A man using a broad ax to cut firewood.
A broad ax is an ax with an extremely wide blade and a very heavy head. This project is designed for use in squaring lumber. Using a broadaxe requires a great deal of skill and physical strength, and the skills required are becoming rare due to the proliferation of mechanized cutting equipment that does the same job. Sometimes it is still possible to buy broad axes at lumber companies and hardware stores.
Historically, wide shafts were often used to make railway ties.
A typical broad ax has two distinct sides. For one thing, the ax blade is flat, making it easy to create a smooth blade. On the other hand, the blade is beveled, which allows the user to fit it into the wood. When squaring the wood, the flat side faces the side of the wood, while the beveled side faces the scrap edge, allowing the user to create a smooth edge with a single stroke. Since the wide trucks have two different sides, there are left and right versions with matching handles.
The most classic use of a broad ax was to create square beams, such as those used to protect houses and make railway ties. After felling the tree, a light ax was used to make a light cut in the wood in a straight line, creating a mark to follow with a broad axe. The user climbed up the trunk to wield the broadaxe and came down with powerful blows that were designed to split the wood along the line, creating a square edge. Once a ledge has been made, the log can be flipped over to start on the next ledge.
If you ever walk into a structure that was built in the days when mining was done by hand, chances are you can see the thwack of a broad ax in the woods. Someone experienced with the broadaxe and in peak physical condition could produce dozens of logs a day, ensuring that the production line was not clogged with timber waiting to be processed.
As well as being used to create square lumber, a broad ax can also be used to make octagonal lumber, such as those classically used as masts on ships. An experienced user can also use a wide ax to make floorboards. Some logging competitions even include a wide ax split for loggers to show off their skills with this classic logging tool.