Trail Tools

[cooperhill]

This is the latest from Rogue. It's a combo rake, digging tool. It looks heavy though.

http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=7656&title=Prohoe+Rogue+Hoe+with+Rake+Teeth#

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

Hoe vs. Shovel

Interesting tool, Cooperhill.
IMO the long-handle round-point shovel is better for cleaning drains than any hoe because the hoe user can only stand beside the ditch and pull what is in it up and onto the berm of soil beside and downhill of the ditch, veggie debris, mineral soil, and all. This tends to bury the plant community growing atop the berm and stabilizing it. It also means that the mineral soil you want to add to the mound or berm of same on the trail tread is largely wasted on the berm in the woods. Alternatively, the tendency is to pull only the soil from that part of the outflow ditch you can reach while standing on the trail tread up onto the trail, leaving the rest to go on damming the ditch.
When we brush out the space above the outflow ditch and then work our way back upstream along it, we A) ensure that the entire ditch is restored to original specs including the proper sloping sides and will carry large water volumes without clogging anytime soon, B) all the mineral soil in it gets thrown or bucketed back to the trail tread where it belongs instead of building up and choking trees in the woods, C) we stand in the ditch, closer to the soil we have to move, which is easier on our back. However, these outcomes are only possible, or at least easy, if we use a shovel instead of a hoe. After the ditch is brushed out once, any new plant growth is of a size to be cut with hand pruners, easily carried in a pocket.
Adequate shovels cost $10, are easy to sharpen with a file or a wheel, weigh about 3 lbs, and have many other uses besides moving soil. Most versatile tool we have.
Creag nan drochaid
Creag nan drochaid

 

[cooperhill]

Interesting tool, Cooperhill.
IMO the long-handle round-point shovel is better for cleaning drains than any hoe because the hoe user can only stand beside the ditch and pull what is in it up and onto the berm of soil beside and downhill of the ditch, veggie debris, mineral soil, and all.
Creag nan drochaid

As others have stated, lots of opinions on tools so the end result of this thread is good information shared for all. Personally I will continue to use my rogue hoes as they work for me.

 

[woodsxc]

I like 3/4 axes in general. 2 1/4 lb head and a 28" handle. Get a head and hang it yourself. They're light but you can get a lot more power out of the 3/4 than you can with a kindling axe or hatchet.

For clearing a trail, a 3/4 axe, bow saw, and pair of loppers will cover all the bases. Those three tools will cut through anything from twig to trunk.

If you're going to have to do some digging, swap the 3/4 for the Pulaski.

 

[TrailwrightBratt]

Woodsxc: Question have you noticed how difficult it is to find a good new handle. Seems grain is hardly the right way and you have to check several to find a proper one. just a thought.
Cooperhill: I agree I will continue doing what I have for the past 30+ years.It works for me and I too have tried them all at one time. Whatever turns your crank. We can all take turns telling how to do things,but that gets the thread out of it's orignal intent.
A thought ......how about someone starting a thread on Your favorite Trail maintenance Manual. There are many and it will support the intent of this thread.

 

[roadtripper]

What are people using to clear ferns and tall grass/weeds (i.e. in swampy areas with boardwalk trails)?

Swizzle sticks? Machetes?

 

[peakbagger]

I made a batch of upgraded blades for the RMC swizzle sticks years ago. They worked well for grass and ferns but the trail crews inevitably attempted to use them for Hobblebush which wrecked the stock blades. I used heavier gauge Stainless Steel for the new blades and they did seem to last a bit longer but they were ergonomically difficult. I think they switched to a gas powered trim saw after the ice storm of 98 as the amount of hobblebush and other woody growth expanded exponentially.

 

[David Metsky]

I used a swizzle stick for several miles of ferns when I was on trail crew and it instilled in me a deep-seated and abiding loathing of all things fern-like. But it did work.

 

[cooperhill]

Never touched ferns/grass/similar vegetation. Seem to remember being told to leave it alone. Doesn't it die back in the fall?

Interesting to hear what others use. Used a brush saw on the Nana ski trail but suppose the saw is impractical on other trails.

Has anyone used brush axe or sandvik? A google search came up with a model by fiskars.

 

[David Metsky]

Never touched ferns/grass/similar vegetation. Seem to remember being told to leave it alone. Doesn't it die back in the fall?

It depends on the trail. Especially around puncheons it can be needed just to see the foot path.

 

[peakbagger]

I used to use a Sandvick Brush Ax for surveying. Its a marvelous tool for cutting a line quickly but has a very bad habit of leaving "punji" sticks (sharp pointed stubbs) which may not be a good option for trails work.. Although it will cut light stuff (if sharpened) it really needs the brush to have some mass to it to make a clean cut. I used mine a lot post 98 ice storm.

Other than the punji stick issue its a great universal clearing tool. As long as the item to be chopped is less than the blade opening, its going to come down . Mine unfortunately is worn out and needs replacement after many replacement blades.

 

[DougPaul]

I recently helped DebW (the adopter) clear a section of the MA AT that I call "Stickerbush Alley" (lots of blackberry etc, between Becket and Walling Mts, just N of the Mass Pike). This is ~1 mile of fairly smooth and wide ridge where hobble bush, ferns, blackberry, and raspberry often encroach on the trail. In some places the stickers were above my head and hikers were emerging bloodied...

We used a variety of tools:
* A gas-powered trimmer with a metal blade. Very effective. Was rated to cut up to 3/4 inch wood. Noisy. A bit heavy to carry. (We only had the trimmer for one day and had to finish with hand tools.)
* Swizzle stick: OK on ferns, but difficult to use on the heavier stuff (sticker bushes and hobble bush). You need space to swing it and it catches on rocks and blowdowns (wood) hidden in the brush.
* Hedge shears (similar to http://www.stihlusa.com/handtools/PH90-Hedge-Shear.html. Mine were 22" long with a 9" blade.) Very effective. Can cut up to ~1/4" wood. Requires bending over to get low brush. Wear work gloves (preferably padded) to reduce the wear-and-tear on your wrists. My shears were a bit heavier (3 lb) than DebW's--heavier to carry, but the weight probably reduced the wear-and-tear on my wrists.
* Loppers to get blowdowns hidden in the brush.

The powered trimmer was the fastest. We operated in a team of two--the first used the trimmer and the second followed with loppers to clean up some of the details. Running the trimmer was hot work and we found it worthwhile to switch off while the other rested and followed. Eye protection is required--I got hit in the face by a rock chip.

On the second day (no trimmer) we used a combination of the three hand tools. The shears were used for the vast majority of the work--I cleared sizable sections with the shears alone. If I could only carry two tools for this section, I would carry the shears and loppers. However, if I was clearing a large amount of grass with no heavier brush, I would probably carry the swizzle stick.

Doug