Previous    Next    Table of Contents    Home

Until the 1890s the axe was the only tool used for cutting in the Adirondacks. The best axemen were assigned to cutting large hemlocks in the summer. In the fall, when the sap stopped flowing, axemen began cutting spruce, pine, and balsam. An average of seventy logs cut each day was considered good for a "chopper."

Crosscut saws began to be used in the late 1800s. Two experienced men with a crosscut saw could cut 100 trees a day, six days a week.

Click on the image to see a larger version

Previous    Next    Table of Contents    Home


Copyright 2000 The Adirondack Museum. All rights reserved. Click here for details of acceptable use.