How to Hew a Log

Curator Barry Stiles takes us through the process of hand-hewing a log. All log cabins in this region of the mountains were made of hewn logs. This was a process for squaring-off logs to make constructing cabins easier and more stable. Before saws, all of this was done by hand with two types of axes: a felling ax and a broad ax. To learn more about hewing, and woodwoorking in general, check out The Foxfire Book!

[kapnvoncrunch]

Great video. Thank you for taking the time to show us how to dress a log

[mark]

Impressive. I'm building a log cabin out of southern yellow pine. I'm notching the logs, leaving them round. I'll have to try this for some beam work. Thanks.

[thecelticforge]

Barry, how did you keep that log still? I have to use dogs.

[johnmutton]

How not to hew a log! If you build log cabins like this for the museum, they must look, like firewood!

[tolbaszy]

Standing on a log while swing a sharp ax is inherently dangerous. Side hewing a log so close to the ground is tiring and usually makes a hoe out of the ax. I don't think this is the best way to hew a log.

[johnmutton]

Sorry but that is bad. You need to learn how to do that right. You are not teaching anything except how not to do it. You don't like jiggling because you don't know how. You suppose to work in a museum, then show historical arts the right way. Watch Bernie Weisgerber, he will show you how to do it, the right way!