# Custom Trail Maintenance Tool



## bweide (Dec 27, 2004)

When I do trail construction I generally use two tools, a 5lb pick mattock and a McLeod. I use the McLeod rake to remove organics, the mattock pick to loosen up rocky soil, the mattock blade to dig up the loosened soil and the McLeod hoe blade to move the soil the pick mattock blade is creating. But when I do trail maintenance I only need two of the four tools, the mattock pick to loosen up the rocky soil in the drains and the McLeod hoe blade to move the loosened soil out of the drains. So what I really need is a tool with a wide hoe blade on one side and a mattock pick on the other. I tried the Rogue Hoe pick hoe but the pick is too wide and not long enough. So I decided to create my own tool.

I purchased a wide-blade Rogue Hoe and a Petzl Quark steel ice axe blade. Then I had a friend weld them together. The blade is not sufficiently heavy to excavate rocks and for overhead swings but it should be sufficient to serve as a ripper blade when cleaning out drains. I haven’t had a chance to test it out yet, so I will let everyone know how it works. If it works as well as I hope it will, I am going to ask Rogue Hoe to consider building something similar.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

That looks pretty handy. I'm still waiting for the rogue hoe with the axe back.

I like the Pulaski but a 6" grubbing hoe instead of the 2" one they have, would be better for what I do.


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## jrabikerepair (Dec 29, 2009)

If its alright, I will have to pass this idea on to Overland Mountain Bike Club, as we do tons of trail maintenance, and that modification looks perfect! Great Idea!!!


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## HypNoTic (Jan 30, 2007)

Trail Ninja said:


> I like the Pulaski but a 6" grubbing hoe instead of the 2" one they have, would be better for what I do.


I second that.:thumbsup:


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## bweide (Dec 27, 2004)

If you decide to try the same idea in greater quantities, steer away from the ice axe picks as they are pricy ($35-$55). I used one simply to test the concept. A welding shop should be able to cut picks out of tool steel sheets for a fraction of the cost. You might also have the welding shop cut some axe heads out of the same tool steel and try out the idea of a Rogue axe/hoe that other have suggested.


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## The Prodigal Son (Apr 22, 2008)

bweide said:


> When I do trail construction I generally use two tools, a 5lb pick mattock and a McLeod. I use the McLeod rake to remove organics, the mattock pick to loosen up rocky soil, the mattock blade to dig up the loosened soil and the McLeod hoe blade to move the soil the pick mattock blade is creating. But when I do trail maintenance I only need two of the four tools, the mattock pick to loosen up the rocky soil in the drains and the McLeod hoe blade to move the loosened soil out of the drains. So what I really need is a tool with a wide hoe blade on one side and a mattock pick on the other.


When I do trail construction I use a 5lb. pick mattock, a Mcleod, and a 12lb. sledge. When I do trail maintenance, I use the pick mattock and the most popular tool ever made, the boot mattock. I can move almost as much loose material off the trail or out of a grade dip with my boots as I do with a McLoed.

I don't care for the tool you had made. The handle looks weak compared to the thick hickory handle on a mattock. It's the reason many trail crews don't hand out Pulaski's. I have a pile of broken Pulaski handles. The main reason I wouldn't bother with that tool is the pick is too tiny. You get into some real rocky ground and you'll snap that whole pick off in a couple swings. I have trouble finding well made pick mattocks that our crews don't break the mattocks off of. Years ago you could find Polish made pick mattocks that were extremely well made with the best steel. Now I must choose from pick mattocks made in Mexico and India. Actually, there are two different models made in Mexico. One has a mattock blade that is 1.5 inches wider. As you probably already know, stay away from fiberglass handles. They bend a little and then snap.

The photo is of a unique pick mattock I got at Lowes. It must be 6 or 7 pounds and acts like a mattock and McLoed at the same time. It did come with a fiberglass handle that is easily replaced with a hickory one.


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## bweide (Dec 27, 2004)

The hickory handles on the Rogue Hoes are extremely tough, much more so that the fragile handles of the Pulaski. This is partly because the of the 3.5 inch deep steel ferrule that handle fits into, which helps prevent overstrike damage. It will interesting to see if anyone on this forum has been experiencing Rogue Hoe hickory handle failures. 

