What is a Broad Axe?
A broad axe is an axe with an extremely broad blade and a very heavy head. This design is intended for use in squaring timbers. Using a broad axe requires a great deal of skill and physical strength, and the necessary skills are growing uncommon, due to the proliferation of mechanized logging equipment which does the same job. It is still sometimes possible to purchase broad axes from logging supply companies and hardware stores. A typical broad axe has two distinct sides. On one side, the blade of the axe is flat, making it easy to create a smooth edge. On the other, the blade is beveled, allowing the user to wedge it into the wood. When squaring timber, the flat side is faced against the side of the timber, while the bevel side faces the scrap edge, allowing the user to create a smooth edge with one stroke. Because broad axes have two distinct sides, there are right and left hand versions with handles to match. The most classical use of a broad axe was for creating square timbers suc
