On Mon, 3 Jan 2005 13:05:36 -0600, "James \(Garry\) Hunter"
wrote:

Thank you Roger and Dave.

My family arrived in Granville paying 25c each for a boat ride from
Moodyville. I think most of the houses they built would be gone now, the
fire in 1886 would have destroyed many off them. The only house that I know
they built and is still there is the Barclay House. I could never understand
why a carpenter would have a large well used axe weighing 10 lbs. I would
think is was made by a blacksmith, the blade is 1 ft long, the handle is
curved and where it fits into the axe the shape is like the letter D, the
cutting edge is on one side only. I would like to see the main beam or
supports in the Barclay House, they may have been cut by hand with this old
axe. Thank you for your suggestions, I will find a good home for them in
Vancouver BC.

James

That's a broad axe (AKA a hewing axe) and it was a vitally important
carpenter's tool in the days before lumber yards full of
pre-dimensioned lumber. It was used to square logs and beams and
reduce very thick lumber to rough size.


You're unlikely to see the results in any visible part of the house,
but if you go crawling around in the attic or the basement, you may
find some exposed beams with the characteristic marks of the broad
axe.

--RC
"Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It just yells
'can't you remember anything I've told you?' and lets
fly with a club.
-- John W. Cambell Jr.