By the Same Author ‘Tus Jexton Boox oF Canine ax Wooscnarr Wooocearr Joo Goss Canerive Dances ano Srontts oF Tix AMERICAN THDUAN Doms, Toxerones aND Rarsiss Rorise Pysatte ano PIONEER SrouTs Campine ano Eovestion ‘Tue Boor ron Jowion Woousssex AAs coauthor with E. D. Mitchell Soctat Ganers on Recreation Active Gaxers ax Contests “Tue Tusony oF Px WOODSMANSHIP ty BERNARD S. MASON drawings by Frederic H. Kock A.S. Bares and Company New York | ‘Copyright, 1945 and 1954, by A. S. Barnes and Company, Ine Allrghtsceserved, No part of this book may be reproduced jn eny form, either wholly or in part, for any use whatso- ‘ever, including radio ind televialon presentation, without the written permission of the copyright owner with the ‘exception of a review quoting brief passages ia a magazine ‘ornewspaper. Manufactured nthe United StatesofAmericx. Published on the sume day inthe Dominion of Canada ‘by The Copp Clark Company, Ltd, Toronto Libroty of Congress Catalog Card Number: 54-5408 Most ofthe material i tis book previously appeared in “Tne nook on juston woopsnern (A. S. Barnes, 1945) a rey) CONTENTS Mon ofthe Woods res for Yonder Coury Sire Foting Pole Catto You Sie Double-hit ruler Ax ‘ses Ase, Aes Handle with Cae The Hang oft Whose Fault? ale Axes Do Bie Giving i Teth For Speed and Safety ‘he Old Grinding Wheel Chopping High, Low, and inthe Middle How Bigs the Cow's Mouth? Misery Whips Dont Drag Your Fest OL Fashioned Bucksaw Modern Bow aw Ie Teeth Need Brushing Felling with an Ax “Which Directo? Felling with a Saw ithe Tree Leas Freeing Lodged Tee Pushing Them Down “PLM BE-R'~ Beware Watch Out for Kickback Lopping the Branches Bucking Up “The Backes’ Horses Peavey and Cant ook Bees BESBRRS Bese Cording “The Handy Palghook Canying Logs Come-alongs skidding Pike-poles Bitking Sphitsng Logs Wedges and Gluts ‘To Drive Wedges As Thin as @ Rail Horse-high, Bullstrong and Pigetight 54 Beetles Chopping Blocks Spliting Stovewood Getting the Shakes Hew tothe Line With the Aid of an Adz Shaving Horse Crooked Knife Stamp Vise Barking Brushing Getting Down to Roots “Taking the Stamp “More Power to You Wilderness Auto Tracks Catamaran Your Ax s Your Knife Slab Pigs Backwoods Plumbing Water Boy Giving er Snoose in the Roleo Nailing Dowa the Size Logging Lingo gaaga 80 cy Pn 133519WOODSMANSHIPSURE FOOTING Nori R088 sa OF 1s COURAGE in crashing the brush and slash-piles so mosh as fimay shoes, When well-shod and rough, he wades right into the mess, but with poor foot proteeton, he misces his way, picking every tkap, and worry {ng lest he bark his ankle or crack his shin. The wise look well to their boos Nine inches isthe proper height for a hoot, not over ten. Lower than that they offer no shin protection, and shins ace sensitive; and, moreover the pants leg cannot be tucked in, and tucked in they should be lest the fappy bottoms catch on every stub fo trip and rip. Those who prefer their pants legs open should cut ‘thea off at the top of the boots, stag-pants style. If low shoes must be worn, wrap the pants leg around the ankle and tie them. Knee-high boots axe seldom worn fn the bush=they are hot, heavy, and wholly unnecessary. ‘The moccasin pac is the lightest, most flexible and most comfortable boot rade, yet sturdy witha, offering gocd protection, It has one shortcoming is slippery on wet rocks and grassy slopes. In that kind of country, a moccasin pac with a rubber sole is better. Some prefer it anyway because it has a heel. wampy going. ordinary rubber pacs are excellent. They are usually ‘worn with an arched innersole inserted. Avoid waterpreot leather boots—they are never watertight, and ate unbelievably hot la working on logs, leather boots with heavy calked soles are necessary to prevent sipping. Whatever the boot, wear heavy wool socks, preferably two pairs, to give the needed padding, Heavy socks cushion the feet and absorb the shock D.H. HILL Linpapy wz | Mee PAs teePOLE-AX Eventonn xnows ie yove-ax, even though he may not know it by that name. It is an ax with a hammer surface opposite the cutting edge, as shown in the drawing, Iti the commonest type of ax, the type that comes to one's mind when the word “ax” is mentioned, The harnmer surface is called a pole, hence the name pole-x. While any ax with » hammer surface