An adze was used to smooth wooden beams after they had been rough shaped by a broad ax. When people claim they can see the adze marks on a beam, they are mistaken: the marks are from a broad ax. If an adze was used, there would be no marks. Craftsmen who were good with an adze were said to be able “to lift the print off a piece of paper.”
This particular tool is a shipwright’s adze or “American adze” because it has a spur or nail punch on the side opposite the blade. It is stamped, “Campbells XXX Tool St. John NS. Campbell seems to have been a popular name in the axe and edge-tool business in St. John a century ago. There was Campbell & Fowler (1863) which became W. Campbell in 1879; and then Campbell Bros. in 1891 before folding in 1926; G. Wilfred Campbell & Son (1920-21) and Campbell & Campbell (1922 to 1923).
The following two drawings are from Eric Sloane's excellent book, A Museum of Early American Tools (NY: Ballantine Books, 1964, 1974):
The following two drawings are from Eric Sloane's excellent book, A Museum of Early American Tools (NY: Ballantine Books, 1964, 1974):
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