# Need something heavier duty for clearing overgrown forgotten trails



## Schwim Dandy (Mar 30, 2013)

Hi there everyone!

I'm in need of suggestions for a better tool to suit my needs. I'm going through these at an alarming rate.










No motors allowed.

The issue is that the arms bend, the blade twists and the carriage bolts blow through the wood handle. I've sharpened the blades to the best of my ability to lessen the burden on it but it still dies a quick death. I'm not burying it in the ground on my swings, I'm just dealing with some incredibly tough thorns and thick grass and weeds.

I can walk the tools in and I don't mind extra work, I just want something that doesn't work so poorly in my particular environment.

Thanks for your time!


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## old_MTBer (Feb 16, 2014)

You could try something like this.
http://www.amazon.com/Council-Tool-640CP01-Double-Handle/dp/B01C57F5UU


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## watts888 (Oct 2, 2012)

Go to estate sale garage sale and look for old ones. The design is pretty basic, but it sounds like you just need a stronger one. Might have good luck replacing the stock handle with a thicker one with a larger/stronger bolt.

I've used these crazy long scythe things (bush pullers) before when working in corn fields to remove brush. Worked well for getting through and under a thorn bush without having to touch it.

Tools for Trail Work, by Jim Schmid an illustrated compendium of many tools commonly used in trail building and maintenance.


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

A scythe works great for this kind of work. Seymour Manufacturing makes one. They call it a Snath, Australian I think. I see TruValue carries them. Seymour Wood Snath, 1.5-In.: Model# 21401 | True Value

..... I have discovered that "Snath" refers to the handle, which seems to be sold separately.


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## watts888 (Oct 2, 2012)

Because nothing says, "nothing to see here, move along" like a guy carrying a scythe in the woods.


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

watts888 said:


> Because nothing says, "nothing to see here, move along" like a guy carrying a scythe in the woods.


rotflmao


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## Cotharyus (Jun 21, 2012)

watts888 said:


> Because nothing says, "nothing to see here, move along" like a guy carrying a scythe in the woods.


As long as I don the proper hooded cloak for sun protection and weather contingencies, I've never been hassled much by passersby.


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## Schwim Dandy (Mar 30, 2013)

Thanks a bunch for your help, gents! I may try to improve what I've got by welding some trusses onto the arms and putting a grip perpendicular at the midpoint of the handle to see if I can't improve the control and power of the swing. Right now, it gets a little challenging to give a decent swing after a couple hours.


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## twright205 (Oct 2, 2011)

pics of what you are working through? is it brush, long field grass, brambles?


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## Schwim Dandy (Mar 30, 2013)

Sorry it took so long to respond, I did finally manage to get out there today for a few hours.

This is the trail. Old logging road that was used for a long time as a bike/hiking trail. After a tornado went through a few years ago, the forestry service allowed logging companies in to obliterate the mountain and many trails were left to return to nature. This is the worst of the bunch and the only one left to clear.











30 minutes in:


Two and a half hours in:


The tool does get the job done until it breaks, however.


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

Awesome job! You got grit mate! Love to see what people do with the most limited of resources.

Not sure how big the woody stuff is, but it looks like a scythe would handle it. If you have more of this to do, I really think a scythe would be the ticket! It takes a bit to learn to use one. I've used that thing you're using and a scythe. One stroke with the scythe is equal to a half-dozen with that other thing there.

Here are a couple examples of doing it right.











They're kinda spendy, I know...

Amazon.com : Wood Snath : Scythe : Patio, Lawn & Garden

maybe you can score one at an antique shop?


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## Schwim Dandy (Mar 30, 2013)

Wow, that scythe MOVES some stuff quickly! That looks like it would work fantastically for this stuff. I'll have to check some of the antique shops in the area to see if I can't find one before I finish this trail.

I really appreciate the help and links!


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## hankthespacecowboy (Jun 10, 2004)

Have you looked at the Rogue Hoe line of tools? The 70RH has become my go-to trail tool. It's not as wide as a scythe or weed whip, but much sturdier, and surprisingly effective for its smaller size. https://roguehoe.com/trailbuilding/


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## Schwim Dandy (Mar 30, 2013)

Thanks hank, but I don't think I could clear a mile or two of this with a rake or hoe


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

We have Seymour scythes with Austrian blades Stihl Kombi with sickle bar type attachments. Both have their advantages.


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

bitflogger said:


> ...Stihl Kombi ...


No motors


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## Schwim Dandy (Mar 30, 2013)

Thanks guys for your continued suggestions.

I never did manage to find an alternate tool but did finally make it through the entire trail I was working on yesterday. Final tally is around 20 hours, 3 handles and a bunch of blisters.

As I got further into it, I came to the conclusion that I would have had problems with any non-motorized tool. It was just too dense and tight and the ground was too uneven and sloped. I think it would have sucked no matter what I was using 

I've got to make one more pass both to shorten the long stems and to use a root rake to pull all the dead to the side for the tubed riders. Once I've done that, it will be ready for prime time. If I think of it, I'll take the GoPro with me and share it's reopening


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## Schwim Dandy (Mar 30, 2013)

Well, it's done. I made it out today and made three laps through it. First, raking the intended path clear of all the wood and rock debris that was left by the dozers. The second trip was with the grass whip to clear any remaining stems or vines left too close. The final was with an e-tool to smooth any "Oh God" dips and rises left from pulling the boulders and stumps left behind.

