Ponderosa Pine bark chipping tool

[Montanalocal]

For all you folks out West here that are harvesting dead beetle-killed Ponderosa pine, you have probably figured out by now that it is best to chip off as much bark as possible out in the woods, to avoid having mounds of loose bark accumulate in your splitting area.

The question then becomes, what is the best way to do this. Like probably most of you, I started out using a hatchet. However, I went to the pictured tool that has a crosswise blade. I think this works much better, because you can get a chopping and prying motion with a single blow. I do not know what it is, I picked it up a a junk shop many years ago.

If I did not have this, I would probably fabricate something like it by taking one of my old pulaskis, cutting the handle down so I could use it one-handed, and perhaps slicing off the axe portion. What do you think?

 

[Oldman47]

Looks like a mattock with a broken blade.

 

[TMonter]

Ponderosa or lodgepole? Generally lodgepole should be as plentiful out by Helena but will have more BTU's.

 

[Montanalocal]

It is not a mattock and it definitely is not broken. The handle, which appears to be original, is only 17 inches long, making it a one handed tool. There is an oriental looking symbol cast into the head. I have never seen anything quite like it. I am guessing it was some sort of gardening tool.


Unfortunately right around where I live it is almost exclusively Ponderosa. There are Lodge Pole further away, but they are higher up and harder to get to.

 

[Lake Girl]

Prospector's pick?

 

[Lake Girl]

There is an oriental looking symbol cast into the head.

Those are the maker's marks similar to the branding of cattle or marks used for silversmiths. I'm not sure if there is a guide for foundry marks like there is for silversmiths...
http://www.sha.org/assets/documents/Trademarks on Base-Metal Tableware.pdf Page 16 shows index of some symbols used on metal housewares ...

 

[Countryboymo]

I am not so sure I wouldn't get an answer on its history and value before continuing to use it.

 

[Lake Girl]

Could try the folks at the museum ... they may have a tool with the same markings with a known history or might be able to put you on the path on how to identify what it was exactly and who made it.
http://mhs.mt.gov/Museum/Collections

Edit: Where did you get the tool? Might be a clue...

 

[Montanalocal]

Thanks for the heads up on the museum. I will check it out. I cut out the symbol and did a search on Tineye and other image reverse-lookup sites. No hits.

 

[Seanm]

As you and I have chatted about in another thread I dont harvest the Ponderosa as its to far for me to get and I have lots of Lodgepole 5 minutes away. (opposite from your situation). With Larch I will often 'zip' or score the bark lengthwise with my chainsaw before bucking and it will often peal off nicely. It seems to get easier the older the tree is. Have you tried that with Ponderosa? Both trees seem to have a thick bark so it might work on ponderosa as well. The way you do it seems to work great by looking at those nice clean rounds in your truck. Well done! Bark on my lawn drives me nuts unless its birch then the family and I like to watch it curl in the fire pit!

 

[Wisneaky]

That tool is a gold miners pick. Also the markings on it look like that pick with gold nuggets. My dad was a geologist and I remember he had a tool like that laying around when I was a kid.

 

[Montanalocal]

Yes, this does seem to be a miners pick. You can put that into an image search and come up with all kinds of variations. There is even a bunch on ebay.

http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages...02,689589351&formats=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0&format=0

I have tried scoring the bark, although not so much when it it very loose. One or two whacks and it usually starts to peel off.

 

[Jeffm1]

It's a pick axe. I have a smaller one I use for the same thing I bought at home depot. They are found in the gardening tools section near shovels, hoes and rakes, etc.

 

[Jeffm1]

I discovered yesterday that a scwrench works just as well when I was out in the forest and forgot my small pickax-debarker.