On the other hand, as for chipped stone axes single-edged stone axes of which sharp broken side was blade area, in the form of shamisen (a three-stringed Japanese banjo) stick, were found in the Northern Japan in the end of the early Jomon period, and these are called 'direct blade ax' or 'tranche-style stone tool,' and these are believed to be used as 'hand ax' in the following times.
いっぽう打製石斧は、縄文時代早期末に、三味線の撥（バチ）に似た形状で、鋭い剥離面を刃部とした片刃の石斧が北日本にみられ、それは「直刃斧」あるいは「トランシェ様石器」といわれ、後世の「手斧」のような使用が考えられる。