An adze is a cutting tool that looks like an axe but works differently. While an axe blade is vertical (parallel to the handle), an adze blade is perpendicular, meaning it sticks out at a right angle to the handle. When you swing an adze, the blade strikes downward and scoops toward you, shaving off wood with each stroke.

Carpenters and woodworkers have used adzes for thousands of years to shape wood, hollow out logs to make canoes, and smooth rough timber into beams. Shipbuilders relied on adzes to shape the curved parts of wooden ships. Even today, some craftspeople prefer adzes for certain jobs because the tool gives them precise control over how much wood they remove with each swing.

Using an adze takes skill and practice. You need to judge the angle and force carefully, since the blade swings toward your legs. But in experienced hands, an adze can shape wood beautifully, leaving a slightly rippled surface that shows the marks of careful handwork. If you've ever seen an old wooden bowl or the inside of a dugout canoe, you've probably seen the distinctive scooped marks left by an adze.