Pre-Soviet Uzbekistan Captured In Perfect Color (11 pics)

[Hermit-The-Prog]

15. Also called a "foot adze" in my area of the U.S.

They were sometimes used after a broad axe roughed out the timber, sometimes used exclusively from barking to finished form. In this area, they were used up into the '60s for making railroad ties.

For smooth work, the foot acted as a chip breaker (same function as the part in a hand plane by the same name) -- hence, foot adze. Some workers had one shoe with an extra thick sole for that purpose.

The one in the photo in the OP appears to have a straight handle. A recurved handle is more common (a stretched and flattened 'S'). Mine has such a handle. Here's a photo showing a curved handle:



And an illustration from an Eric Sloane book: