What do you call a tool....

[dickm]

..... that looks like a narrow shovel, but with the blade at right angles to the handle? It's used for cleaning stuff out of the bottom of narrow trenches, and where I came from originally (Welsh Border) was called a skippet. I need one now for a job, but don't know what they call them in Scotland :?

And we think that it's just USA and UK that are divided by a common language!

 

[John. B]

I would call that a trenching tool.

John. B

 

[wizer]

Like an Adze? I have one I used on my allotment called an Azada.

 

[llangatwgnedd]

Mattock?

 

[Doctor]

How about Henry.

 

[Grinding One]

Called a trench shovel here

 

[Ironballs]

Broken spade?

 

[Digit]

In my neck of the woods it's a mattock.

Roy.

 

[laird]

Something like http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... ort-cutter
?

 

[beech1948]

Hi,

Its not a mattock or other gardening tool. Its called shovel nosed adze....I think. Typical adze shape but with little wings at each side of the blade.

This came up here about 3 months ago I think but can't recall where.


http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/cgi-bin/res.pl?keyword=Adze&offset=0


http://www.oldtools.co.uk/tools/edge_tools/adzes.axes/adzes.axes.php second one down

Concave gouge shaped adze here

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=29843&name=Adze&user_search=1&sfile=1&jump=0

Try here for Gandfors Brux which are very good but expensive

http://www.wealddown.co.uk/Shop/gransfors-bruks-axes.htm

Straight Adze Short Handle
This adze has an axe style head with a flat blade for easy cutting. The 3” blade is slightly swept. Weight incl. handle approx 2lb with a handle length of 7”. The axe is fitted with a tight-grained hickory handle and provided with a grain-leather sheath with snap fastener.

£125.00
477
Straight Adze Long Handle
As above but with a 25 inch handle This adze has an axe style head with a flat blade for easy cutting. The 3” blade is slightly swept. Weight incl. handle approx 2lb ½. The axe is fitted with a tight-grained hickory handle and provided with a grain-leather sheath with snap fastener.


£139.00
478
Short Gutter Adze.
This adze has an axe style head with a drooped blade for easy cutting. The blade is deeply swept and slightly flattened at the bottom for clean shaping. It is 3” wide with a handle length of 7”. The head weight is 2lb. The axe is fitted with a tight-grained hickory handle and provided with a grain-leather sheath with snap fastener.


£127.00
479
Long Gutter Adze.
This premium Swedish adze features a hand forged axe-style head with a nicely drooped blade for easy, efficient cutting. Grasp its 25” hickory axe handle near the end for use with an erect stance and a heavy swing, or hold it just as comfortably 4” to 6” from the end for a compact, fully controlled swing with your elbows braced against your knees. The blade is 3” wide, deeply swept and slightly flattened at the bottom for clean, smooth shaping. Head weight 2 1/2lbs. The axe is fitted with a tight-grained hickory handle and provided with a grain-leather sheath with snap fastener.


£144.00

regards
Alan

 

[dickm]

Thanks, guys, but none of those is quite what I'm after. I've got a well used mattock and one of those elongated hoe-things (tjembe in Afrikaans?). But for this task (scooping soil/stones out of the bottom of a narrow trench) the blade needs to be curved at right angles to the curve on a mattock. Makes it more like a scoop or spoon.
Used one regularly for cleaning out trenches prior to laying tile drains "when I were a lad" some 50+ years ago. Will have to try raiding the local heritage centre!

 

[Tom K]

How about this?

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+To ... 669/p58550

 

[yo_chuci]

sketch a pic...

 

[dennis]

Sounds like what is known as a swan neck.


Dennis.

 

[Tom K]

Nah thats one of these...

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+To ... 669/p95213

 

[dennis]

That's different to what I know as a swan neck Tom. The one that I know as a swan neck, the blade curves under and back and is also curved in profile and about 4 inches wide, though there may be wider ones. They are used like a scoop to clean up the bottom of narrow trenches for land drains as Dick says.


Dennis

 

[dickm]

That's different to what I know as a swan neck Tom. The one that I know as a swan neck, the blade curves under and back and is also curved in profile and about 4 inches wide, though there may be wider ones. They are used like a scoop to clean up the bottom of narrow trenches for land drains as Dick says.


Dennis

That's spot on, Dennis. But where will I find one? :?
Interestingly, I was on a drystane dyking course today, and one of the other guys was a BT lineman, who brought along what they call a rabbiter. This had the right shaped blade, but was only at a slight angle to the handle, like an ordinary spade. Apparently they are specially made for BT, but he didn't know who made them.

 

[dennis]

Hi Dick,

Today I was talking to a farmers son whose brother owns an agricultural supply, and he thinks that they sell them. As I will be passing there tomorrow, I will look in and ask about them. I would think that ebay would be a good place to look.

Dennis.

 

[head clansman]

Hi all

They do look like a shipwrights adze, there called chunkles i think that spelt right . hc

 

[dickm]

They do look like a shipwrights adze, there called chunkles

That's an even more evocative name than a skippet
The nearest thing I've managed to find so far is what the Murricans apparently call a trench cleaning shovel. But that only has the blade at a slight angle to the shaft. The one I used to use had the blade at a bit more than a right angle. Will just have to keep hunting.