"Pulaski (tool) The Pulaski is a special hand tool used in wildland firefighting. The tool combines an axe and an adze in one head, similar to that of the cutter mattock, with a rigid handle of wood, plastic, or fiberglass. The Pulaski is a versatile tool for constructing firebreaks, as it can be used to both dig soil and chop wood. It is also well adapted for trail construction, gardening, and other outdoor work. As a gardening or excavation tool, it is effective for digging holes in root-bound or hard soil. The invention of the Pulaski is credited to Ed"
"Axe An axe (British English) or ax (American English; see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has many forms and specialised uses but generally consists of an axe head with a handle, or ""helve"". Before the modern axe, the stone-age hand axe was used from 1.5 million years BP without a handle. It was later fastened to a wooden handle. The earliest examples of handled axes have heads of stone with some form of"
"Hand axe A hand axe (or handaxe) is a prehistoric stone tool with two faces that is the longest-used tool in human history. It is usually made from flint or chert. It is characteristic of the lower Acheulean and middle Palaeolithic (Mousterian) periods. Its technical name (biface) comes from the fact that the archetypical model is generally bifacial Lithic flake and almond-shaped (amygdaloidal). Hand axes tend to be symmetrical along their longitudinal axis and formed by pressure or percussion. The most common hand axes have a pointed end and rounded base, which gives them their characteristic shape, and both faces"
"carving of bones, ritual treatment of bodies, articulated language). Hand axe A hand axe (or handaxe) is a prehistoric stone tool with two faces that is the longest-used tool in human history. It is usually made from flint or chert. It is characteristic of the lower Acheulean and middle Palaeolithic (Mousterian) periods. Its technical name (biface) comes from the fact that the archetypical model is generally bifacial Lithic flake and almond-shaped (amygdaloidal). Hand axes tend to be symmetrical along their longitudinal axis and formed by pressure or percussion. The most common hand axes have a pointed end and rounded base,"
"Hatchet A hatchet (from the Old French ""hachete"", a diminutive form of ""hache"", 'axe' of Germanic origin) is a single-handed striking tool with a sharp blade on one side used to cut and split wood, and a hammer head on the other side. Hatchets may also be used for hewing when making flattened surfaces on logs; when the hatchet head is optimized for this purpose it is called a broadaxe. A hatchet is a type of hand axe; a small axe meant to be used with one hand. Hatchets have a variety of uses, such as tasks normally done by"
"since ancient times until the end of the 19th century in Europe and North America. Broadaxes were commonly used in manufacture of square timbers for wooden shipbuilding, log building, timber framing, and railroad ties sometimes called axe ties. Some broad axes are of a shape where part of the axe is called a beard so the axe is called a long-bearded axe. Since the introduction of sawmills and modern power tools, the use of this tool is now uncommon in manufacturing but still used in restoration carpentry or undeveloped regions. Broadaxe A broadaxe is a large-(broad) headed axe. There are"
"Cutlass A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard. It was a common naval weapon during the Age of Sail. The word cutlass developed from a 17th-century English variation of ""coutelas"", a 16th-century French word for a machete-like blade (the modern French for ""knife"", in general, is ""couteau""; the word was often spelled ""cuttoe"" in 17th and 18th century English). The French word is itself a corruption of the Italian ""coltellaccio"" or ""cortelazo"", meaning ""large"
"Claw of Archimedes The Claw (, ""harpágē"", ""snatcher"") of Archimedes (also known as the ""iron hand"") was an ancient weapon devised by Archimedes to defend the seaward portion of Syracuse's city wall against amphibious assault. Although its exact nature is unclear, the accounts of ancient historians seem to describe it as a sort of crane equipped with a grappling hook that was able to lift an attacking ship partly out of the water, then either cause the ship to capsize or suddenly drop it. These machines featured prominently during the Second Punic War in 214 BC, when the Roman Republic"
"where it curves sharply down to the short ""grip"", just before the end of the haft, which is known as the ""knob"". Hammer axes (or axe-hammers) typically feature an extended poll, opposite the blade, shaped and sometimes hardened for use as a hammer. The name axe-hammer is often applied to a characteristic shape of perforated stone axe used in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Iron axe-hammers are found in Roman military contexts, e.g. Cramond, Edinburgh, and South Shields, Tyne and Wear. Axe An axe (British English) or ax (American English; see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used"
