pointed stick which primitive Tools for Trails man used in an upward and Part 1 downward stabbing motion. With the new tool, they began to “Adze Hoe” grub the earth rather than stab By: Bob Johnson it. Most worldwide archeological excavations have Note: This is Part 1 of a series of articles providing a brief history of the tools used discovered some form of hoe today on the trail. was utilized. The Adze Hoe use varied from African woodcarving The Adze/Adz Hoe, Grub Hoe, or to prehistoric Maroi Hazel Hoe all has a synonymous woodcarvings from New relationship in the fact that the Zealand. African and Egyptian hoe is one of the oldest tools adzes were used for planing and known to man. Early indications carving. “It was made of a show that ancient worldwide wooden handle, often fashioned civilizations of “hunter from a branch cut at its gatherers” slowly decreased ramification, to which a blade their nomadic tendencies and was fitted.”2 Developing adzes began to settle into regions for were made from nephrite, also domestic habitation. “The many known as jade. Knapped flint demands of a settled way of life adzes were made in central led to a higher degree of tool Europe in the late Mesolithic specialization; the identities of Period (8,000-2,700bc). the ax, adz, chisel, and saw “Polished adzes and axes made were clearly established more of ground stone, like than 4,000 years ago.”1 The amphibolites, basalt, or jadeite celt, a smooth chisel-shaped are typical for the Neolithic tool head that formed either an Period (last 10,000yrs). Shoe- ax or adz, dates from the last adzes or celts, named for establishment of agriculture and their typical shape, are found in the domestication of animals. the Linearbandkeramic and No particular region of the world Rossen cultures of the early can definitively lay claim to the Neolithic.”3 Diorite or basalt invention of the hoe. Some stone, when ground created researchers can attest that the sharper edged adzes. Later African hoe evolved from a meteoric iron were used and 2 “Carpenters and their tools,” 28 Sep 2004. 1 “Hand tool,” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2004. http://www.nefertiti.iwebland.com/trades/carpent Premium Service. 29 Sept 2004 ers.htm http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocid=3919 3 “Adze,” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 28 3 Sep 2004. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adze sharpened by grinding also. By industrialized cultures. Adzes Egyptian times, the adz had are also in current use by artists acquired a wooden haft (handle) such as the American and with a copper or bronze blade Canadian Indian sculptors doing set flat at the top of the haft to large pole carvings. form a T. In this form but with a Adz hoes of various weights and steel blade, it continued to be sizes are available and are good the prime hand tool for shaping for building and repairing trail and trimming wood. Egyptians tread and for digging trenches used various sizes of adzes for to hold turnpike logs and different jobs. The larger adzes waterbars. They usually come were used for removing bark, with a 34-inch handle and a six- branches and in boat and house inch-wide blade set at an “adze construction, smaller adzes for angle” and are maintained and delicate carving and planing. used like a mattock. “The adz was once an indispensable tool of general Adze hoes are some trail utility. In addition to surfacing, builders tool of choice and it was particularly useful for should be respected for their truing and otherwise leveling continued historical framework such as posts, significance. beams, and rafters, in setting up the frames of wooden ships and in dressing ships’ planking. For special purposes, the blade was Linearbandkeramic Shoe-last adze, amphibolites round instead of flat, allowing the adz to cut hollows such as gutters. Dugout canoes, log coffins, and stock watering troughs, all cut from a whole log, were products of the adz. Short-handled adzes were used by coopers and makers of wooden bowls.”4 Today’s adz hoe has largely been replaced by the sawmill and the power-planer, at least in 4 “hand tool-European usage,” Encyclopedia Britannica. 29 Sep 2004. http://www.britannica.com/eb/print?tocld=39216 .