may rightly be called a ppole-ax, inchading even the litle Scout ax, yet the term as itis commonly used refers to a large ax of this type. One speaks of his pole-an to difer- entiate it irom his double-biteed ax of equal size. It is @ good habit always to speak of one’s pole-ax by that same, not merely to call it an ax. In doing to, one is using the terminology of the woods and the logging camps. Similarly, itis important to know the names ofthe different parts of an ax, and to refer to them by the proper terms, One's talk, as wel as his skills, ebels him a8-woodeman or tender- foot. (Of the two main types of axes~pole-ates and double-bitted ares the pole-ax isto be preferred for general use. It isthe all-purpose ax, ‘meeting the situation whether it be splitting, chopping, or the hammer. ing an ax is called upon to do. It reigns supreme on the woodpile, fr it sone s suitable for splitting wood. And it should never be sold short as a chopping tool. If only one ax can be had with which to do all kinds of ‘work, that ax should be a pole-ay. CUT TO YOUR SIZE ‘Too aie aN Ax is a hindrance. It causes strain and destroys your aim. One gets out more work with an ax that fts—one that fits him and fits the job he is doing, No burly lumberjack would use a lerger ax than the job requires. A full sized pole-ax is not needed for chopping as often as one might think. ‘The smaller pulproood ax is usually large enough. Large pole-axes range in weight from three to five pounds. Most woods. ‘men prefer a SH-pound one with « 86-inch handle, which is heavy enough for any ‘use, But such big axes are needed only for splitting firewood and for chopping big timber, For most other tasks the pulpwood siz is dequate, “The pulpwood ax weighs 2% pounds and as a 28-inch handle. Te & the ax used in pulpwood logging, where the trees seldom run over a foot in diameter at the butt, For such work no logger would ask for « heavier one, It is unexcelled as an ax for boys; indeed, this size Is often cataloged by manufacturers under the title of boy's ax "The cedar ox is another superb’ ax ofthe same size, Its wide bit, shown in the drawing, was developed for use in the cedar country af ‘Texas where a tangle of branches and brush must be cleared away before getting to the tree. But itis becoming popular the country over as an allsound chopping ax for light timber. ‘These 2-pound axes with 28- inch helves are referred to as three: quarter axes. If one of these is handy, ‘you will find that you will seldom pick up the big poleax, They ate type-perfect for boys and women, and large enough for the chopping most men will do. EDA A, AX BRIE ahs.DOUBLE-BIT Tins nacaery ax of the Northland & the token of true woodsmanship. A double-bited ox ‘man!thus i the man spoken of who i master of the sil of the tinber country. Not that this ax sso moch moze dificult to use, but that the tool ofthe professional logger, and as such has become the sybol of expertnes. ‘The double-bitted ax developed i the North country where the tees were big and logging was an industy, and t accompanied the lumberjack from Maine across to Oregon. One sees double-bits on every han in these Nacthland humber camps, but may search long to find a single poe-ax. “The characteristic ofthe doublebitted axis that it has no hammer surface 48 does the poe, lt sather has two cutting edges opposite each other snd both in ine with the handle This chosen ax of the lumberjack has many advantages, and on the other hand sa tol forthe inexperienced it has many disadvantages. Those who are ac- customed tit claim tht there fa balance and trimness about it that makes the poleax seem clumsy by comparison, Its weight i all inline with it ettng edge ~it seems to swing more true to its mark, and to bite deeper. More important til, {ts two blades make ta dual-purpose chopping ax—two axes in one. The woodsman, {nds the to blades to diferent thicknesses. each for decent purpose, The thin Biche reserves for clean, fst chopping, and the thicker one he uses around knots, in cutting roots, and in working near the ground where a slip means a nick, Thus Ines able to rote his keen bit and keep it rzae-sarp, But be it known that the full-sized double-bit ta spevalzed toa that be- longs only in the hands ofthe professional logér. Its