# Kestrel Adze Build



## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

There'a wood carver in Alaska who claimed that an elbow adze is a "bandsaw on a stick." I agree.

Step 1 was to buy the information package "Adzes And Ends" from Kestrel Tool.
Step 2 was to make a couple of elbow handles, based on the plans.
I cut flat sawn birch to the basic shape and pegged the head. I correctly imagined that one would turn out much better than the other.
Step 3 was to order the blade. Baby Sitka, straight blade. I don't do monumental work so the full Sitka wasn't needed. I do very little cross grain work so the "lip-adze" aka gutter shape was not needed.
Step 4 was to do a lot of finish shaping of the handle to fit my hands. Yes, there are key clues to get it right.
Step 5 was to clamp the blade to an elbow handle and work the tool for several days. This is to decide how far in or out the blade seat needed to be to get the correct geometry so it swings and cuts cleanly and easily. Far more sophisticated than I imagined.
Step 6 was to cut the blade notch so that it is not quite flat.
Step 7 was to bind the blade with #18 tarred nylon seine twine. Heavy gloves, lots of tension and pull hard = the blade sits down from the pressure.
Step 8 was to wrap the handle with flat brown dacron cord for a better grip and it hides hand grime.
= = 
This is for shaping. Not like a D-adze for finishing. Over the past couple of months, I use this to shape edges and tapers and some wasting at the start of wood carvings. For extreme brutal hacking, I'll use a Stubai carving adze.

If the finished adze from Kestrel seems expensive, I believe it's a hint to make your own. Those guys are bladesmiths first and foremost.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

Thanks Robson, I really appreciate you taking the time to put this together - and your informative posts in the other thread:thumbsup:

It is nice to have some discussion in this group on topics other than planes and chisels:yes:.

I'm sure you are correct about them not really wanting to haft their irons for you. FYI for others who haven't visited the Kestrel site a complete Sitka Gutter Adze is $185. The iron only is $54.

Also FYI the Kestrel Tool Site is here: http://www.kestreltool.com/

And the North Bay Forge Site is here: http://www.northbayforge.com/


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

trc: you're most welcome. Thanks for putting up the links.
Just took a while to find the pix. I love the rubber hose blade guard!
The hardest part of all is getting the peg hole drilled straight.

I think the real point is that when you build your own, you learn to appreciate why the thing is shaped as it is. Yeah, I take a little pride in it but the physics and geometry trump that. I built an umbrella stand of western red cedar with 4 tapered sides, covered in formline carvings. I split my own slabs, smoothed them then tapered them with that adze.
Not a finishing tool. Close to the line, I quit and used a Stanley #5 for the finish.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

One thing that I forgot to mention:
The Kestrel plans are maybe 2" too short in the handle.
Give yourself enough wood so that you can saw some off when
you get the geometry right.
Adding length to the handle was a right booger to do.


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