The pick of this experimental tool is admittedly a bit fragile but, if successful, I will get them made with stronger blades. When clearing dirt from drains I need something to loosen up the soil which tends to be full of small rocks. Instead of swinging the pick into the soil, I will be pulling it through the dirt the same way ripper blades are pulled through the soil by bulldozers. The thin blade is actually an advantage in that situation.

But the true test is when I start using it in the field.


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## traildoc (Mar 5, 2007)

The Prodigal Son said:


> When I do trail construction I use a 5lb. pick mattock, a Mcleod, and a 12lb. sledge. When I do trail maintenance, I use the pick mattock and the most popular tool ever made, the boot mattock. I can move almost as much loose material off the trail or out of a grade dip with my boots as I do with a McLoed.
> 
> I don't care for the tool you had made. The handle looks weak compared to the thick hickory handle on a mattock. It's the reason many trail crews don't hand out Pulaski's. I have a pile of broken Pulaski handles. The main reason I wouldn't bother with that tool is the pick is too tiny. You get into some real rocky ground and you'll snap that whole pick off in a couple swings. I have trouble finding well made pick mattocks that our crews don't break the mattocks off of. Years ago you could find Polish made pick mattocks that were extremely well made with the best steel. Now I must choose from pick mattocks made in Mexico and India. Actually, there are two different models made in Mexico. One has a mattock blade that is 1.5 inches wider. As you probably already know, stay away from fiberglass handles. They bend a little and then snap.
> 
> The photo is of a unique pick mattock I got at Lowes. It must be 6 or 7 pounds and acts like a mattock and McLoed at the same time. It did come with a fiberglass handle that is easily replaced with a hickory one.


TPS:

I have a pulski that I was given from the Whistler bike park. It is a souvenir from putting in the Renegade trail for them. I need a new handle for it and was hopping you could help me locate a source to obtain one.

TD


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## The Prodigal Son (Apr 22, 2008)

traildoc said:


> TPS:
> 
> I have a pulski that I was given from the Whistler bike park. It is a souvenir from putting in the Renegade trail for them. I need a new handle for it and was hopping you could help me locate a source to obtain one.
> 
> TD


I should have several I can give you. I was hiking Elden Lookout Trail this morning and ran into another trail fixer buddy. His name is Ron and he is in his 70's and does volunteer trail work almost evey day of the year. About half sanctioned and half personally inspired. He was telling me how his son is a welder. I told him I have an ever growing pile of broken tools that could be saved if I had a welder. I think he can revive some McLeods and maybe some broken pick mattocks.

I think I have hickory handles for pulaski's. I may have some wooden wedges or may have to use some steel ones.

I was riding on the AZ Trail yesterday and came to a spot where there was this beautiful wooden bridge that you ride over a creek. Last year, some bored folks working for some land manager, maybe the FS, decided they wanted to restore the creek to the way it was before people lived here. So they found hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire dozer crews to remove the banks of the creek so it could spread out and become more swamp like, causing different vegetation to prosper. In doing the work, they tore down the bridge and hauled it to the landfill. Naturally, the Forest Service has no plans to rebuild the bridge. So I decided to improvise a crossing by piling dozens of branches of a huge fallen snag across a narrow section and carry my bike over it. I liked it so much I might reroute the trail so others will find my new "bridge".

My dad is coming to Flagstaff on Wednesday afternoon to spend a night before going to Sedona for a family reunion. I might join him in Sedona on Thursday or Friday. I had told Jim I would ride with him this week but I don't know if I can ditch work, make an appearance at the reunion and get in a ride. But I'll try. I'll grab a pulaski handle and bring it with me.

"The Wayfaring Stranger"


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## traildoc (Mar 5, 2007)

The Prodigal Son said:


> I should have several I can give you. I was hiking Elden Lookout Trail this morning and ran into another trail fixer buddy. His name is Ron and he is in his 70's and does volunteer trail work almost evey day of the year. About half sanctioned and half personally inspired. He was telling me how his son is a welder. I told him I have an ever growing pile of broken tools that could be saved if I had a welder. I think he can revive some McLeods and maybe some broken pick mattocks.
> 
> I think I have hickory handles for pulaski's. I may have some wooden wedges or may have to use some steel ones.
> 
> ...


TPS:

It would be nice to ride with you and Jim. I look forward to a new handle. The one I have is 4" shorter than the standard handle.

TD


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