big~and vicious. It is too such ax forthe average person. It is dangeros in other than expert hands and it fs not needed outside the logging industry. The lighter and smaller Cruiser Axis the double bit bestsuited for average needs. CRUISER AX “Twx cnuisen ax is a double-bit eut down to size convenient to handle. It sweighs 2% gounds and has a 28-inch handle, Iti thus a three-quarter ax—the double-bitted companion of the pulpwoo8 ax—yet i is capable of tackling with ‘ease any kind of timber up to & foot in diameter. It has all the advantages of the double-bit, yet none of the unvieldiness ofits overgrown brother of the logging ‘camps. And itis much safer Rarely is @ larger ax needed outside of the logging industry, and if ti, a pole-2x would be preferable. ‘The Cruiser isa good ax to know. Iti a standard pattern and is made, with slight variations, by all ax manufacturers, "The best Feature of the Cruiser is that it can be muzzled, a very important consideration, for double-bits are notoriously dangerous to cary, Sheaths are sold for it and inthe sheath & should always be when not in use. When muzzled, both the ax and the people around it are safe. In spite ofits long handle it ean be carried on the belt, ht whether by belt or hand, it should bein its sheath ‘The Cruiser was originally developed for use by the timber cruisers of the Pacific Coast who needed a fistclas,eficient ax, yet one light enough to be carcied while cruising afoot. But filling a widespread need as it i, its popularity spread rapidly to other sreas and for other purposes. Today it stands as one of the most useful axes made. A. meosoring sick (s good to have along in the ‘woods, and the handiest place for itis on the ax handle. If the ruler marks are burned on with a hot wire they become permanently fised and clearly visible, yet do not rough up the handle. Never notch them on, for an ax handle must be absolutely smooth and slick, A two-foot ruler ean be matked on the Cruiser handle RULER MARES BURKED INTO HELVE OF CRUISER AX CRUISER ‘AX 20218.| MICHIGAN AXES, AXES, AXES h HOOSIER i ROCKAWAY [ | DAYTON YERSEY Of WISCONSIN WEEN CROWN | = | sexe, {3 Hen. ARE THE BETTER-ENOWS PAT- ‘runs oF axes. Yes, there are more-many | Todeed, there are upwards of thirty diffeent patterns of poleaxes alone used in Amerie today. ‘Why so many types? Wis largely 2 matter of regional preference, certain sec- tions of the country preferring certain patterns because of traditions that have developed there. This came about because, fn the early days, axes were made by local blacksmiths, each according to his own ideas, Different patterns thus developed ‘nthe diferent localities, and as the years went by the traditions carried on, so that to this day the people in certain areas demand certain styles, the style their ancestors Knew before them ‘When it comes to axes the pat is big fn the present. This is particularly trae in the eastern past ofthe country with its long pioneer history. ft often happens that the style of ax carries the name of the locality where it fst developed, Re SOUR EMD KENTUCKY OR SOUTHERN YANKEE DOCK HALF WEDGE CEDAR HALE WEDGE | HALF ‘Thus it happens that when one goes Into a local store to putchase an ax, he usually finds, not many, but one style of ‘axon display-the traditional style for that particular area, And thus it happens that one orders an ax disect from the manue facturer without specifying the style, the ‘manufacturer will usually determine the style by the section of the country from hich the order came. How, then, can we select an ax from this maze of patterns? In pole-axes, the Michigan pattern is the most widely ‘used td the vext in popolarity is the Day- ton pattern ‘one wishes to follow the twadition of the particular locality in which be lives, he will do well to select ome of these, preferably the Michigan, which is probably the pattern bestdapted for general use, Among double-bits, the Michi gan is again the most widely used, with the Western second in popularity. ‘The axes designed for special pur- poses, such as the Peeling, Half-Peeling, Falling and Swamping types, for example, are tools for the logging industry, where ‘each has particular duties to do. They are not adapted for general as, Ht) PEELWG OR REVERSIBLE WIEHIGAN