Cool Tools, lesser known tools that can improve your life

Carla Burke wrote:How big is this, please? And how much does it weigh?

Total length:  ~11.75" long
Handle: ~5.75" long, ~1" diameter
Blade is ~5.5" from where the metal bends to the tip and maybe 3-ish" at its widest point (forgot to measure that bit)

I didn't weigh it, but I don't think it even weighs a pound.  The one I have has a very lightweight handle, not a heavy wood like oak.  It feels chintzy when you pick it up, but it's not.

S Tonin wrote:

Carla Burke wrote:How big is this, please? And how much does it weigh?

Total length:  ~11.75" long
Handle: ~5.75" long, ~1" diameter
Blade is ~5.5" from where the metal bends to the tip and maybe 3-ish" at its widest point (forgot to measure that bit)

I didn't weigh it, but I don't think it even weighs a pound.  The one I have has a very lightweight handle, not a heavy wood like oak.  It feels chintzy when you pick it up, but it's not.

Thank you! This might be a huge help for me, too. I've been looking at them, for a while, but haven't been able to decide, without getting my hot little hands on one, to try it!

So these videos are for wood working tools, but it shows how much is out there. They are up to #22 now

Alex Arn wrote:Francis, who is the maker for that trench digger?  I am in the market for one have not see one like that.

I bought mine at Lee Valley Tools a number of years ago. A bit spendy, but very well made and heavy duty. Plus, you can bolt it on to any handle you please. Apparently it's a copy of a Swedish wilderness firefigher's tool. Their version of a Pulaski perhaps. Anyway, it gets my recommendation for function and good long-term value.

Amit Enventres wrote:Someone's going to roll their eyes, but I gotta add these with their special uses.

1. A large flat head screwdriver.

2. A hammer. The back end is a small hoe and an excellent weeder.

A thousand times yes! No eye rolling here. Every off-grid tool kit needs one of each.

1. A heavy duty flat head screwdriver (sometimes called a mechanic's screwdriver) is a prybar, weeder, punch, shim and chisel. And emergency tent peg.

And it has a critical and unorthodox use: the kitchen prybar.  Here's the story: many years ago, I got tired of reprofiling the broken tips of chef knives. You see, people would try to pry apart frozen steaks, burgers, blocks of rhubarb, or whatever with the biggest and heaviest knife in their knife block. They would try to use an expensive, precision cutting tool as a chisel/prybar. You can guess the result. AARGH! So I started picking up heavy duty flat (mechanic's) screwdrivers on good deals, preferrably with a corrosion resistant coating so they would survive a dishwasher. And I gave them as Christmas presents. Put this in your kitchen drawer! Put this on top of everything in your freezer! And I think it caught on (or they got tired of me ranting, dunno). You want one too! In your freezer! (End of sermon.)

2. A framing style hammer, the ones where the nail pull tines are nearly perpendicular to the handle, is an indestructible mini-mattock. Nothing can stand in its way. Brilliant.

I posted this picture elsewhere,  but this stool is in constant use.  It functions as a stool and a kneed pad. The legs/handles are great to help me get back up.

Alex Arn wrote:

Francis Mallet wrote:


When I first used this trench digger I fell down to my knees and cried. I use it to break new ground, remove small stumps, cutting roots, unearthing rocks, etc.
Before digger = hell
After digger = pleasant workout

Francis, who is the maker for that trench digger?  I am in the market for one have not see one like that.

Thanks!

Ahh I missed this reply sorry! If anybody is interested it's available from Lee Valley at 66.50$ CAD

Lee Valley Trench Digger

I broke a piece off the handle this summer pulling rocks from the garden. To be honest I should have used a pickaxe for this job the digger took a lot of abuse. When I replace the handle I think I'll make it 6" longer.

Francis Mallet wrote:

Alex Arn wrote:

Francis Mallet wrote:


When I first used this trench digger I fell down to my knees and cried. I use it to break new ground, remove small stumps, cutting roots, unearthing rocks, etc.
Before digger = hell
After digger = pleasant workout

Francis, who is the maker for that trench digger?  I am in the market for one have not see one like that.

Thanks!

Ahh I missed this reply sorry! If anybody is interested it's available from Lee Valley at 66.50$ CAD

Lee Valley Trench Digger

I broke a piece off the handle this summer pulling rocks from the garden. To be honest I should have used a pickaxe for this job the digger took a lot of abuse. When I replace the handle I think I'll make it 6" longer.

I bought one of these.. my sister, who is quite short, loves it. I am 5-10" and the thing is a frustration to me; exactly the tool I want, and the quality of steel seems pretty good compared to the heavy mattock/pick I have... but it's built at about  3/4 scale! I hope to find a matching tool in a larger size, because otherwise it is excellent..