And then there was a Pulaski

[Mark W.]

So in the middle of my manic attack of cleaning and organizing my tool room and the stuff I was doing on the Willys. I came across the head for my Pulaski tool and the really nice if slightly bent Hickory handle I picked up at a yard sale for a couple bucks. This handle is some of the hardest Hickory I have ever shaped. Glad I have a 2 x 72" stationary Belt grinder to do it with. Anyway after at least a dozen trys and maybe an hour trying to get the handle to just the right shape. I manage to get it to fit properly and then I bang it all apart again. I mix up some slow cure epoxy (crap has to be 10 years old) and I slather the wood all up and then paint some more into the eye of the head. And I start banging the handle on top of my anvil to seat the head. Wipe up the mess then worry for 5 hours if the old epoxy will cure.

It did so I sand out the handle clean up the epoxy mess and decide to give it a good painting. A little OSHA Safety Blue for the head, Some Red Pepper Red for the handle with a nice glossy black tip for trim. I let it dry almost long enough then I take it back to the grinder now with a 220 grit belt on it and give it a nice cutting edge. And a stout digging edge on the hoe end.

Going to be one of my Pioneer tools on the back of the Willys. Next up is a dirt shovel. For that one I am thinking Black Blade, Yellow fiberglass handle, With a Safety Blue D grip on the end.

Should make them both easy to find in the mud or snow or even just the pumice sand I plan on adventuring in a bunch when the Willys is done.

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[Mark W.]

WOW that photo posted BIG LOL

 

[IronMonster]

Well, I think you should have done the tip of the handle in white.... Red White and Blue!

Other than that I approve.

 

[Arleyg]

Nice job!!!

 

[Sgt Nambu]

It's a work of art!!!

 

[Mark W.]

It will look like crap first time I need it to help get the Willys unstuck.

 

[Randoja]

Nice.

 

[P7M13]

That is beautiful. So refreshing, too, to read the word "Pulaski."
I've hired kids to help out in the yard, and ask them to please "hand me the pulaski." I either get blank stares or a "wazzat?"

 

[Mark W.]

I'm into axes I got a real nice double blade falling axe got a really nice single blade axe got a Boys axe hell I've got a tomahawk

 

[mjbskwim]

I'm into axes I got a real nice double blade falling axe got a really nice single blade axe got a Boys axe hell I've got a tomahawk

My biggest problem at garage sales
I had 1 pulaski and a neighbor had another 1 at his sale.But his had the steel cover for it the forest service would put on them.
So now I have 2.But GS season is a coming
Good job BTW

 

[Mark W.]

Yea I have a hard time passing up a good axe cheap. Back when we were burning wood to heat the house (before making the excellent choice to go pellet) I was buying up Axes and Splitting mauls all the time. The yard shed has more then a few. This Pulaski the really high quality double bladed falling axe and the Single blade are all the best of the pile. I'll get around to doing the same treatment to the other two sometime. But the Pulaski is headed for the back of the Willys which is why it got spiffed up now.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Wow! It sure is purdy!

All my Pioneer Tools are OD green with plain oiled handles!

 

[Larrytpdx]

VERY nice! I used to swing one when I worked for the Forest Service at Rager Ranger Station near Paulina during summer in college.

 

[kilimanjaro]

Don't grind the heads too much, you lose temper.

Best woods tool ever made. Pretty good at home, too, for digging up stumps and roots, breaking up compacted earth.

 

[mjbskwim]

Having made a knife or 2,Mark may know what he's doing when it comes to sharpening a tool