Strange looking digging tool

[TomB]

Hunted area that was used by the 45Th Va Infentry during the CW. Recovered a digging tool from about 11" that I do not recognize. Any help identifying and dating it would be appreciated.
TomB

 

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[bradyboy]

tiller part?
plowing blade?

 

[BIG61AL]

I've seen similar tools before that are use to shape round logs into square beams.

 

[doublet2a]

Looks like a a hoe to me, minus the handle




Tim

 

[TomB]

tiller part?
plowing blade?

If it was either of those...there would not be a place for a handle.

 

[stoney56]

First thought was a type of mattock but from the way the handle sits, you can't really swing it effectively.

 

[vthepresident]

I believe it is called an "adze." Used to knock chunks out of wood. I found a similar one a few months ago.

V

 

[lonesomebob]

An adze Right on!!!!! Bob

 

[Angelo]

I believe it is called an "adze." Used to knock chunks out of wood. I found a similar one a few months ago.

V

I believe you!

Tony

 

[TomB]

I believe it is called an "adze." Used to knock chunks out of wood. I found a similar one a few months ago.

V

I believe you!

Tony

Thanks guys....I'll try and date with research..now that I know what it is. TomB

 

[diggemall]

Not wanting to contradict anyone here, but I don;t think it's an adze.

1) the angle of the handle hole to the blade looks wrong - to be functional, the handle on an adze should be close to 90 degrees to the blade - this looks wider than that

2) the shape of the blade doesn't look suited to work as an adze with its really rounded corners and all

I suggest, like bradyboy, that it is the working blade of an old wood-framed, horse-drawn plow, beet lifter, potato digger, root cutter, etc..

Of course, I could be off by a mile !

Diggem'

 

[ZeroCool]

Not wanting to contradict anyone here, but I don;t think it's an adze.

1) the angle of the handle hole to the blade looks wrong - to be functional, the handle on an adze should be close to 90 degrees to the blade - this looks wider than that

2) the shape of the blade doesn't look suited to work as an adze with its really rounded corners and all

I suggest, like bradyboy, that it is the working blade of an old wood-framed, horse-drawn plow, beet lifter, potato digger, root cutter, etc..

Of course, I could be off by a mile !

Diggem'

Don't worry about contradicting. Everyone has their guesses.

1.) The handle angle is wrong, but it could be bent.

2.) The blade has a large chip out of it and the corners look worn, perhaps it was not made rounded, but got that way over time.

I think adze.

And I could be off by two miles!!

 

[Hemisteve]

Not an Adze!
Wrong shape and angle.

Could be an early or home made version of a Bark Spud.

For many centuries, bark was used to tan leather. "Bark peelers" cut down trees, peeled off their bark, and carried it to the tannery.
And many years later it was learned how to make paper from wood, most paper companies couldn't use bolts with bark, so pulpwood was peeled in the woods using a spud to pry the bark off. There were many different patterns for spuds.

One thing that everyone understood was that the amount of effort involved varied greatly with the season. In the spring when the sap was up, the bark was loose and would peel easily, but during the dormancy of the tree the bark is tight and very hard to remove, though the relative difficulty varies with species.

Although all the Spuds I have seen are straight, Imagine a very large wood chisel, I can see using a tool of this shape for de-barking a tree.

And I could be off by three miles!

Steve

 

[lonesomebob]

Round corners could make it a gutter adz,but still an adze Bob

 

[sniffer]

looks like a well used hoe

 

[ZeroCool]

looks like a well used hoe

 

[l.cutler]

I also do not think it is an adze. The only adze I have ever seen that did not have the square, "adze eye" handle is a small coopers adze.

 

[sniffer]

no slang inferred ROFLMAO

 

[deepskyal]

I used a tool similar called a sapoon...(not sure i spelled it right.) Aka..an Italian grape hoe. It was used to create trenches for planting stuff...like grape vines.

Al

http://www.easydigging.com/

 

[UnEarthed72]

i agree with the adze id


nice I.D.