Ax, a steel tool used in felling trees and chopping wood. The thick part of the ax is called the head and contains the eye, into which the handle is driven. The blade of the common ax is wedge-shaped and has a curved edge from five to six inches long and in line with the handle. The handle, also called the helve, is from two and one-half to three feet long, and is for use with both hands. The shape of the ax varies in different countries, but the common American pattern is considered the best. A hatchet is a small ax with a short handle, to be used in one hand. It is used in shingling and lathing. A broadax has a chisel-shaped edge and a wide blade. It was formerly used in hewing timber. The largest factory in the world for manufacturing axes is at Collinsville, Conn.