"Ficron A ficron handaxe is the name given to a type of prehistoric stone tool biface with long, curved sides and a pointed, well-made tip. They are found in Lower Palaeolithic, Middle Palaeolithic and Acheulean contexts, and are some of the oldest tools ever created by man. The tool was named by the French archaeologist François Bordes. Like other types of handaxes, ficrons are created through a process called flint-knapping or lithic reduction. This involves a process of percussing the stone with a hard hammer such as a stone, a soft hammer such as a bone or antler, and pressure"
"being with the cutting edge wide. On the modern, steel adze the cutting edge may be flat for smoothing work to very rounded for hollowing work such as bowls, gutters and canoes. The shoulders or sides of an adze may be curved called a ""lipped adze"", used for notching. The end away from the cutting edge is called the pole and be of different shapes, generally flat or a ""pin pole"". Adze The adze (; alternative spelling: adz) is a cutting tool shaped somewhat like an axe that dates back to the stone age. It can be any tool with"
"Bearded axe A bearded axe, or Skeggøx (from Old Norse ""Skegg"", beard + ""øx"", axe) refers to various axes, used as a tool and weapon, as early as the 6th century AD. It is most commonly associated with Viking Age Scandinavians. The lower portion of an axe bit is called the ""beard"" and the cutting edge of the bearded axe extends below the width of the butt to provide a wide cutting surface while keeping the overall weight of the axe low. The hook, or ""beard"" of the axe would also have been useful in battle, for example to pull"
"Cleaving axe A cleaving axe or cleaver is a form of axe used within green woodworking to split wood lengthways. Cleaving (riving) is used to turn a log into lumber or billets (short or thick pieces of wood) into firewood. Splitting axe is sometimes described as an old name for a splitting maul or froe. A cleaving axe resembles a felling axe but is heavier, more wedge shaped, not sharp-edged and the pole is flat for driving wedges. The edge is of medium length, almost straight with just a slight camber, and symmetrical top and bottom. A section through the"
"Naval ram A ram was a weapon carried by varied types of ships, dating back to antiquity. The weapon comprised an underwater prolongation of the bow of the ship to form an armoured beak, usually between six and 12 feet (2–4 m) in length. This would be driven into the hull of an enemy ship in order to puncture it and thus sink, or at least disable, the ship. The ram was a naval weapon in the Greek/Roman antiquity and was used in such naval battles as Salamis and Actium. Naval warfare in the Mediterranean rarely used sails, and the"
"the hand with each blow so as to even the wear and, although the club soon wears out, a new one can easily be made. Froe A froe (or frow), shake axe or paling knife is a tool for cleaving wood by splitting it along the grain. It is an L-shaped tool, used by hammering one edge of its blade into the end of a piece of wood in the direction of the grain, then twisting the blade in the wood by rotating the haft (handle). A froe uses the haft as a lever to multiply the force upon the"
"Cleaver (tool) In archaeology, a cleaver is a type of biface stone tool of the Lower Palaeolithic. Cleavers resemble hand axes in that they are large and oblong or U-shaped tools meant to be held in the hand. But, unlike hand axes, they have a wide, straight cutting edge running at right angles to the axis of the tool. Acheulean cleavers resemble handaxes but with the pointed end truncated away. Flake cleavers have a cutting edge created by a tranchet flake being struck from the primary surface. Cleavers, found in many Acheulean assemblages such as Africa, were similar in size"
"Flint axe A flint axe was a Flint tool used during prehistoric times to perform a variety of tasks. These were at first just a cut piece of flint stone used as a hand axe but later wooden handles were attached to these axe heads. The stone exhibits a glass-like fracture similar to obsidian, and can be knapped to form large blades. The offcuts were sharp enough to be used a small flint knives, while the larger parts of a knapped nodule could be polished to form an axe-head. They competed with other hard rocks such as greenstone, which were"
"rather than pulling. An inshave is a similar tool with a blade curved out to the side between the two handles. It is used to shave wood to form a hollowed out surface, such as the top of a chair seat. It is also called a scorp. There are also versions with a single handle. Drawknife A drawknife (drawing knife, draw shave, shaving knife) is a traditional woodworking hand tool used to shape wood by removing shavings. It consists of a blade with a handle at each end. The blade is much longer (along the cutting edge) than it is"
"was made available for ceremonial wear by Chief Petty Officers in August of that year. Cutlass A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard. It was a common naval weapon during the Age of Sail. The word cutlass developed from a 17th-century English variation of ""coutelas"", a 16th-century French word for a machete-like blade (the modern French for ""knife"", in general, is ""couteau""; the word was often spelled ""cuttoe"" in 17th and 18th century English)."
