Hewing - Making an oak log into a squared timber
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- This video shows how I make a squared timber out of an oak log.
The log (common oak, quercus robur) is 3,5m long, at the bottom nearly 40cm in diameter. The finished squared timber measures 18,5x18,5cm.
I start by taking a good look at the log and decide how to get nice surfaces out of it, navigating through the natural curves to have as much core wood in the squared timber as possible while maintaining the size.
In the end I used a vintage, probably German axe for scoring (making the notches) after the first one kept slipping off the handle. This one was also vintage and unfortunately people used it to hammer stuff, so the poll was pushed in and the handle doesn't have a nice fit.
After scoring I use a big vintage Talabot hewing axe. They are used for jogging off the billets and rough hewing. A very skilled worker could use this big axe for the finish surface as well, but I had to use a smaller one.
It's a Swedish style Hewing Axe, made by Fadir tools. You can find them under the name KharkivForge e.g. on etsy:
www.etsy.com/d...
Other tools involved:
log turner, log dogs, spirit level, chalk line, draw knife, debark iron.
The chainmail leg guard are made by Ochsenkopf, here's a link to a German tool shop that sells them:
bit.ly/3raucvb
[UNPAID AD] for Fadir tools, Ochsenkopf and Contorion.
This is extremely relaxing to watch, for some reason.
That was my intention, I'm glad it worked!
Truly realaxing!
Theres a saying where I come from: "Hard work is nice, I could watch for hours."😅
It's a really good feeling when a big section splits off right down to the line and the work is almost finished with one stroke. Doesn't happen often enough ;)
absolutely! this is why logs with fewer branches and straight grain are way easier to hew. It can double or triple the time with more knots
Many homes and barns in my area were built with hand hewn timbers. Thanks for showing us how it is done.
Handhewing was surprisingly long the dominant process of producing building material, although sawmills were already in action. Railroad ties for example were hewn in the first half of the 20th century. Thanks for your comment!
This is one of the best things that I have ever seen in a very long time, and I am not exaggerating.
Your borderline flawless technique, the gear, the tools, you even wearing chainmail and barefoot shoes, when you were using the hewing ax for the first time, the thing was so damn shiny that it was reflecting like a flashlight onto the side. If you were working by candle or lamplight you could have done it in the dark, using the shine of the ax to check the wood without having to have a second light, there are just so many great things about this video...
And I have so many questions.
I will definitely be coming back, this is one of the most impressive things I have ever seen.
thats a whole lot of compliments, thank you!
@hluthvik holy crap, better late than never huh!
@hluthvik I meant everything I said by the way, I almost forgot this video existed, well technically I did forget but I recognized it immediately upon seeing the thumbnail.
@@crimsonfox87fluxule62 its never too late for a "thanks" :) i was quite inactive here. so thanks for taking the time to write something nice (again!)
BRAVO!!Amazing workmanship. Pure joy!
Thank You
Regards from Montreal
thank you very much! greetings from Germany
What a peaceful craft this is. Good job on the video as well!
Thank you! First big editing (well, only cutting) job so far, quite a big contrast to the hewing itself
Nice axes! …and finally someone that hews in the same way as I do. Nice work!
do you use dry wood too? much easier with green wood
I use mainly fresh timber. As you say, a lot easier.
@@thor-leiflundberg9809 thanks! and this is a green oak log as well, dont know how the other person came up with dry wood. Have fun and stay safe!
Nice job! And thumbs up using the chainmail protectors, to prevent axidents ;-)
I have seen what an axe can do to your leg. Its not hard to imagine.
Ha, axidents, I see what you did there. :D Yep, I stuck an axe into my shin as well, don't need to do that again. AND the chainmail looks cool.
I did hit my shin with my axe during hewing, there was maybe 2cm long cut in my trousers but i didn't penetrate skin more than something like 0,1mm. Bit blood but nothing special. Since then I was thinking about some protection, but chainmail never came to my mind.
@@hluthvik Are your shoes armoured too?
The mail continues all the way down and around the toes
@@gerry343 like it was already said, there is a part that goes around the toes right under ball of the foot
Awesome woodwork bro. Amazing skills!
thanks! and enjoyable, too :D
No gym membership required. This will keep you in shape.
