Zax
A zax is a type of axe or hatchet used by a roofer, more specifically a slater, who covers roofs with slate. It might also be called a slate cleaver, slate trimmer or pronounced as saxe and comes from the old English word seax, meaning knife, which in turn is from the word for cut of Germanic origin.
The tool is designed with a blade on one side, off-set from the handle to trim or cut slates to size and is therefore a handed tool left or right depending on the user. It also has a sharp point normally in the centre of the blade but pointing in the opposite direction, which is used to make punctuations for the nails and fixings. The tool is often used together with a slater’s anvil, bench iron or any solid surface, as a working surface to trim the sheets of natural slate to size. Other tools commonly used by slater's, but also other types of roofers are a slater's hammer, a slate ripper and a slate guilotine.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Bituminous mixing and laying plant.
- Cold roof
- Conical roof slating
- Crow-stepped gable
- Domestic roof
- Flat roof.
- Gambrel roof.
- Green roof.
- Ladder.
- Metal roofing.
- Mansard roof.
- Mono pitch roof.
- Personal protective equipment.
- Pitched roof.
- Plumb level.
- Purlin roof.
- Rubble chute.
- Shell roof.
- Shingle roofing.
- Scaffolding.
- Tool and equipment care and maintenance.
- Tool theft.
- Types of nails.
- Thatch roofing.
- Vault.
- Vesting certificate for construction goods plant or materials.
- Warm roof.
Featured articles and news
Design and construction industry podcasts
Professional development, practice, the pandemic, platforms and podcasts. Have we missed anything?
C20 Society; Buildings at Risk List 2025
10 more buildings published with updates on the past decade of buildings featured.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certifications consultation
Summary of government consultation, closing 11 June 2025.
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
From project managers to rising stars, sustainability pioneers and more.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.