


For instance, these Straight Elbow Adze made by North Bay Forge, hand-forged from US-made high carbon steel. Genuine Chouna is handmade in Japan but there are many great Adzes available in the West. CHOUNA TEXTURED PATTERN Where can I BUY a Japanese Chouna When you have hewn a plank or beam you will add an interesting curved surface texture like the reversed pattern of a snake’s skin. CHOUNA HANDLE SHAPE The shape of the cut on a Chouna Adzeīecause the Chouna has a curve to the cutting edge the shape of the cut is rounded. The head-on Adze has a straight cutting edge but the Japanese Adze has a curved or straight sharpened edge. The handle on the Chouna has an obvious curve and is long yet the Adze is fitted with a straight handle. The one difference that really stands out is the handle. On face value, the Western Adze and Chouna are similar tools but they have subtle differences. The shape of the handle helps the Chouna to perform progressive strikes onto the wood. The ground primary bevel is on the back face and is honed to a very fine edge. Unlike an Ono (Axe) the blade of the Adze (Chouna) is mounted at 90°onto a curved wooden handle. Only when the tool becomes an extension to your body will you be truly confident in the Art. Adze swinging is a mechanical motion that has to be repeated with only minimal correction. How Easy is the Chouna to Perfectĭon’t let me fool you into thinking that this tool is easy to master as it takes a lot of time dedicated to practice. I love to see the scaly dimpled texture that can be achieved with practice. It is not just the purest woodworker but also for the textured surface that is possible with this tool. The Chouna Japanese Adze is seeing a bit of a comeback. It is amazing to think about how our woodworking has evolved over the centuries from the humble Chouna to Bandsaw! Is the Chouna Obsolete? The long saw was used to rip logs into boards or beams but today large band saws on tracks rapidly rip big logs into sections. This Adze was used to shape and thickness split logs. The long saw has reduced the need for the Chouna. Chouna or Japanese Adze is superseded by the Saw The Chouna is one of those tools that is used by skilled native Japanese artisans for woodworking but predominantly reducing and shaping the face of wooden sections.