Excellent job , your very gifted w/ patience & skill , May God bless
Oh wow, thank you!
nice axes. Must really help that the hewing axe head is almost as big as the log :-D The mirror shine on the small axe is beautiful. Nice work!
Thanks! Yes, a longer blade reduces the amount of work and leaves a smoother, cleaner surface
Great video! Hewing is not as easy as you made it look! Good job.
Thank you! I'd gladly axercise (ha) more, there is still a lot of room for improvement
@@hluthvik Same, I've only done a few bits but intend to so some more!
Congratulations! Nice work! Thanks for share this video!
glad you like it!
Great work with nice and sharp tools😁😁🥰
Thank you! Yes, I do take some pride in sharpening my tools :D
Beautiful work. You should consider selling hand hewn fireplace mantles. From experience, you might want to consider foot protection while hewing...I've had some close calls. Also, I love that shiny short handled hewing axe! I'll check in with Fadir Tools at the Kharkiv forge in Ukraine. Good luck to you.
I know someone in the US who does exactly that, check renaissancetimber out on instagram! And I do wear some protection in the shoes, maybe you spotted the chainmail :) Good luck to you, too!
Nicely done , good job !
thanks!
I can imagine the arrival of a powered saw (water mill) changed the ‘beam industry’ completely
Absolutely! Although it's surprising how long building material was still hewn although sawmills were already in action. Like I mentioned in another comment, railroad ties were still hewn in the first half of the 20th century (there are records of it from France and Germany, at least). And for some sawyers, logs had to be prepared with one flat side so they could rest on tressles, hence they were hewn in the forest as well.
It's also relevant to consider the quality of the beam, a hewn beam has most likely much more structural integrity compared to a sawed one.
Although considerably less material would need to be removed and therefore less work put in if the aim was a hexagonal beam rather than a square section...
Very accurate craftmanship! But how many fine boards could have been made with a saw instead of all the shredded wood?
Thank you!
Well since I mostly cut away only the sap wood, it would not have been very useful boards from the waste. But otherwhise you are completely correct, it's a pretty wasteful way of making building material.
Making a saw with your own hands is also way harder than making an axe. 😊
If the adage “Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice” is true, I wonder how many this counts for?! Very well done.
My grandma was used to say "wood warms three times: when you cut it, when you carry it, and finally when you burn it"
Great craftsmanship!
thanks!
Been waiting to see someone do this pretty cool
Respect ! Takes a lot of work to do that.
This was a pretty easy log, nearly no knots and pretty straight grain. So it was enjoyable most of it :D
Very good axe Control.
Amazing technique!
The chainmail shin guards are a smart move!
When you've had an axe in your shins once, you don't want to do it again. :D
I’m convinced that 150 years ago, steel was sharper, wood was softer, and the atmosphere had more oxygen😅😅😅
And the people were bigger and the food was tastier. :D
Don't forget that life was slower
That’s why they used to use pine in most houses.
Wonderful!
Crazy job 🙌
Great work.
What a joy to watch the process thanks it was nice to see you going back to the old ways all the best
Kind regards Jamie
Thanks a lot! I enjoy it also and I'm always happy to keep the knowledge alive
I can understand the price of cut timber would have been high back in time. 😁
Well done Sir! 👊🏼
thank you! yes, there are a lot of hours in hand-hewn beams
3:29 put those over a pair of soccer shin guards and then you'll be protected from the edge AND the impact, at least a little. And I sure hope those are steel-toe boots, your toes are way more vulnerable than your shins when you're standing on top of the log and slamming the ace down towards... your feet
What I have learned from this exceptionally cool video: shins-very important. toes-not so much
The guards actually wrap around the toes, all the way over the back of the foot. But that being said, I've stuck an axe once into my shins, but never into my toes :D
Most people have quite a few spare toes.😮
If you are able to find or make a Hewing Axe, with it's off-set right or left head (to match your strong hand) then you can work more efficiently by standing on the opposite side of the log / beam.
In addition - 2 chalk lines for the top and bottom of the hewn face (and even a hand saw to make the initial, parallel, incised cuts) gives greater speed and accuracy to hand chopping the face out.
