Man-handled

During the summer our favourite little pickaxe for gardening broke. It’s not surprising, as our soil is a mixture of thick, claggy clay and limestone rocks. Whilst outside in his workshop Brian came across an old pickaxe head which he’d picked up from a vide grenier, so he decided to spend some time resurrecting it ready for next year.

First he cut a strip of oak off a piece he saved from when he made the stairs.

Then he whittled the end into a circle, to fit into the pickaxe head.

Once that fitted he turned to an old tool he’d bought for a few euros in another vide grenier we’d visited in the summer.

It’s a long blade, attached to two wooden handles, that you use to shave wood.

The blade worked brilliantly, and he soon had a smooth handle.

He cut a slot in the top, where the handle enters the pickaxe head, and then cut a small wedge to fit in it. This helps to spread the wood so that it doesn’t fall out.

Once it had been glued and hammered in, all that was left was to cut the end off, and ‘voila’, a new pickaxe for the garden. I can see me using that new old tool a lot in the garden.