad axes.

If anyone every has a broad axe to sell, please let me know if it does a good job.

Thanks again for all your help. Regards Jonathan (Bois)

Bois

I'm hopefully getting my Adze from Caboolture markets this Sunday. I expect to pay $30 to $35 for one with a new handle. I bought my Drawknife from there last week for $55, an old English one circa 1900. Last week there was a Froe for $40 with a new handle but no broad axes. I'm going to hit up a friend who does blacksmithing to see if he can make a Froe for me from a leaf spring.

HTH
Derek

Originally Posted by derekh

Bois

I'm hopefully getting my Adze from Caboolture markets this Sunday. I expect to pay $30 to $35 for one with a new handle. I bought my Drawknife from there last week for $55, an old English one circa 1900. Last week there was a Froe for $40 with a new handle but no broad axes. I'm going to hit up a friend who does blacksmithing to see if he can make a Froe for me from a leaf spring.

HTH
Derek

Thanks Derek,
If the froe or another one is still there and you don't want it, I am wondering if you would be able to purchase it for me and I would pick it up and pay you this coming week. No problems if you don't want to do this.

It sounds like you are getting into this type of timber work. Have you had much experience with it? Perhaps you would be interested in doing a weekend together. I have cut thousands of narrowleaf ironbarks over the years for fencing, cattle yards, bridges, etc, and at the moment I am cutting what is the best narrow leaf ironbark I have ever come across and would like to treat some of it in the old ways.

Regards Jonathan (Bois)

Things to watch out for with an old broad axe: over many sharpenings the edge can end up curved rather than straight and like a large bevel edge chisel the flat side will need to be restored. Just make sure there's enough meat left to do so.

Also check carefully for cracks around the eye. I bought a new Kelly way back when and cracked it being ham fisted fitting the handle.

If you're interested in reading see A.W. Bealer Old Ways of Working Wood (1972).

Also bear in mind if you are thinking of usein these items that australina hardwoods are much harder than the northern hemisphere timbers that most of the books are talking about when they go on about these items.

for example
I have various texts explaing the use of and singing the virtues of such timber cleaving tools.
So....when my neibour & I took down one of his dead grey gums we thaught we would give the splitting wedges a run.
BH we just about busted our guts splitting this log. .... no some of the english books will speak of belting wedges with a wooden malet..... forget it we were swinging a 10Lb sledge at the wedges & that was just doing the job.

splitting ausie hardwood by hand is very hard work
If you plan on taking up serious heavy dark side pastimes may I sugest some of this first

I will confess to using wedges and froe to split sheoak and other small stuff.

yep handles for adzes available in most decent hardware & tool shops.
Remember the only safe way to use an adze is standing in two kerosene tins

cheers

Thanks Ern,
I went to an auction at Strathpine today and bought a few adzes to see which one I liked best. Unfortunately, after lots of pleading I let the best two go to others at the end of the auction. I must be a bit mad after having bought them. But maybe what goes around comes around (or should that be what comes around goes around).

As for the Broad Axes, I walked away when bidders thought they were made of gold not steel. I would be very reluctant to pay so much without a test drive first.

I noticed that although I wanted woodworking tools to use, I was bidding against collectors if the item was quality or against people with surplus cash who thought these items might look good on a wall behind their bar and would pay almost anything to get it. Such is life.

I will try to get a copy of Bealer.

Thank you kindly, Jonathan (Bois)