Most of the most-used trail tools are used for grading trail. And most of the trail-grading
tools were developed to fight wildfires. When I go out to work on trails, I typically carry a
Pulaski, a fire rake, a round-point shovel, and a pair of loppers. I may also carry a five-gallon
bucket or two. Either a Pulaski (with a mattock blade) or a regular mattock is the tool of choice
for grubbing out small trees or shrubs. There are many other tools that may be useful, in addition
to these listed, such as a clinometer, baby sledge, coal chisel, pole trimmer, reel tape, etc.
Pulaski |
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| The Pulaski is a combination of axe and mattock. This tool is usually made of a good
grade of steel, usually far better steel than is used in regular mattocks. The axe blade is a full-size
blade, and can chop quite effectively. The mattock blade is somewhat short and narrow, but
highly effective. These tools are available with wood or plastic handles. Replacement handle
type: double-bitted axe handle. |
McLeod |
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| The McLeod is a grading rake. On one side of the head, it has a coarse-toothed rake
that is intermediate between a fire rake and a garden rake. On the other side of the head, it has a
straight blade. The straight blade can be kept sharp. This tool is especially effective for perfect
smoothing of trails. Replacement handle type: round-eye hoe handle. |
Fire Rake |
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| The fire rake is also used as a grading rake. The rake head is set typically with four
large, triangular, sharpened teeth, the same teeth that are used in some agricultural equipment.
These teeth should be regularly sharpened for best results. This tool was developed for raking fire
breaks. Replacement handle type: round-eye hoe handle. |
Mattock |
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| The mattock is an old-time earth-working tool. It is somewhat similar to an adze, except
that the flat blade is meant to dig dirt, not to hew wood. There are two general weight classes of
mattocks. The regular heavy mattock is a tough and exhausting tool to use. For trail work, the
lightweight mattock is strongly recommended over the heavy mattock. Mattocks usually have a
two-sided head. The other side may be either an axe blade or a pick. These are called,
respectively, axe-mattock and pick-mattock. Unfortunately, the grade of steel used in mattocks is
usually not good enough to hold a good edge. If you are buying a mattock for trail work, I would
recommend a pick-mattock, because the pick may be quite valuable in working in very rocky
areas. The mattock blade, if kept fairly sharp, can still cut through most roots and many branches.
Replacement handle type: mattock handle. |
Shovel |
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The category "shovel" is actually a quite large one. There are four types of shovels that
may be useful in trail work.
- Round-point, long-handle shovel: This is the most common shovel, which is seen
everywhere. Many people call this a "spade," but that is a confusing term applied to a variety of
shovels. The title above is what is most commonly used within the hardware industry. This shovel
is quite valuable for a variety of trail-work applications, including grading trail where the slope is
minimal. Replacement handle type: long shovel handle.
- Round-point, D-handle shovel: This has the same shovel blade as the preceding
shovel, but the handle is much shorter, and has a "D"-shaped handle on the end for gripping. This
shovel is the best tool for shoveling loose fill material. Replacement handle type: D-handle shovel
handle.
- Square-point, long-handle shovel: This has the same handle as the first shovel listed,
but the blade is flat, with a squared tip. This shovel really only has one very specific application in
trail work: fine grading of trail surfaces. It can also be used for shoveling loose fill materials.
Replacement handle type: long shovel handle.
- Duck-billed spade: This is a D-handle shovel, but with a very narrow and long blade.
This may come in handy when digging ditches or cleaning out culverts. This tool was originally
developed for digging trenches for laying pipe underground. Replacement handle type: D-handle
shovel handle.
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Loppers |
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| Loppers are cutting tools that come in several varieties. They are made for cutting
branches. The handles are usually about 18 inches long. There are two most basic varieties: anvil
and bypass. With the anvil type, one sharpened blade closes down to lay flat on the "anvil"
surface. With the bypass type, it's a scissors action, with one blade sharpened, and the other
curved as a hook to hold the material being cut. I recommend, if only buying one pair of loppers,
to buy a compound-action bypass type. The compound action means that your effort is multiplied
by a mechanism so that you can exert more force in the cut. This is an essential tool for trail
clearing and trimming. |
Hand Pruners |
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| These are the small version of loppers, only about five inches long, and meant to be
operated with one hand. These cannot, of course, cut material of the same size as loppers, but
this is nonetheless an invaluable tool to keep in your backpack for trail trimming. |
Sierra Saw |
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| This is a type of folding saw that can take care of many smallish branches and trunks that
the lopper cannot cut. Beware of quality! The quality of steel in this tool is critical, AND
ENSURE THAT THE BLADE TEETH ARE OFFSET. Cheap versions often have teeth that are
flat in the blade and so bind up in any cut. |
Bow Saw |
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| This is a bit heavier-cuty hand saw than the Sierra saw. A good two-person bow saw can
be used to cut through even quite large trees. However, for most use, a smaller, one-person saw is
best. Again, quality is critical! ENSURE THAT THE BLADE TEETH ARE OFFSET. Cheap
versions often have teeth that are flat in the blade and so bind up in any cut. |
Wheelbarrow |
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When doing heavy grading work, wheelbarrows are essential. However, it is well worth
the money to buy a good-quality wheelbarrow. Here are some points to look out for:
- The wheel MUST have a steel hub. Cheap plastic hubs quickly become worthless.
