Poleax

On the American frontier, a woodworker began at the source of his material - the tree. He made his own lumber from scratch with two axes: a poleax to fell the tree and make rough kerfs in the log, and a broadax to slice away wood between kerfs and square the sides. The poleax has a straight handle and a head weighing about 4 1/2 pounds, while the broadax has a curved handle (to keep knuckles from being skinned on wood) and a heavier head.

The housewright used a poleax to fell the trees for his cabin.

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