THE YOUNG FAKMEB'S MANUAL. 273 



satisfied with their day's work. If they had no other means of 

 obtaining a new and good axe, it would be a matter of economy 

 " to work out" a day or two, and earn each enough to get a good 

 axe ; and then with half the time and strength that would be re 

 quired with the old axe, they would be able to accomplish enough 

 more with a good axe to pay for it. 



363. Figure 126 represents an axe with its different parts 



FIG. 126. 



A CHOPPING AXE CORRECTLY HUNG. 



lettered. A represents the heap or poll, which is sometimes made 

 of steel ; B the edge, the steel, D the outside corner, E the 

 inside corner, .Pthe eye. The position of the axe, from the eye 

 to the edge, is called the bit or blade of the eye. G is the helve, 

 H is the hilt of the helve. The dotted lines represent the angle of 

 the axe and helve, and will be referred to under the head of hang 

 ing an axe. 



THE SHAPE OF THE AXE. 

 "A neat, symmetrical, becoming shape." 



364. Nothing adds more to the efficiency of an axe, as a tool, 

 than a correct shape of the bit or blade. Manufacturers often 

 give a shape to the axe which defies and sets at naught every 

 correct principle in mechanics. Some make them with a very 

 small poll with almost no poll at all and with a very long 

 blade, and very wide from the outside corner to the inside corner, 

 with the edge about twice as long as the poll, and with almost 

 the whole weight of the axe on one side of the eye in the blade 

 or bit. Some make them with a very heavy poll and a long nar 

 row blade, with no corners to the blade, but almost circular on the 