Been there, done that.
I have several off-set axes but purposely don't use them. I prefer symmetrical blades, this way I can decide my working direction freely. Having to make chalk lines all over the log means I'd have to rotate the log even more often.
Very cool video! And fun to watch as well!
Awwww Yea- the good old days. Only 200 more to go.
Haha, yep! For a barn or the likes you'd need a lot of these. But you would have also a few more people to do the job
this video made me look up when the saw was invented
Ah, so I inspire to research. :D Quite weird topic, here in central/northern Europe it came up again around 1300. The Romans had big saws and saw mills, but after the fall of the Roman Empire the knowledge about saws seems to have been lost. In the 12th century coming from Spain, Portugal and Italy the first depictions of woodworking saws appear again.
@@hluthvik That's a brilliant response, thanks! I remember reading that here in the UK (where I live) within 100 years of the Romans' departure myths had sprung up around the ruins of the buildings they left behind as being the work of giants. Sounds not so plausible until you consider most people didn't live much past 35 years old so a 100 years is already 3 generations. Thanks for replying, I enjoyed watching your skill in reshaping the tree very much and now i know better how the saw was forgotten somehow for a while.
Браво майсторе много добра работа поздрави от България желая ти здраве. Можеш ли да ми каже от къде да си взема такива предпазители за крака
I don't think I've ever seen someone hew as naturally as you. I'm guessing you've done hundreds of beams before filming this.
Thank you! Thats quite a compliment. I've not done as many as I'd like to, especially not with the big Auvergnate. But a day without axe work is a wasted day. :D
Legend
Awesome skill dude
thanks!
great job brother
thank you!
beautiful!
Where are you located? I'm in Alaska and love your work.
Thank you! I'm located in Berlin, Germany. Greetings far over the sea!
Satisfying! Are you wearing chainmail greaves? Where can I buy them?
I do this often, I do it with bear feet……still have 9 toes.😎
Having an odd number of limbs brings good luck, right? Stay safe!
I like the look of the hewing axe you use, what is the makers name? Nicely done sir!
You mean the shorter one? That one was made by Fadir tools, sometimes to be found under the name Kharkiv Forge. I'm guessing they can't produce as of late, since they are Ukraine based in the city Kharkiv...
Thank you!
nice work! i guess you're located in germany. what chainmail are you wearing and where do you buy it?
Thank you! Yes, you are right about Germany. I linked the chainmail guards in the video description :)
I feel the lactic acid building up in my arms just watching this.
Ehehe, yep it's pretty exhausting. Heavy tools are difficult to wield, but they can do more work on their own when you just "drop" them into the wood.
@@hluthvik I agree. Let the tool do the work as much as possible.
impressive
thanks!
nice work, A good way to reduce the workload is to screw a straight timber on top of the log with the desired thickness of the final timber e.g. 4x2 inch plank onto the log if you need to produce a 4inch square beam. Then, use the side of the attached 4x2 as a template to guide the chainsaw, thus removing the bulk of the wood from the log quickly, finish straight using the hewing technique.. hewing is usually done on softwood conifer e.g. Norway/Sweden, and I have not often seen hewn English/European Oak.
Even American timbers are largely softwood. Oak tends to sag under its own weight.
😂 that’s like explaining to someone out for a run that a bike is quicker
Sometimes it’s about the process 👌
My wife just said... GET BUSY
And did you get busy? :D
I subscribed when he put on the Mithril lol
I always think of Mithril when I put them on as well :D
dope chain mail
Love that ax you're using for notching! You say it is vintage German? I'm retired and this is definitely on my bucket list!
The axe you can see me preparing around 2:50 is probably a French felling axe, but that one kept slipping off the handle. I only used it for the first side. The one you can see me using starting from 11:00 is the suspected German one. But I have to say that I see this shape very rarely! Can't tell you more about it, to be honest
Great job hewing that log! I was wondering what type of shoes those were? I wear barefoot style shoes too and those look like they're very good quality and allow your feet to move and bend!
