Lonon adze
Jack Guzman from Maine
I believe that my woodworking has been motivated by tools more than by the projects themselves. I have always been fascinated by tools. I think the main reason I love making windsor chairs is the particular tools needed to craft them. I have some really nice drawknives and spokeshaves that I like to keep sharp. One tool used by chairmakers that I have not perfected the use of is the adze. I read Mike Dunbars book and sought an adze like he uses to initially hollow out seats. I found a gutter adze and altered the shape a bit for seat hollowing but I didn't like my results. Then I saw Curtis Buchanan use a short handled adze. That looked more promising. He uses it on a bench in a jig that holds the seat blank at an angle for hand use. I sought a short handled adze but they don't exist in the used tool market so I looked into new. Somewhere,I'm not sure where I heard about Jason Lonon. A blacksmith and woodworker whose adzes are beautiful to look at and I was told are excellent for seat hollowing. So I tried to get one. It seems that his adzes are in big demand and they sold out as soon as he put them up for sale. Recently his adzes have become easier to get so yesterday I gave it another try and I succeeded in purchasing one. I am very excited about this and anxiously await delivery.