This month we highlight one of the most renowned tools for trail work.  Similar to the McLeod (featured in September 2011’s Knowledge Nook) the Pulaski has its roots in wildland firefighting.  Ed Pulaski was the inventor of this versatile tool.  He combined an ax head with an adze (hoe) to create the Pulaski.  The Pulaski is a favorite tool of firefighters for digging firebreaks, which involves removing vegetation and digging trenches.  The adze is used for grubbing and digging, and the ax is for chopping and clearing roots.

The tool’s namesake was Ed Pulaski, a ranger with the United States Forest Service.  Pulaski is credited with saving 45 of the 50 men on his firefighting crew in the summer of 1910.  During the forest fire known as the Big Blowup, Pulaski and his crew were forced to seek refuge in an abandoned mine.  Due to Pulaski’s quick thinking and knowledge of the surrounding area, all but five men from Pulaski’s crew survived the fire.

The adze of the Pulaski can be used to dig in soft soil, rebuild a trail bench, clear uphill vegetation, or to remove bark from a log.  The ax head is handy for clearing roots.  The Pulaski should not be used in rocky soil or used to pry rocks; a pick mattock is the preferred option for rockwork.   RMFI’s trail projects involve lots of rockwork; hence the Pulaski is rarely used.  The Pulaski is more popular in areas where the soil is less rocky and there are more trees like the Pacific Northwest.

When using a Pulaski, keep your back straight and knees flexed.  Never swing a Pulaski above your shoulder and always wear eye protection to protect against flying objects.  When carrying the Pulaski, hold it with the ax head facing down and away.