"Seax Seax (; also ""sax, sæx, sex""; invariant in plural, latinized ""sachsum"") is an Old English word for ""knife"". In modern archaeology, the term ""seax"" is used specifically for a type of sword or dagger typical of the Germanic peoples of the Migration period and the Early Middle Ages, especially the Saxons, whose name derives from the weapon. In heraldry, the ""seax"" is a charge consisting of a curved sword with a notched blade, appearing, for example, in the coats of arms of Essex and the former Middlesex. Old English ""seax, sax"" and Old Frisian ""sax"" are identical with Old"
"never be used for hammering with their poll. Cleaving axe A cleaving axe or cleaver is a form of axe used within green woodworking to split wood lengthways. Cleaving (riving) is used to turn a log into lumber or billets (short or thick pieces of wood) into firewood. Splitting axe is sometimes described as an old name for a splitting maul or froe. A cleaving axe resembles a felling axe but is heavier, more wedge shaped, not sharp-edged and the pole is flat for driving wedges. The edge is of medium length, almost straight with just a slight camber, and"
"an L-shaped assembly of a blade head (typically steel) set at a right angle to a handle called a ""haft"" (traditionally wood). A froe can be thought of as an axe which is sharpened along the top of a long, narrow, rectangular head, instead of (as the axe is) at the end of a broad curved head. Some froes are made of a single piece of metal with no perpendicular haft. Instead, the handle is the unbeveled end of the blade which extends directly from the blade. These froes must be hammered through the entire piece of wood, as their"
"crescent shape, and are described as being for harvesting herbs. This crescent shape is reminiscent of the sickle described in the Key of Solomon, a medieval grimoire and one of the sources for modern Wicca. Confusingly, an Italian version of the Key of Solomon has a hook-shaped knife called an ""artauo"" (a possible root for athame) and a straight, needle-shaped blade called a ""bolino"". When the name ""boline"" was first used to describe the crescent-shaped blade is not clear. In ""The Book of Ceremonial Magic"" published by Arthur Edward Waite in 1911, Waite references a number of early works on"
"weapons out of the defender's grasp, or to pull down a shield to allow another attacker to strike at the unprotected defender. There are a number of variants in its design. Additionally this design allows the user to grip the haft directly behind the head for planing or shaving wood. Variations of this design are still in use by modern woodworkers and some foresters. Bearded axe A bearded axe, or Skeggøx (from Old Norse ""Skegg"", beard + ""øx"", axe) refers to various axes, used as a tool and weapon, as early as the 6th century AD. It is most commonly"
"tools were swept into gravels where they are discovered today. Ficron A ficron handaxe is the name given to a type of prehistoric stone tool biface with long, curved sides and a pointed, well-made tip. They are found in Lower Palaeolithic, Middle Palaeolithic and Acheulean contexts, and are some of the oldest tools ever created by man. The tool was named by the French archaeologist François Bordes. Like other types of handaxes, ficrons are created through a process called flint-knapping or lithic reduction. This involves a process of percussing the stone with a hard hammer such as a stone, a"
"Ewart Oakeshott has proposed an alternative description of the weapon as a crescent shaped socketed axe. A glaive is a pole arm consisting of a single-edged tapering blade similar in shape to a modern kitchen knife on the end of a pole. The blade was around long, on the end of a pole long However, instead of having a tang like a sword or naginata, the blade is affixed in a socket-shaft configuration similar to an axe head, both the blade and shaft varying in length. Illustrations in the 13th century Maciejowski Bible show a short staffed weapon with a"