Thank you! They are made by Leguano, and yes, they are extremely flexible. They work great for gripping around the log surface
@@hluthvik thank you!
pretty cool king arthur shin gaurds there. what's that longer axe called and where could a utah us guy find one?
hehe, thank you! You mean the really big one? The shape is called Auvergnate, it's a French hewing axe. Keep an eye out on etsy for example!
@@hluthvik I will look for one then, thanks
I've never noticed that you have proyection mesh in your shin, what a wonderful idea.. what are they called?
I bought them via a german online shop which doesnt sell them anymore, sometimes you see them on timbersport athletes, maybe thats a start for research! They are just called foot and shin protectors :D
Gute Arbeit..👍🎩
Danke!
Bitte..
Hello, nice to watch! Can i ask how your protection with the chains for the legs is called?
I bought them via a german online shop which doesnt sell them anymore, sometimes you see them on timbersport athletes, maybe thats a start for research! They are just called foot and shin protectors :D
I have never seen chain-male gaiters before. You didn’t mention them in the description. Would you be able to elaborate on them?
I'll add that to the description! They are chainmail leg guards are made for Ochsenkopf, stainless steel
Amazing skill. I just cut a 16x12” timber from a spruce with a chainsaw and it isn’t pretty.
Milling with a chainsaw when done freehand is very difficult and exhausting, too!
Verbazingwekkend, knap gedaan!
what and where did you find this axe starting at 3:47 in video
There’s just something to a man turning round lumber into square..
I like your shig guards. Where did you get it?
I bought them via a german online shop which doesnt sell them anymore, sometimes you see them on timbersport athletes, maybe thats a start for research!
πολυ ωραια περικνημηδα. Δεν ηξερα οτι υπαρχη τετοια. Μπραβο στην υπομονη σου
Make v-notches in the ground support logs for better stability and handling.
That’s what the dogs are for. Notches only get in the way and interfere with positioning/rolling the log.
Здравствуйте.За какое время вы обрабабываете это бревно?
Always thought this kind of timber was made with a two person saw over a big hole in the ground.
thats another way of doing it, albeit the younger way! Axes were far longer around than saws. But you are right, the pit-saws became the way to do this. Although it was not uncommon to hew a log into a square and then saw it into boards!
How log did this take?
I think the overall time for this was two and a half days. But I had to do the camera work and sometimes give specifications or advise for the people you see in the back from time to time, so I'd say this log could have been processed in one day
how to do the srtring trick (that draws a line)
what is the type of the string and what you put on it (chalk , coal,>.....???)
It is called a chalk line and it is exactly that, there is some chalk in the container. You can use coal but that will work only on fresh, green wood, not on dry wood. But you can find chalk lines in standard hardware stores!
How long are the axe handles that you have on the axes that you use for the notches?
Too short. :D They are about 75-80cm long. Advisable would be 90-100cm long (depending on your size, I'm 1,86m). Check my newest hewing video (ASMR), there I use a 90cm long handle on a French felling axe
@@hluthvik Thanks for the helpful reply! :) I'm pretty new to the topic so the info is appreciated.
What's the ideal head weight for an axe that is used for the notches? Would it also be possible to put the side that you want to notch upwards so you can chop on it while standing parallel to the log?
I will watch the entire video this evening! :)
@@roubenssonrw5862 you are welcome!
The weight is a bit of a complicated topic. The heavier the axe, the more work it can do on itself. But you have to be able to wield it. The lighter, the more energy you have to put into it, but you have more control. But I'd say something between 1,5-1,8kg should be alright! And yes, there is the possibility of cutting the notches (scoring it's called) horizontally in front of you. I personally don't like it that way, because you either have to kneel or have to lift the log to hip height to work comfortably. And the joggling (removing the waste between the notches) is rather uncomfortable while horizontal because of the angle of the swings.
That all being said, don't be overwhelmed. Try any axe you can find for small money and you'll notice what might work for you. Watch what others use and learn from them. I know several people who use regular felling axes for scoring, standing behind the log on ankle level (renaissancetimber on Instagram, check him out!)
Give this man a saw already :/
pls no, the teeth scare me
Hello, how do you call the giant iron clamp that you use to hold the log ? want to buy them but can't find them thank you :)
They're called Log Dogs
Nice work. Where you located? Did I detect Finnish?
