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Tools for Building Canoes
Ko'i, or Adzes/Dr.
Kenneth P. Emory and Rowena Keaka
The stone adz was the
most important tool of the Polynesians. With it they felled trees,
shaped their canoes and canoe parts, and hewed timbers and household
furnishings, wooden spears, and clubs.
The Polynesian adzes
varied in size and shape, depending on their use. The styles used by
the Hawaiians were similar to those used in the Marquesas and
Society Islands and clearly show their origin from these islands. A
noteworthy feature of the Hawaiian adz is the angle of the blade
which does not cut at a right angle like the European ax.
The stone that was
used in making the adz was basalt. Basalt comes from close-grained
volcanic rock. Basalt quarries were usually found in volcanic
mountains. Chipping was done with other stone tools. The adz maker
would grind the blade edge on a grinding stone with sand and water
to sharpen the blade. The adz blades were secured to their handles
by lashing with coconut fiber cord or braid known as sennit, as
shown in the illustration.
Types of Adzes and
other Tools for Building Canoes / Chad Baybayan
The primary tool in
building a canoe was the ko'i or adze. The ko'i was made from basalt
and gathered from quarries. The islands had to be explored to find
where the best "rock" could be found. The largest and best of the
quarries was found on the slopes of Mauna Kea at an elevation of
12,400 feet. The tons of flakes that remain piled upon the slopes of
Mauna Kea stands as a testimony to the skill of the Hawaiian
craftsman. (The following list is from Tommy Holmes, The Hawaiian
Canoe, p.27)
Adzes
ko'i 'ahuluhulu:
planing adze for rough lumber
ko'i alahe'e: hardwood
adze
ko'i 'auwaha: scoop
adze
ko'i 'awili: socketed
adze
ko'i holu: broad, bent
adze; used to shave off smooth in the direction of the grain
ko'i ho'oma: narrow
and deep adze
ko'i kahela: chisel
ko'i kaholo: planing
adze
ko'i kalai: carving
adze
ko'i kapili: finishing
adze
ko'i kikoni: small
finishing adze; used to shave off and smoothen the wood surface
ko'i kila: steel adze
ko'i kukulu:
straight-edged adze; used to shave down canoe sides
ko'i kupa: adze used
for hollowing out the canoe hull
ko'i kupa 'ai ke'e:
swivel-headed adze; used for narrowing out the hollow bow and stern
sections, smoothing and polishing
ko'i kupele (pele):
adze used to hollow out bottom of canoe hull by cutting zig-zag
trenches; to scoop out
ko'i lipi: sharp adze;
used for hewing koa trees
ko'i meki: iron adze
ko'i milo: adze used
on the outside of canoe
ko'i nunu: "greedy"
adze; same as ko'i kalai
ko'i 'ole: conch shell
adze
ko'i' oma: small, oval
adze; used for finishing
ko'i 'opaka: adze used
on the outside of canoe; cuts smoothly
ko'i 'owili: gouge;
twisting adze; same as ko'i kupa'ai ke'e
ko'i pa'ahana: adz for
shaping hull
ko'i pahoa: chisel;
"dagger" adze
ko'i paukuku: adze
used to cut canoe log into sections
ko'i wili: socketed
adze
Other Tools
'ana: pumice; used for
rubbing
'eleku: coarse basalt;
used as a polishing stone
'oahi or ola'i: rough
stone, pumice, or coral rock for polishing
'o'io: close-grained
basalt; used for polishing
pohaku 'anai wa'a:
finishing stones
pohaku pao: stone
chisels
pohaku kapili wa'a:
stone hammer
puki'i wa'a: wooden
clamps
puna: fine coral; used
for rubbing
wili: drill
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