Axe (original) (raw)

Axe is a river in the South of England. See: River Axe

An axe or ax is a tool with a metal blade that is securely fastened at a 90 degree angle to a handle, usually of wood. The typical use for an axe is to split wood and chop down trees, but alternative uses in the past have included the battle-axe and the throwing-axe (the Frankish axe or francesca), both used in war. cf tomahawk.

The method for fastening the blade to the handle has varied over time. It can be lashed, as was probably common in old stone axes, but also simple 'wedged', whereby the end of the handle is slit, then inserted into a socket in the blade, and is held tight by a wedge introduced into the slit and pounded in with a mallet.

The axe is one of the human race's oldest tools: long before the discovery of metal, stone axeheads were fastened to wooden handles.