machette come digger made

[petrochemicals]

I finally got round to making a small chopper that also doubles as a digging implement. Given that a steel trowell starts off at ~100g~ and that is always a bugger to use due to the short handle, I thought that there must be a far better way of doing it.

Started off with a Fiskars Brush hook, about 450g, cut the end off it, and ground it on a wet and dry grinder to shape the tip. I also bevelled the edge opposite to the cutting edge to take the pressure away from the blade to stop it blunting. Didnt sharpen the other edge because I think the blade is meant to cut this way around only, and I didn't wish to pressure the handle.

All in all I'm pleased. Its 350g now and easily and quickly diggs to a good depth due to the long handle. The tip actually does not penetrate deep enough into compacted ground to blunt the edge much more than 1cm,so it stays sharp. The blade itself cuts green wood easy, and drywood easily with a diameter of about 4cm, any more and the flat edge has trouble. A bit of tape should further protect the edge.

The actual steel that the hook is made from is hard, really really hard, and isn't easy to grind, I believe its boron or something. I highly reccommend the wet wheel to all, even if you only get a wet honing wheel, it rotates only slowly so you cant injure yourself, but is powered so you can apply lots of pressure or a little and do delicate work, admitted its not as quick as the grinder, but the metal never ever gets hot, and is an easy way to rough sharpen anything you like.

 

[petrochemicals]

Well, it's a bit short as a path clearer - I keep getting stung, I think a length of 24 to 36 inches
a but plastic for a fire poker - I worried a few times about it melting
A bit heavy for a lightweight - 350g
A bit straight for a chopper, anything over an inch and it begin s to stick and bounce
A bit long for a cutter - you have to strike the middle of the blade or you get vibrations or sharp painful jolts as the weight is distributed over a long length.
As a splitter. It works well the flat leverage splits things easily, I wasn't worried about the edge either and cit lots of wafers from 4 inch log pieces

As a digger it works well a good length and a good solid handle, but the blade only goes in 2 to 3 inches so I may cut it down and lighten it, I may but a hook and a lever point in too.

 

[Chiseller]

Imho you've just wrecked a well made and functional tool. But it's your tool, and if your happy ....tiptop .

Nailed Horbury Bridge rapids .....wooooooo

 

[HillBill]

It would have dug just as well before you did it

 

[Smudge]

Tramontina Bolo Machete works as a machete and a light digger, costs less than the fiskars.

 

[petrochemicals]

Tramontina Bolo Machete works as a machete and a light digger, costs less than the fiskars.

Funny you say that, my dad's got one, I could just have cut that down instead

 

[Goatboy]

Hey it's a learning experience cousin Peter, are you happy with what you've ended up with? Was it a loo digger you were after or for getting at roots?

Not keen on digging with a blade myself but then I don't like battoning or using a firesteel with one either. ( I will do the odd scrape or root extraction with a billhook though). How is the flexibility on the Fiskars? Never used one but thought they may be a bit thin for heavy chopping.

(Not seen you on the "Joan" pages in a while?).

TTFN,
GB.

 

[British Red]

Aren't you after a hori hori?

 

[petrochemicals]

Aren't you after a hori hori?

maybe or something like it. A sort of bladed thing to abuse, so maybe a ray Mears woodlore is out of the question. Realised a Trowell weighs 100 to 200, and is fairly useless. this can crush stuff chop stuff etc. Still use a knife for sharp stuff
Goatboy, it only chops limited as I said but it's stiff enough to split stuff. The long wide blade gives decent leverage.

 

[Chiseller]

Why had no one mentioned the 'woodsmans pal' ???

Nailed Horbury Bridge rapids .....wooooooo

 

[Dave Budd]

the thought of digging with a knife has always baffled and horrified me. Use your sharp knife to carve a quick point of a stick and then dig with the stick! I've dug up burdock roots in dense clay and I would never think to destroy my edge or risk damaging myself by using a big knife (a small one would be even more silly).

Still, if you don't try something, then you don't know if it works or not. So at least now you have a tool that you can test and decide whether the time and effort was worthwhile