Anyone know what this old tool is?

[Drain Bamaged]

The old farmer next door to me used to have all kinds of weird and wonderful things made up by the local Smithy, it wouldn't surprise me if that is what that started out as.....Turf/Sod cutter, Ditching tool, Slasher, Billhook, all on a long handle laid in the cart/trailer to be used when and where for what ever.

D.B.

 

[Navaja]

Here in Spain it would have a long straight wooden shaft & be used for pruning palm trees.

Like this- http://www.cuchilleriaflores.es/producto/marcolas-varios-modelos/

Don't know about the UK but if it's from a nursery maybe something similar?

 

[palace]

A peat cutting spade off Google images. I believe that Scottish and Irish spades differ in that one has no 90 degree spur so 2 cuts/thrusts are required where as this one requires only one, I watched a BBC documentary in the 1950's early 60's I think it is the Irish version that only needs one cut an old friend now retired to his Irish croft with peat cutting rights had one like it, I did see a similar spade in fenland 50 years ago.

 

[Navaja]

I got this in a box of old tools today & it reminded me of this old thread where I was ignored....

A palm cutter (in Spain) normally mounted on a long handle & sharpened on three sides to push & pull cut palm fronds.

 

[Janne]

I will not ignore you!


Interesting how the same task is done with different tools!
Here they use two types of tools to cut the fronds from palms.
One is a saw on a long handle, the other one looks like a heavy billhook on a long handle.
Coconuts are taken down with the XXLong billhook.

 

[Toddy]

A peat cutting spade off Google images. I believe that Scottish and Irish spades differ in that one has no 90 degree spur so 2 cuts/thrusts are required where as this one requires only one, I watched a BBC documentary in the 1950's early 60's I think it is the Irish version that only needs one cut an old friend now retired to his Irish croft with peat cutting rights had one like it, I did see a similar spade in fenland 50 years ago.

The Scottish peat iron is called a tairsgear (the gaelic name for the tool) which facilitates the peat coming away in slabs, usually a foot or so in length and a few inches thick. The tool has a long wooden handle with an angled blade on one end. The sharp cutting edge of the peat iron slices through the soft peat in a downward movement and, with a backward pull of the main handle of the tool a rectangular block of peat is dislodged and usually this is just thrown to one side leaving it to dry on the moor for anything up to a few weeks.

Image from AmBaile.

perhaps a better one from
http://www.tighnaboireach.co.uk/history_peat_collecting.php

It's a right angled too, usually with a heavy enough end on the shaft to allow it to be forced down into the peat, while the slicing blade is finer. It's longer than the image you posted but it too cuts out a block with one thrust and throw.

M[/QUOTE]

 

[Navaja]

I will not ignore you!

Thanks

The reason for my whinging was when I found the rusty tool it reminded me of this thread where everyone was trying to guess at peat cutters etc, I knew what the tool was & in post #22 made a link (that still works) to the same tool new & didn't get so much as a "that's it", in fact the next post carried on the peat cutting slant............

I see them here a lot, for sale in ironmongers & garden centres & also see them in use, how Mesquite's ended up in the UK I don't know, maybe the plant nursery where it was found had palms or something similar & this cutter is available to specialists.... maybe.......

 

[Janne]

It is a cool tool.
Maybe you can polish it up, put a nice edge, a nice short-ish handle
anf use it as a type of light axe?

 

[Navaja]

Ended up reshaping the old palm cutter as it had a crack in the inner 90° (not surprising really as it's a stress riser) as can actually be seen in post #24 & made a rough handle, might be good for something.....
Then I got given a N.O.S one today........... need a long handle for it.

And I promise it'll be the last I'll write on the subject!