- The stone hoe was used by the Sioux to cultivate land. This hoe head was made from chert or sandstone. The stone blade was 5 inches wide, 4 inches deep and 1 inch thick. It resembles the modern hoe blade. The Sioux attached this stone head to a 4- or 5-foot stick made from ash, which was the strongest lightweight wood available. These hoe handles ranged from 1 to 2 inches in diameter, depending on the user's preference.
- The adze was similar to the stone hoe. However, the adze blade was only 2 to 3 inches wide and 6 inches long, resembling a knife attached to the end of a stick. The adze blade was made from local chert formations in the Dakotas, which was either brown or black. The adze was used to hew out canoes and other wooden products for Sioux transportation and survival. Generally, the handle was no longer than 3 feet long and 2 inches in diameter.
- The Sioux ax was made from chert and ash wood. The ax head resembled modern ax heads. It was sharp on one end and blunt on the other. The ash handle was 2 to 3 feet in length, usually with leather wrapped around the handle for comfort during use. The ax head was attached atop the end of the ash handle using leather or animal ligaments. The ax could be carried on the side of the Sioux user if needed, and it was often used in battle, as well. Nonetheless, the main use for the ax was to cut trees, which were used in building.
- The Sioux knife was made from local chert or even quartz. These knives were 4 inches long and 2 inches wide, having a concave base that allowed attachment of a small wooden handle to the stone blade. These knives were bifacial, which means that they were chipped on both sides of the blade to form a sharp edge. These stone knives were used for intricate carvings of masks and wooden effigies, as well as cutting crops, skinning animals and scraping hides.
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Adze
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