WARROW MICHIGAN ! FALLING FULLPEELING WESTERN OR PEMNSYLANIA \ SWAMPSHANDLE WITH CARE Le AN AvrowonLe with «faulty steering wheel, an ax with a poor handle 's apt to get out of control and is never dependable, Cheap handles tend to break, split, warp, and fur up, end they’seem to do these things just when the axis needed, ost. Get the best helve that is made, for the best is none too good. This means to getone of seasoned second growth hickory (or of hard maple, as second choice) ~avoid those that are not so labeled, no matter ow beautifully they may be painted or Iaequered. Examine the grai 0 see that itis straight. Poleax handles are usually curved (Figure A), wheress those used on FRONT EMD BELLY KNOB dovble-bitted axes are straight (Figure D). Occasionally a straight handle is seen fon @ pole-sx (Figure C) but these are not commen. ] [At the end of an x handle is kool shaped to 8 the hand. The usual type 1s the familiar faunfoot, seen on practically all poleax handles. The scroll end is seldom used on big axes. Straight handles have slight swell atthe end, ‘An ax handle should be absclutely smooth so that it will slip inthe hand ‘with the utmost ease, All ox handles have a smooth frish when boughs, i tre lacquered to give them increased slckness, In time even a good handle may fur up when wet s0 as to become rough, This may be remedied by soaking the handle in hot water until the grain stands out, allowing it to dry, and then sanding it down smooth. Then give it repeated coats of linseed ofl. Should a handle warp, throw it away and get a new one. In storing an ax fora long time, lay it at on the floor to prevent warping, A PAWN EOOTS SWELL-END POLE-AX HANDLES BITTED AX HANDLE | OBUE BUT Acne THE HANDLES THE HANG OF IT Chnecx 1s HANG OF THE Ax before you buy it Sight down the cutting edge to see if itis in exact line ‘with the end ofthe handle~if ua, discard i, Then glace the ax on a table so that both the cutting edge and the end of the handle touch the surface. If properly hung, the cutting edge will touch at a point one-third from the heel, as shown ithe drawing. Although tastes may vary, this isthe standard and accepted hang for full-sized axes, In pulpwood logging, however, where the palp- ‘wood ax with @ 28inch handle is used, the preferred hang is with the cutting edge touching atthe mile. But even here, the standard hang would he ecceptable. Removing a Broken Handle.—Thrust the blade in the ground and build a little fire over it. If itis a double-bit, dig a small ditch, place the ax crosswise of ‘and cover the cutting edges with earth, then build a fre in the ditch, The eaeth protects the temper. Hanging a New Handle.—First saw off about one inch from the end of the fawnfoot so a8 to provide a blunt surface on which to pound. Split the other end 0s toreceve the wedge, then drive ths split end into the eye of the ax by pound- ing on the Sawntoot, ete is a secret that will make the wedge stick: When the ‘wedge is driven in cut a groove crosswise of it as inthe drawing, and then continue driving it in until the groove disappears in the end of the handle. Then break the wedge off~it will break at the groove, and the handle ofthe ax will swell over it ‘and hold it securely. The wedge shauld be of seasoned hardwood. oe | al PROPER HANG (OR A LARGE POLE-AX PREFERRED HANG FOR A PULPWOOD AXTHIS WAS THE FAULT OF THE WARM YOUR AX BEFORE USING IT. WN COLD WEATHER WHOSE FAULT? Wues: ax ax cars, we are quick to blame the ax...to ccudema not only the ax, but the manufacturer and al the axes that bear his name, Now it may well be that the ax was defective, but {ts more probable that the fault rests with the axman. And one lance at the ax will settle the matter, fora sound ax breaks in & diferent way from a faulty one, Note the drawing of the ax at the top of the page. This was a sound ax, used by a careless axman, The breaks in it have curved edges; they are small rounded nicks. Such nicks as these are caused by striking an object harder than the ax ean cut ‘Now look atthe pietre ofthe faulty ax below it. Note that these breaks come to a sharp point. Such breaks are caused by cracks resulting from shrinkage after the steel hardened. Any manufacturer of warranted axes will replace an ax that develops such breaks, but will not