# Traditional Timber Framing Tools
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Two-man Saw
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Builders used the two-man saw to fell timbers for traditional post-and-beam framing. The two-man saw's blade stretches roughly 4-5 feet, and a straight handle protrudes crosswise from each of its ends. One side of the saw blade is straight and flat, while the other has a gentle, obtuse curve and a series of sharp teeth. As the tool's name suggests, the saw requires two individuals for operation; a worker on one side pushes, while the opposite worker pulls.
Adze
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The adze performs rough surfacing and bark removal from raw lumber. The adze is similar to an axe, with one notable exception: The adze blade's edge sits perpendicular to its handle, rather than parallel. The unique position of the adze's cutting edge allows the tools to scrape across the length of a piece of lumber. To use an adze, a builder stands atop or beside a log and swings the tool's blade into the log's surface. The blade catches, pulls and strips bark and surface material from the log.
Draw Knife
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Like the adze, the draw knife removes material from a timber's surface. The draw knife is shaped like a miniature, two-man saw. However, instead of a sharp-toothed sawing edge, the draw knife has a smooth, sharpened, slicing edge. To use a draw knife, the timber framer straddles a log, grips a handle in each hand, sinks the blade into the log's flesh and pulls the blade toward his body. The sharp blade peels away shavings from the log's surface. The thin, sharp blade of a draw knife performs more intricate shaping than the heavy-headed adze.
Chisels
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Traditional timber framers use chisels to create the joinery that connect posts and beams. Wood chisels consist of two basic parts: a sharp-edged blade and a straight handle. Carpenters press a chisel's blade into wood by hand or pound the chisel with a mallet. The chisel peels and gouges at a timber's surface to create holes, pegs or decorative carvings. Chisels aid in the creation of many common timber framing joints, including mortise and tenon and lap joints.
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