"Fid A fid is a conical tool traditionally made of wood or bone. It is used to work with rope and canvas in marlinespike seamanship. A fid differs from a marlinspike in material and purposes. A marlinspike is used in: (working with wire rope, natural & synthetic lines, may be used to open shackles), and is made of metal. A fid is used to hold open knots and holes in canvas, and to separate the ""lays"" (or strands) of synthetic or natural rope for splicing. A variation of the fid, the gripfid, is used for ply-split braiding. It adds a"
"been a farming implement used as an improvised weapon, in a manner analogous to the bill-guisarme. The single-handed ""falx"" might have been inspired by the sickle, although agricultural sickles of the time were typically quite small – no more than 30 cm or so in length. At the time of the Dacian wars, producing a long, sharp blade was technically challenging. As such, it might be that the larger two-handed ""falx"" was a high-status weapon and used only by the best warriors. Falx The falx was a weapon with a curved blade that was sharp on the inside edge used"
"for snedding (stripping the side shoots from a branch). In France and Italy it is widely used for pruning grape vines. The billhook is the European equivalent of tools such as machetes, parangs, and kukris. The billhook's use as a cutting tool goes back to the Bronze Age, and a few examples survive from this period—for example found in the sea around Greece. Iron examples from the later Iron Age have been found in pre-Roman settlements in several English counties as well as in France, Germany where it is called ""Hippe"" or ""Sechsle"" and Switzerland where it is called ""Gertel""."
"Spokeshave A spokeshave is a tool used to shape and smooth woods in woodworking jobs such as making wheel spokes, chair legs, paddles, bows, and arrows. Historically, a spokeshave was made with a wooden body and metal cutting blade. With industrialization metal bodies displaced wood in mass-produced tools. Prehistoric spokeshaves were made of stone. In archaeology, the term spokeshave is used to describe a tool, usually a uniface, that has at least one retouched lunate notch in one edge. In a sense, the term is a descriptive ""catch-all"" category, since it is difficult to determine if this was actually the"
"Sickle A sickle, bagging hook or reaping-hook, is a hand-held agricultural tool designed with variously curved blades and typically used for harvesting, or reaping, grain crops or cutting succulent forage chiefly for feeding livestock, either freshly cut or dried as hay. Falx was a synonym but was later used to mean any of a number of tools that had a curved blade that was sharp on the inside edge such as a scythe. Since the beginning of the Iron Age hundreds of region-specific variants of the sickle have evolved, initially of iron and later steel. This great diversity of sickle"
"curve towards the end. The blade is generally sharpened only on the inside of the curve, but double-edged billhooks, or ""broom hooks"", also have a straight secondary edge on the back. The blade is fixed to a wooden handle, in Europe usually made from ash due to its strength and ability to deal with repeated impact. Handles are mostly long and may be caulked or round. Longer handles are sometimes be used for heavier patterns, making the tool double-handed. The blade and handle are usually linked by a tang passing through the handle, but sometimes a socket that encloses the"
"which includes hand axes and cleavers. However, some scrapers are as big as hand axes. Another group of tools commonly associated with hand axes is the ""biface leafpoint tools"" from the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic in the Old World. The difference between the two types is based on the latter's fine, light finishing with a soft hammer and in a morphology that suggests a specific function, possibly as the point of a projectile or a knife. Representatives of these tools include well known examples from the specialized literature: The hand axe helped establish that early humans were capable of constructing"