Cheap Lee Valley Enxó (Hand Adze)

Once commonly used in many cultures, the hand adze is a versatile tool useful to sculptors, carpenters, boatbuilders, millwrights, or anyone else who needs to shape wood.

A one-handed tool that is easy to use, it has a particularly comfortable feel in action. Today these are made only in Portugal and are called enxós (pronounced en-shaw).

The blade is about 4″ wide and over 5″ long. It comes bevel ground but needs honing. The handle, which is eucalyptus or orangewood (depending on supply), can benefit from sanding before use.

Each tool comes with use and sharpening tips by Simon Watts, the boatbuilder who popularized their use in North America.