Steel for a pickaroon

[balmerchris]

Done my back in lifting big heavy rounds of ash so want something to lift logs on to the splitter. Something like this


I tried to make my own with some random stainles steel. It is 6mm thick so I thought it would be strong enough but it bent at the tip after a few blows into some logs.

You can see in the pic how the point just kept rolling round. What sort of steel could I use that would stand that abuse? I was thinking of using an annealed file?

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Car leaf springs are brilliant for woodworking tools, I have a froe I made using a section of leaf spring with a piece of ash through the eye as a handle, I made it about 20 plus years ago and its split countless lengths of timber in that time.
You could do the same for your pick, profile the spring to the required shape and use a piece of hardwood through the eye as a handle.

 

[Badger1bear]

Car leaf springs are brilliant for woodworking tools, I have a froe I made using a section of leaf spring with a piece of ash through the eye as a handle, I made it about 20 plus years ago and its split countless lengths of timber in that time.

Like a coopers froe ?

 

[balmerchris]

Car leaf springs are brilliant for woodworking tools, I have a froe I made using a section of leaf spring with a piece of ash through the eye as a handle, I made it about 20 plus years ago and its split countless lengths of timber in that time.
You could do the same for your pick, profile the spring to the required shape and use a piece of hardwood through the eye as a handle.

Would a leaf spring need heat treatment after shaping or would it be tough enough left as is?

 

[balmerchris]

Yours tapers quite gently meaning it's pretty thin for a while, the commercial version has a steeper angle by the look of it.

So, my answer as to what type of steel?

Bigger steel.

I see what you mean about the taper but the stainless I used for my pick is already twice the thickness of that oregon one. Really want to try to keep weight down.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Like a coopers froe ?

Had to look that one up! Yes identical, you hit the back with a round rough mallet which I've always known as a Beetle and then twist the blade by pulling on the handle to split the timber.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Would a leaf spring need heat treatment after shaping or would it be tough enough left as is?

If you can find a flattish spring it wouldn't need any heat treatment, just profiling.

 

[gordon stephenson]

For starters i would lop 20/25 mm from the tip and reprofile a touch steeper taper

 

[Badger1bear]

Had to look that one up! Yes identical, you hit the back with a round rough mallet which I've always known as a Beetle and then twist the blade by pulling on the handle to split the timber.

I guess I've just had a rich youth

 

[steve t]

I'd use leaf spring aswell.

 

[MattF]

What area/location are you in Chris?

 

[balmerchris]

What area/location are you in Chris?

Northern Ireland matt.

 

[MattF]

Typical. Was just wondering as I have a Transit leaf spring sat here which I appropriated for uses like this, the other month. If you'd been close by, you could have come round and chopped a chunk off that.

 

[balmerchris]

Thanks for the offer. Will have to have a look around, I should have something lying about.

 

[MattF]

If you do get stuck, give me a shout. I could always post you a length through.

 

[balmerchris]

I cut about 20mm of the tip this morning and reprofiled the tip with a file, will see how it goes this time.

I also made a smaller version using an old lawnmower blade this morning just finished putting a coat of linseed oil on it. It will be for lighter stuff like lifting chopped logs into the wheel barrow.

 

[Kent]

I'd use leaf spring aswell.

Add me to that one off a big truck most likely

 

[balmerchris]

If you do get stuck, give me a shout. I could always post you a length through.

Damn nice of you. Thanks Again.

 

[balmerchris]

Ok I got a mahousive leaf spring out of a big lorry, how could I straighten it without heat? Or should I just use heat in which case will it need hardened and tempered again after straightening and shaping?

 

[the snooper]

you want some of these connected to a hoist