As I was taking care of the final 20 feet, the first guy to ride the trail since the tornado hit about 4 years ago zipped by. That was really cool.

Final push:



After:



Trail head with the first tire track:


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

Awesome


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## DeftJester (Apr 19, 2014)

Great job man. Do you till or chop some of the middle soil on the path or let a natural line form from use develop through it? Looking forward to see what the Gopro footage looks like if you get a chance to film it.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk


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## 2 Wheels (Nov 3, 2006)

Looks like I'm a little late but I have a suggestion for anyone else who might read this thread: a machete. They're cheap and easy to sharpen if you bang up the blade. I sharpen mine with a file and it gives me a good enough working edge. If I bang it on a rock because I'm cutting something close to the ground - no worries - I just pull out my file and touch up the blade. They're light and very portable. I've taken to carrying a 12" Colombian-made machete and a file in my backpack all the time. I made a sheath for it and the file out of cardboard and duct tape. It fits in my backpack and it's so light I don't even notice it's there. 

I'm by no means an expert on machetes, but I've acquired a collection trying to figure out which one I like best. I bought my first machete about a year ago and this my experience shopping for one. 

LENGTH: For me, about 16"-18" is an ideal length to work with, but then the handle sticks out of the top of my backpack. Twelve inches is a good length for portability. 

WEIGHT AND POINT OF BALANCE: U.S.-made machetes (Ontario Knives) and machetes made for the U.S. market (Cold Steel, Condor, Marbles) tend to be heavier. The Latin-American (Colombian, Salvadoran, Brazilian) machetes tend to be lighter. With the Gavilans, the blade is tapered towards the tip. The taper moves the point of balance back towards the handle and makes it feel lighter in your hand. The Tramontinas and Imacasas might also be tapered too. I'm not sure. 

To me, the heavier machetes are better for chopping thick branches and the lighter ones are better for cutting grass and thin, green branches. My Ontario machete feels like a club and my Colombian machete feels like a fly swatter. It's easier to get the light blade moving fast to cut grass and thin branches. It might take me two or three swings to cut a thicker branch with a light machete where a heavy machete would do it with one swing. I prefer lighter. If I need to cut thick branches, I'll take a saw or an axe. 

THE STEEL THEY'RE MADE OF: The Ontario machete is made of pretty hard steel - almost as hard as a knife. It holds an edge pretty well, but I worry it might chip if I hit a rock with it. I've been super careful and I've never hit a rock with it. Maybe it would stand up to hitting rocks and not chip. I don't know. 

Cold Steel machetes are too soft - they don't hold an edge and they get dinged too easily when I hit rocks. They're made in South Africa by the way. 

The steel in my Colombian machete has about the perfect balance. I've been amazed at how well the blade has held up after after all the rocks I've hit with it. Edge retention when cutting soft stuff is OK. Just a few swipes with a file and I have a working edge again. The blade is so springy I think it'd be impossible to snap in two. I've bent it close to 90 degrees and it just springs back into shape. My Colombian machetes actually have a Mexican Company's logo on them, but they have sticker that says "made in Colombia to our specifications." I'm pretty sure they're made by Gavilan de Incolma. I read somewhere that Gavilan buys its steel from the U.K. English steel is good stuff. 

I don't own a Salvadoran or a Brazilian machete, but they get pretty good reviews on Amazon. 

SHAPE: Besides the Latin-style machetes, I own a kukri and a panga machete. The panga machetes look cool, but they're weighted towards the tip and meant for chopping thicker branches. I don't really like them. If I need to chop thicker stuff, I'll take an axe. Kukris are heavy and they chop pretty well and are small enought to fit into a backpack. I'm not a fan of kukris. If I need to chop something I'll take an axe. 

WHERE TO BUY: Besides Amazon and Ebay, machetespecialists and themachetestore have a pretty good online selection. You can get a Tramontina, Imacasa, or Gavilan for around $20 including shipping. If you decide on a Gavilan (Colombian) I suggest the ones with the orange handles. The ones with orange handles have tapered blades. The black-handle don't have tapered blades and they'd probably feel heavier in your hand. If you're making a trip to Mexico, stop at a hardware store and pick up a Truper. They're Colombian-made and they're less than $5.

SHARPENING: Do a search for "afilar machete." That means "sharpen machete" in Spanish. I found some videos of what looked like rural workers in Latin America sharpening their machetes. You don't need to understand what they're saying. Just watching them is good enough. 

If you search for "sharpen machete" you'll find videos in English on how to get a razor-sharp edge if that's what you want. 

ERGONOMICS: All the handles are bigger at the bottom to keep your hand from sliding off. The little knob at the bottom of the handle on my Colombian machete is squared off and it hurts my fingers after I've been using it for a while. I've been thinking about adding a Tramontina to my collection because it looks like they have a rounded knob at the bottom of the handle.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

I know I'm a little late to the party...
You can get a long blade (like the Reaper has) or a shorter blade for a scythe. Long blade is good for grass and wide open areas, the short blade is better for heavier brush and tight areas. You can also buy them brand new, you don't need to look in antique shops. The newer ones have lighter aluminum (I think) snaths that are way less fatiguing than the old wooden handles.


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