Tools (continued)

McLeods. The McLeod combines a heavy-duty rake with a large, sturdy hoe. McLeods work well for constructing trails through light soils and vegetation or for reestablishing tread along sloughed side cuts. They are inefficient in rocky or unusually brushy areas.

Fire Rake (Council Tool). The fire rake is another fire tool used widely for tread work, especially in the East.

Picks. Pick heads have a pointed tip for breaking hard rock by forcing a natural seam. They also have a chisel tip for breaking softer materials.

Work the pick like a Pulaski hoe with short, deliberate, downward strokes. Avoid raising the pick overhead while swinging. Always wear safety goggles while using a pick to guard against flying rock chips.

Use a grinder or mill bastard file to sharpen pointed tips to 3-mm (1/8-inch) squares. When sharpening chisel tips, maintain the factory bevel.

Mattocks. The pick mattock is often recommended as the standard tool for trail work. For many applications, it is much better than a Pulaski. It has a pointed tip for breaking rocks and a grubbing blade for working softer materials. The grubbing blade may also be used to cut roots or remove small stumps. Moreover, with the edge of the tool, you can tamp dirt and loose rocks or smooth a new tread.

Maintain good cutting edges on mattocks. Sharpen grubbing blades to maintain a 35° edge bevel on the underside. Sharpen pick ends like you would a pick, and maintain factory bevels on cutter blades.

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