Etymology
axe (n.)
"edged instrument for hewing timber and chopping wood," also a battle weapon, Old English ces (Northumbrian acas) "axe, pickaxe, hatchet," later x, from Proto-Germanic *akusjo (source also of Old Saxon accus, Old Norse ex, Old Frisian axe, German Axt, Gothic aqizi), from PIE *agw(e)si- "axe" (source also of Greek axine, Latin ascia).1
axe (v.)
1670s, "to shape or cut with an axe," from axe (n.). Figurative meaning "to remove" (a person, from a position), "severely reduce" (expenses) is recorded by 1922. The axe in figurative sense of cutting of anything (expenses, workers, etc.), especially as a cost-saving measure, is from 1922, probably from the notion of the headman's literal axe (attested from mid-15c.). Related: Axed; axing.1
Pronunciation
English:
History
2 The axe has been around for a long time, being one of the oldest tools used by mankind as far back as 1.6 million years ago. The first known man to use the axe were Homo ergastar. These axes had no shaft, or any means to hold an axe other than by the axe head itself. These axes would be classified as hand axes for obvious reasons.
Use(s)
The axe is an ancient and ubiquitous tool that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, harvest timber, as a weapon and a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has many forms and specialized uses but generally consists of an axe head with a handle, or helve.
Types
- Felling - Cuts across the grain of wood, as in the felling of trees. In single or double bit (the bit is the cutting edge of the head) forms and many different weights, shapes, handle types and cutting geometries to match the characteristics of the material being cut.
- Splitting - Used to split with the grain of the wood. Splitting axe bits are more wedge shaped. This shape causes the axe to rend the fibres of the wood apart, without having to cut through them, especially if the blow is delivered with a twisting action at impact.
- Broad - Used with the grain of the wood in precision splitting. Broad axe bits are chisel-shaped (one flat and one bevelled edge) facilitating more controlled work.
Closely Related
- Adze - A variation featuring a head perpendicular to that of an axe. Rather than splitting wood side-by-side, it is used to rip a level surface into a horizontal piece of wood.
Gallery
Reading
Additional reading, please install links here directing your readers to more information about this subject.
Media
Links
- American Axes (Oxford Academic)
- Woodworking Tools and Axes (Clutch Axes)
- David Fisher (Bowl Carver)
- History of the Axe (Gransors Bruk)
File References
| ID | T | Name | Size | Last modified | Actions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 278 | Axe Patterns Axe head patterns by Brant and Cochran Reference: Axe Patterns – Brant & Cochran. https://www.bnctools.com/pages/axe-patterns. Accessed 25 Dec. 2018. |
64.03 KB | 12-24-2018 | ||||
| 276 | Gransfors Broad Axe.jpg The Gränsfors Broad Axe model 1900 has a traditional design and is suitable for squaring logs and planks, for example when building a log house. Broad Axes vary greatly depending on the shape of the head and edge and the angle of the handle. Reference: “Gränsfors Broad Axe, Model 1900.” Gränsfors Bruk, https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/product/gransfors-broad-axe-model-1900/. Accessed 23 Dec. 2018. |
227.82 KB | 12-23-2018 | ||||
| 279 | Gransfors Carving Axe The Gränsfors Large Carving Axe is used for woodworking and shaping wood. Reference: Gränsfors Large Carving Axe - Gränsfors Bruk. https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/product/gransfors-large-carving-axe/. Accessed 26 Dec. 2018. |
976.46 KB | 12-26-2018 | ||||
| 281 | Gransfor Carpenters Axe Gransfor Carpenters Axe Reference: Gränsfors Carpenter’s Axe - Gränsfors Bruk. https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/product/gransfors-carpenters-axe/. Accessed 9 Jan. 2019. |
895.54 KB | 12-27-2018 | ||||
| 274 | Felling Axe Felling Axe Attribution: [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Felling_axe.jpg |
189.12 KB | 12-23-2018 | ||||
| 339 | Gransfors Large Splitting Axe The splitting axe used primarily for splitting firewood. Reference: “Gränsfors Large Splitting Axe.” Gränsfors Bruk, 17 Jan. 2019, https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/product/gransfors-large-splitting-axe/. Source: https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/product/gransfors-large-splitting-axe/ |
99.88 KB | 01-17-2019 | ||||
| 276 | Gransfors Broad Axe.jpg The Gränsfors Broad Axe model 1900 has a traditional design and is suitable for squaring logs and planks, for example when building a log house. Broad Axes vary greatly depending on the shape of the head and edge and the angle of the handle. Reference: “Gränsfors Broad Axe, Model 1900.” Gränsfors Bruk, https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/product/gransfors-broad-axe-model-1900/. Accessed 23 Dec. 2018. |
227.82 KB | 12-23-2018 | ||||
| 277 | Paul Gauguin The Man With The Axe The man with the axe by Paul Gauguin (1891) Reference: "File:Paul Gauguin 029.jpg." Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. 28 May 2018, 15:16 UTC. 25 Dec 2018, 06:04 . |
172.71 KB | 12-24-2018 | ||||
| 463 | Bronze Age Axe Heads Brandenburg an der Havel ( Germany ). Archaeological Museum of the state of Brandenburg - Bronze Age Gallery: Bronze Age hoard of axes, from Groß Gaglow. Attribution: Wolfgang Sauber [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)] Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ALB_-_Hortfund_Gro%C3%9F_Gaglow.jpg |
343.00 KB | 10-31-2019 |
References