Tools

Tools are one thing that haven't changed much over the years. Roman tools recovered from Pompeii are not that different from those in use through the late 19th Century. A lot of what we see in the Middle Ages is the rediscovery or re-introduction of tools along with some minor modifications.

Axe - The Axe was the premier tool of the medieval carpenter. The axe was used for squaring timber. Joiners didn't use the axe much since their lumber usually came at least roughly squared.

Chisel - A chisel is a piece of steel with a sharp edge on one end. Even as early as the 10th Century, we are seeing some specialization between different types of chisels - such as flat chisels and gouges.

Saw - The saw was used for cutting wood to length and width. Medieval saws were of both the framed and unframed types. Medieval art seems to show saws that cut both on the push stroke (like modern saws) and on the pull (like Asian saws). Sawing was mechanized on the Continent by the 14th Century.

Plane - Planes are used for smoothing and dimensioning wood. They are also used striking moldings. The plane was the tool that distinguished the joiner from the carpenter - in some places only joiners were legally allowed to use planes. To some extent this meant that planes were a status symbol and were treated as such. They are the tool most likely to have been decorated.

Boring Tools - The earliest boring tool was the T-handled augur - a metal bit with a handle attached crossways to the top end. By the 15th Century someone had figured out how to apply rotary motion resulting in the brace.