Hollowing adze (teksle)
A teksle, also called teksel or huløks in Norwegian, is a tool for hollowing wood. Its blade is curved, with the cutting edge lying across the handle. Det Norske Akademis ordbok describes it as a small axe and also records the term bøkkerøks.
Strinda historical society describes its use for concave surfaces, including bowls, troughs and clogs. It distinguishes the curved blade of the teksle from the straight blade of a tverrøks, and describes subsequent finishing with a skjøve. This distinction helps assess older tools, but traditional names may vary, so always describe the actual construction.
When cataloguing, document the edge curvature, blade width, mounting and handle shape. Photograph the side, cutting edge and junction between iron and handle. Look for a replaced handle and record splits, chips, corrosion and resharpening. An old iron with a newer handle should be described as a composite object where this can be established. Function or rust alone gives no secure date, regional origin or maker. The tool belongs to traditional woodworking but is not automatically folk art merely because it is old.
