From ancient times to 1800, and rarely even during the 1900s, trees were felled with a broadaxe. Generally, the operation was carried out by two lumberjacks who, positioned one in front of the other with respect to the tree, alternately struck the base of the tree on the desired side of fall. By alternating oblique blows with horizontal blows, a triangular crack was produced (with an angle of about 45 degrees) that had to go beyond the middle of the trunk. At this point, the lumberjacks moved to the opposite side of the tree and proceeded in the same way until the tree fell.
In 1700, the two-handled saw entered the felling operations. It could be used as the only cutting tool or in combination with the broadaxe: with the broadaxe, the crack was made on the side towards which the tree was intended to fall, while on the opposite side the cut was made with the two-handled saw.
Wedges were also used to direct the tree's fall.