Pulaski FSS Firefighters Axe - Wranglerstar

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[shaykai]

I have no interest really in axes or restoring things, but your videos showcase so much passion that I am thoroughly entertained watching them! It almost makes me want to get an axe myself and start chopping some trees.

[TonyyStarrkk]

Watching people clean up old tools on YouTube usually bores me, and is very unimpressive... But when this guy does it, seeing all the time, effort and level of perfection he strives for in each of his tools, I can't help but watch and crave more. He really gives off the "I'm not fixing it because I have to, I'm fixing it because I want to" vibe, which I find inspiring and beautiful at the same time.

[GunFunZS]

The Chinese one is not an axe it is a gardening mattock. it is for breaking up soil and roots. It doesn't look like a good one, but they were my grandmother's favorite tool for breaking up Oregon clay and roots. The small bit makes it easier to penetrate soil.

[bob_frazier]

I'll add what I knew about the Pulaski's use that doesn't appear to have been covered. The thing about these was the perfect combination use of BOTH tools. They were most often employed in a 20 man hand crew cutting fire line. Pulaski's came behind the crew boss and/or flagger, the sawyers cutting and bucking trail above ground and those brushers clearing what the sawyers had cut and in front of all others in the line.

The men with Pulaski's were the first actually "in the dirt headed for mineral soil", and usually about the toughest men on a trail crew. A Pulaski weighs about 5 or 6 pounds and was very fast. When one really get tuned in to cutting line with a Pulaski, the job was to reveal and then clear what the lighter tools behind you would not be able to easily clear. This was THE tool to clear the brushy thicker roots out of the duff layer of soil, roots typically of salal, rhododendron on the west coast or snowbrush, and manzanita where drier, and other such understory bushes that were growing in the fire line, and usually cleared to wider than the finished trail of 30" or 36" width when practical. These would also blow through rotten stumps or logs too punky to be moved out of the way in one piece.

As such it was usually a cadence of a few swings that one did to clear space around the particular bush and without ever missing a beat, perfectly flip the tool 180 degrees on the upswing and then slice through whatever you had exposed with the prior passes. If you were really good you could even shuck the brush off the line with your tool and keep moving all in cadence. So the swinging never stopped, and one could flip back and forth with which ever of the tools one was using. It was as important for the adze or grub side to be just about as sharp as the axe side as it just made the total job go that much easier. This end was also sharpened the same as an adze or a slick, and never from the other face.

Hazel hoe's (Cody, find one of them too) followed down the line, then some other lighter tools depending on topography and flora. The shovels and rakes were usually for the wimps at the back of the line, sorry, but true. This was hard dirty work that few could do for a couple hours much less day after day, and that I, thirty years later, would never want to do again.

[kcbdr]

As I watched this I was thinking how many people would have come across an old tool like this and tossed it away with no clue as to what they had. Cody I am glad you were able to pick this up and give it new life.

[JOHN-fxxo]

So your show has inspired me many times over. I month or two ago I was looking for an axe for fire wood. A good friend of mine gave me an older Pulaski. The handle was rotten. Much like this one it has surface rust. I picked it up a week ago and contemplated just replacing it. Then I saw a stamp on the side reading U.S.F.S. Again I thought of your show. The restoration began. With your help I was able to clean the tool up and put a new handle on it. I am proud of the tool and the work I put into it. Thank you for all your help.

[kahvac]

It's good to see someone who appreciates the value and worth of old craftsmanship.
They don't make em like that anymore... Thanks for sharing and enjoy it in good health !

[nzsaltflatsracer]

I found a complete one of these hanging in a tree in as good condition a lot of years ago while cutting fire wood here in Idaho. The tree had grown over the head so I removed it with the chainsaw. There was also the rusty remains of a Winchester on the ground below it.  I still use it every day during the winter splitting fire wood in the shop although the head is kinda loose. Thanks for the history.

[schweinhund]

I love watching you restore those old tools....   Awesome workmanship and dedication to a job well done !   Keep up the good work ! 

[Chelanwechel]

14 years ago, when I was in the Forest Service, we cut the adze end off a few Pulaskis to make some falling axes.  I took one of the cut off grubbers and heated and welded it to another Pulaski to make a double wide adze.  The added weight made for an amazing chopper and a great digger.

[ivang]

Next to the FSS stamp is the trademark stamp for the Woodings-Verona Tool Co. of Verona, Pennsylvania

Founded in 1883 at Verona, PA. They produced
sledge hammers, axes, bars, picks and railroad tools. They were purchased
by Ames Tools in 1997.

Mark can be found on axes, hatchets, sledge hammers,
and railroad track wrenches, etc.

[pattrick]

I used a Pulaski a lot in a younger day, building fire trails on a forestry contracting crew. I still have two of them, one that I found along a creek near my house when I lived in Washington and the other was a Forest Service surplus find from when I was a teenager.  Just found your vids, great job on the restorations that I have watched so far.

[gumimalac]

Your enthusiasm for such things is refreshing.

[joethorn]

I just found a Pulaski today at a garage sale marked Tru Temper and another single bit with a handle marked Forestry DFP both for $5. Both axes are in great shape, just dirty. Can't wait to restore them. I've been collecting old axes and ax heads for a few months now, and I really enjoy your videos. Thank you!

[joejordan]

Home Depot and Lowes sells this tool but if you ask a clerk for a pulaski, they have no clue to what a pulaski.

I owned a landscaping company back in the 80's and 90's and used a pulaski quite often in my business. I love that tool so much, I recently bought a slightly used one for an upcoming irrigation project at my new home.

Thank you for your informative videos.

I found your YouTube channel from The Idaho Painter.

[TheMarrk]

You said you were an Firefighter... Im an Firefighter from Germany and i Love the Pulaski...
In Germany we firefighter say Gott zur, Ehr dem Nächsten zur Wehr.
which means smothing like God to honor, our neighbor to defend
its an traditionel slogan

[berta]

That 'chinese pulaski' is actually called a grub axe or grub hoe it's not made for the forestry industry really more for gardeners and agriculture. It's not really made to be an impostor.

[bluebulk]

found this bit of info on council tools website "the Pulaski is thought to have been developed in the early 1900's by Edward Pulaski, a legendary Forest Service Ranger in Idaho. It is said that in August, 1910 his presence saved the lives of 45 men during a difficult time in a large fire.

[RiotHouseLP]

I used a Pulaski cutting line and roots while on the fire crew.  Was my favorite. My brother modified the back, to make it a hammer for knocking wedges for felling trees.

[kalebsheridan]

Awesome video! I do the same paint scheme with my axes, except colored blue. This is a great channel, and it inspired me to become a wildland firefighter. Best job I can imagine for a restless 20 year old.