Anyway there is a older book found here in US called sketches of americas past by Eric Sloane. Might have misspelled last name, it’s a book of sketches and uses of early American woodworking tools, from axes to nails, drills, sleads, dogs, ect. Very interesting.
I thougt it was German
His etsy shop suggests Berlin
@@z4zuse internet skills activated!
The others suggested it correctly, I work in an open-air museum located in Berlin, Germany. Thanks for the hint with the book, the sketches are pretty famous when you research old tool shapes, now I know the book they come from. Thank you!
Sure thing.
What is the name of the spikes you use to hold it in place?
They are called log dogs!
I like how French axes don’t have French curves
excellent ,but the slippers with chainmail was cause for a titter ,very medievil ,here inFrance the french do the same thing slippers and chopping wood is the deriguer !!
Cool ax viking rememr ))) Test ✓
What men can do !
well basically everybody with a big axe. :D
@@hluthvik :-)))
🤝💪🏼🌲😀👍🏼
First time I see leg and feet protectors. Soft shoes, to feel better your position on the log.
exactly, it's the first time I tried these barefoot shoes for this work. I have to wear safety boots at work, but noticed that I have a lot of trouble balancing on logs. So as soon as the log is fixed in place and can't roll over my feet anymore, I switch from my toe-cap boots to the soft shoes. The leg guards are from the timber sport world!
What kind of shoes are you wearing?
When I'm balancing on the log, I'm wearing Leguano barefoot shoes!
Do you work the wood when its green?
Yes, it's way easier when the wood is green
No wonder why it took Noah 120 yrs to build the ark..lol
When you have to do this kind of stuff alone, it takes a while, yeah! But imagine a squad of skilled carpenters.
By the way, funny that you mention the building of the ark. It's a biblical scene which was depicted several times in medieval manuscriptures and is a nice source of woodworking techniques and tools in the medieval times!
@@hluthvik I'm a retired carpenter.. never used a broad axe but was wondering how experience would cut down the time it takes.. and how many beams one man could do in a day.. 👍
@@micjam1986 Oh i see! Well the wood selection plays a very important part in the worktime. A bad log can triple the worktime easily. A log like I have shown here can be processed in one day by a skilled worker. Check out renaissancetimberllc on Instagram, he's doing this professionally!
Double bevel hewing axe?
Yep!
Bardzo dobra praca.
Avg of 10 subscribers per year. 😊
Let me add one
thats nice of you! I don't know what happened, but during the last few days this video went through the roof.
Is it easier to use a fresh cut tree
Yes it is, by far. Dry wood is way harder and therefore more difficult to work with using handtools. Try it yourself, carve a green (that's what fresh-cut is called) stick, let it dry a while and then carve it again, you'll notice the difference
Это за один день?
It could have been done in one day, yes. But I had to take care of the filming and the guys you can see in the background from time to time, so it stretched over two days
You should see all the one eyed people who were to smart to wear safety glasses.
many bad things may happen when hewing, doubt severing the eyes is one of them
why not use chainshow.? I think it's a self-complicated activity, you're like a primitive while the times have progressed
Because that way I'm not reliant on fuel or electricity. Because it's a very traditional job and I work in an open-air museum. And because it's way more fun.
Plumb Bob
что за чудо изделие будет я похожее видел из дерева вырубленную лодку а потом она куда то исчезла из под моего дома
смысл из кривого ствола вырубать брус квадратного сечения и переводить столько материала - если он всё равно деформируется по волокнам.
Not enough blood...
Sorry, I'll work till my calluses pop open, just for you, okay?
@@hluthvik That'll do, thank you.
Not his first rodeo.
not as many as I'd like, but I gathered more experience since the video as well :D
Desperdició de madera
I guess, if you don't mind wasting good wood.
There is definitely more "waste" than with a sawmill, but the chips can still be used as firewood
This is for you "@hluthvik" that's what we thought about oil and many species of animals that no longer exist.
@@terrancemiller8350 ha, true! Luckily trees are regrowing (to some degree), but we should be mindful of how we use it. There are other fields of work that should be more aware of that than traditional carpentry :D