Those of you who have cut some fire lines back in the "golden age" of wildland firefighting, should recognize this tool. It is a McCleod tool.
The tool next to it is my USFS Pulaski. You can read about the Pulaski in my blog posting here:
https://sharky-fourbees.blogspot.com/2015/11/us-forest-service-pulaski-fss-woodings.html
I had to clear out a patch of burr clover back behind the bunker, so, I took the opportunity to pull out my old USFS McCleod tool.
For those of you who don't know about Burr Clover, you can read about that nasty plant here:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/burr-medic-weed.htm
It was great to have a McCleod in hand again, but I have to tell you, it seemed like WAY more work to "cut line" than it did when I was 35 years younger! The photo below is from my time with the Butte County Fire Department / CDF, back in the 1980's.
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| 1984 Butte County Fire Department / Calif. Dept. of Forestry CDF |
I picked up this McCleod tool locally, here on the Olympic Peninsula. It was in rough shape, but the head was solid. The handle was snapped off, and only a stub remained attached to the head. The wood was extremely weathered, but it was clearly marked as a US Forrest Service tool!
This McCleod is one of the early models that found their way into the forest service. The McCleod tool was invented by Malcom McCleod, in 1905. Malcom was a US Forest Service Ranger assigned to the Sierra National Forest, in California.
Here's a link to a page with some great photos of early USFS and CCC crew firefighting equipment. You'll find a list of albums down near the bottom of the web page:
https://foresthistory.org/research-explore/us-forest-service-history/policy-and-law/fire-u-s-forest-service/u-s-forest-service-fire-suppression/
Here is a history of the US Forest Service from it's beginning, back in 1905. There are quite a few pages, filled with outstanding history and photos:
http://npshistory.com/publications/usfs/fs-650/sec2.htm
My particular tool is unmarked, but based on the weathering, and construction, I would place it before WW2. How far back before the 1940's, I really can't say, but it is definitely an old one.
For many years, the McCleod was one of the main tools used for cutting wildland fire line when fighting grass and forest fires. Even today, the McCleod will be found on the fire lines with various Federal, State and local fire crews. The blade side can scrape the ground back to dirt, and the rake side can quickly clear loose debris. When the McCleod was not on the fire line, it was often found doing trail work or other forest maintenance tasks. In fact, today it is still a favored tool for trail builders.
They are awkward to carry, and store, but they do a great job at clearing ground! The perfect tool for my burr clover job.
My tool obviously needed some restoration work. I started out by removing the broken handle. I cut out the section that had been "branded" USFS and still had some of the remaining red and black handle marking paint. I would use this section later when I installed the "new" handle.
The head was worked over with a file to give it a "regulation" blade edge, and the entire surface was sanded and wire brushed to remove rust. I kept most of the original patina, and matched the bright metal portions (exposed while cleaning) with liquid gun bluing.
I then salvaged a solid, but nicely aged, handle off of a newer shovel. Several hours of sanding, staining, and "aging" later, and I was ready to "brand" it with a USFS marking, and bands of red and black paint. The USFS brand was hand carved, and then the brand, and paint bands, were roughed up, "aged", and blended to match the handle, and original character of the tool.
The red and black bands of paint are often seen on fire tools that appear in USFS photos from the 1970's and 1980's. I am not sure though, when the color scheme first appeared.
I fitted the handle to the head, and reattached it using steel rivet-nails that were very similar to the originals.
The "Museum Restoration" was complete! The McCleod is right at home in the Bunker, next to my USFS Pulaski, as well as out back, grubbing out burr clover.
To finish things up, here are two albums. The first is the "before restoration" album, and the second is the finished tool album.
Before Restoration:
The Finished McCleod Tool:
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