replace ones with breaks of the type shown in the upper drawing, ‘Axes are male of steel, and stel will break if struck against too hard an object. They are made to cut wood. Ifa good ax is handled carefully, it will not break: 1. Never let the edge touch the ground—even pebble ‘may chip it. Mattocks are made to use in the ground, not axes. 2 Avoid hemlock and balsam knots—they are glas-hard and will break any ax. Never chop any kind of a knot unnecessarly-eut around it iF possible 8. In cold weather, warm the ax before tung, Steel with frost in itis very britle, Don't get it too othe test sf yom ea toc it with ‘your hand MUZZLED AXES DON'T BITE One Tae Mase wert A Hos-nuLe ax i careless about where he puts it. Kicking a sharp ax slike touching a razor blade, That keen edge must be kept covered up: 1. When through with a pole-ay, stick Win a log ox stump-never lay it down or lean it, (Don't leave it stuck long, however, or it will “sweat” and become dull.) 2. A double-bitted ax should never be stuck in a log so that one bit flares out dangerously. Stick the head under a log, ot ist drive one bit into small piece of wood and then stick the other bit inthe log 8. Indoors, place the pole-ax in a corner with the Dlade pointing inward. A double-bit should be placed in a ‘comer with both blades touching the walls, 4. In carrying a double-bit, grip the handle close to the head and carry at the side, blades up and down, Grip a pole-ax in the same way but with the blade point {ng outward. If you stumble, throw the ax. 5. Get the muzzling habit. Ifthe ax has a sheath, seit.GIVING IT TEETH AN AX IS THE EAStesr oF Toots to sharpen. An S-inch mill file and a round ax stone are needed, both of which should always be handy, ROUND AX STONE og, 1. First down the flat surface ofthe blde: Place the le at onthe blade a «point a halfnch from the edge (Figure 1), and push it directly ey frm the edge Lift the fle of aftr each stoke, ling only onthe forward motion. The Ble should always be kept at right angles os cutting edge 2 Aim fore fan-shaped effect shown in Figure 2 fling back for & dis tance of thee inches from the cutting edge a its midle point 3, Now file the edge: Place the fle on the very edge (Figure 8) and make rounded stokes away frm the eige to a pot half-inch back from \ 44 Next hone the ax withthe round ax stone. Grip the ax as in Figuee 4, and rb the edge withthe stone, using cieular maton from the toe tothe heel Start with the rough side of the stone ad repeat with the fine sie, Wet the tone. ‘3 Hold the ax asin Figure 5 and repeat onthe other side The ax should now be razor-sharp. Each time its resharpened, the flat face ofthe blade shoud be filed before the edge is touched up. The importance of this will be seen nthe next chapter FOR SPEED AND SAFETY ‘A ous axis a thing to be feared. Instead of cutting in, it tends to glance off ‘and herein rests the story of most accidents, for when an ax glances of i ates out wildly and is beyond the control of the axman. Both for speed in chopping and for safety, an ax should be kept razor-sharp. ‘The need is not only fora sharp edge, but for a blade that is thinned. dawn. Proportionately. A new ax is usually ground to proper proportions when it is put chased, but when you resharpen it, if you merely fle the bevel ofthe cutting edge without thinning the blade correspondingly, the blade will soon become stunt and stubby. This isapparentin the bitmarked "too thick. ‘That kind of an ax is both inefficient and dangerous On the other hand, axes are often ground too thin, ‘even to the point of giving them a convex grind as ‘seen in the drawing of the blade matked “too thin.” Such an ax may bxeak under ordinary chopping An abit gauge dispels all these worries in sharpening an ax. This is a thin sheet of metal with slot cut fa it ofthe exact thickness the blade should have. By sipping it over the edge of the ax, one can tellata glance whether the bits too thin or too thick. ‘These gauges are not on the masket, but cen easily bbe made from a shoet of sft steel, using the pattern shown at A, which & the ex- act size aa LUG NL BLUNT AXES GLANCE O) PROPERLY SHARPENED ONESTHE OLD GRINDING WHEEL 1s ss woten aN ax is in bad shape and in need of much grinding that the services of the grindstone are