- The nose brace must either have two bolts per side or some other mechanism to keep it from
moving. The nose braces on cheap wheelbarrows, with only one bolt per side, will flip up when
the wheelbarrow is dumped and then rub on the tire.
- The cross brace between the rear feet should either be welded in place or firmly bolted on.
Beware of cross braces that just have a keyed fit!
When you buy a new wheelbarrow, immediately take the wheel off and stuff the hub with heavy
grease. Stuff it full. It's also a good idea to deflate the tire, put in the recommended type of long-
term tire sealant, and re-inflate it (and then spin it for a while). Make sure you replace the valve
cap. |
Chainsaw |
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A good-quality chainsaw is absolutely indispensable for trail work. Do NOT get one
with a blade shorter than sixteen inches, unless you're getting two (a heavy-duty and a light-duty).
To use chainsaws, get recommended chainsaw training! Be certified so that you genuinely know
what you are doing! Do NOT use just any oil in the saw. Use ONLY bar & chain oil, because it
has an especially high viscosity, so that it a) works better; b) stays in place better; c) you need to
use less of it, and d) you leave less of it behind in the environment. Here are the seven OSHA
personal safety rules. Follow them!
- Head protection: Get a chainsaw helmet.
- Eye protection: Get a chainsaw helmet with a face screen.
- Hearing protection: Get a chainsaw helmet with a face screen and ear covers.
- Gloves: Leather gloves or hybrid gloves, NEVER all-cloth gloves.
- Steel-toed boots: In almost any chainsaw situation, you may get a heavy lot dropped on your
toes.
- Chaps: That is, special chain-saw chaps that will instantly stop the blade when it hits the fiber
in the chaps.
- Secure all clothing: Wear no clothing with loose parts that could conceivably get caught in the
chain tuck in your shirt!
Also, with your chainsaw, make sure you buy mixing oil, a 2-gallon power-tool gas can (it has a
special spout), the right size of chain files, at least one spare chain, bar & chain oil, and a file
handle. You should receive a scrench (a combination screwdriver and wrench) with the chainsaw.
It's also a good idea to buy a chainsaw case. You can also buy another blade and chain that are a
different length for more versatility. |
Felling Wedges |
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| If you use a chainsaw, then it's a good idea to have some felling wedges on hand. These
are simply plastic wedges made to be used with a chainsaw. If cutting through a large downed
log, then you can wedge these in the cut to keep the chainsaw from getting cinched. Or they are
also invaluable in directional felling of a tree, using the plunge-cut method. |
String Trimmer |
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| Get a good-quality double-string trimmer, and get one with a replaceable head. Then
get a brush blade with mounting hardware to use as well. |
Measuring Wheel |
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| Get a measuring wheel with a large wheel, not one of the ones with the small wheel.
And try to get one with a solid wheel so it doesn't get caught in the brush. This is a valuable tool
for measuring the actual length of trails. |
Level |
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| This is the most basic tool for checking levels and grades. Not everyone needs to use it
but, in my experience, those good enough not to need one are very rare people. When purchasing
a level, test it on both a flat and a vertical surface. Try it one way, then reverse it and try it
backwards. It doesn't matter if the surface is, in fact, perfectly level or plumb; it ONLY matters
that the bubble winds up in the same spot no matter which way you turn the level. Otherwise,
aluminum is nice because it's tougher, but a cheap plastic one will work fine if you test it for
accuracy first. A four-foot level is recommended, though a torpedo level is nice to have as well.
You can also use a clinometer for shooting grades, but the clinometer is for covering distances;
the level is for spot grade checking. To do spot grade checking, use a straight 8-foot 2x4 and a
measuring tape. Put the level on top of the 2x4, with one end resting on the uphill end, and get it
level, then use the tape to measure the distance between the bottom of the 2x4 (at the very end)
and the trail surface. To calculate the grade, just divide the tape measure reading in inches by 96
and multiply by 100. Even better: you can, instead, get a 10-foot 2x4, and cut it to exactly 100
inches, and then your grade percent is exactly what the tape reads in inches. |