A specialized tenon featuring multiple steps or offsets, known as teeth, cut into the projecting wood. It is used in heavy timber framing to increase the shear strength of a joint without removing too much material from the receiving mortise. The stepped shape distributes the load across a wider area of the beam.
Heard on the job
Cut the tusk carefully so the steps bear evenly on the mortise cheeks.
Also heard as
- Tusking