sought, but once in shape again, a fe is all chat is needed to Keep it so. Those whe touch up their axes regularly seldom need the srindstone, 1, Keep the grindstone wet. A dy stone will surely ruin an ax. The temper ofits thin edge is easily drawn by the heat of grinding, the steel becomes softened. and the ax rendered worthless. For the same reason, turn slowly—speed creates ‘00 much beat, even when the stone is wet 2, Turn the wheel so that it moves toward the ax, not away frm i. 3, Hold the blade of the ax crosswise of the stone as in the drawing, so that the stone will stroke it at right angles to the cutting edge. If held as in the picture ofthe wrong way, a gyoove will be worn in the middle ofthe stone 50 as to ruin it for foture use. 4. Follow the same routine as in sharpening with a file, rst grinding the fiat surface of the blade, then rounding off the bevel ofthe edge. Read the instruc tions for fling on page 16—the procedure is the same whether with file = grind: 5. Grind gently, keeping an eagle eye on the bevel of the bit, 0 as not to alter its original ine. CLOTHING GUARDCHOPPING ‘Aw exami in the ast of chopping is not born in a day. Full mastery comes only after one has had an ax in his hands for years, But the fundamentals are clear, and can be picked ‘ap by anyone, and once in hand, will do much to make the big chips dy. Holding the Ax-—Grasp the at with the left hand just above the knob at the end of the handle, and support it with the right hand about three-fourths of the way up the handle ‘With the ax held én this way, crosswise in front of the body, wwe are ready to start chopping, The Forehand Swing —This is to eut the right side of the notch, Raise the ax up behind the right shoulder asin the ‘picture. The hana ae stil in the same position as atthe star. [Now bring it down onto the log with @ natural, easy, swing ing motion, sliding the right hand down the handle as you do 50, 80 that both hands are together at the end ofthe stroke, Raise it again, sliding the right hand up as before, and start the next swing. The right hand thos slides up and down, FOREHAND — “ile the left remains stationary. ‘SWihle The Backhand Swing —This sta cut the let side of the notch. aise the ax over the right shoulder as before, bt len the body well to the left, so that the ax ean be brought down in line with the left face ofthe notch. Chop Gently—Above all, take it easy. Never drive the ax or force it. The weight of the axis sufficient to do the chopping. Force is unnecessary, but worse-it destroys your alun, and agcuracy te ‘chat counts, Swing with a normal, natural, unforced, rhythmic swing-and watch your aim. That is what cuts wood, not brute fore, PAKHANO SWING DOWNWARD SWING HIGH, LOW, AND IN THE MIDDLE ‘Ture rosrrtow from which to chop logis standing ‘on top of it. The reason is simple: A log is chopped by. cutting a V in one side of it, and then cutting another V in the opposite side 50 that the two meet. OF course if the log fs small enough to be rolled over, one ean stand to.one side and chop a Vin the top of i, then roll it over and finish on the other side. But if it can’t be rolled, which is usually the case, there is po choice but to mount it. from which position you can chop one side, then arn around to chop the other. This i always the best postion anyway if the log i large ‘enough to provide footing. If i is tipsy or slippery, rough up footholds on i. Peter MeLaren, of champion chopping fame, frst put into words the chop- ping technique that forms the basis for our motto, “high, low, and in the middle.” Standing on top the log, first make three forehand stokes, then thyee backhand strokes, following the sequence shown in the drawing: the first stoke should strike the log atthe top edge, the second at the bottom edge, and the third inthe ‘middle. This is the routine of good choppinghigh, low, and in the middle, There is good reason for this: Not until the wood has been cut at the top and bottom can the big center chip be thrown out, and moreover, if the middle stroke is made frst the ax wilt bind and freeze én the solid wood. The top stroke should be so made that the corner ofthe ax blade extends above the log, and the bottom cut so thatthe corner extends below-this to prevent the ax from sticking Ate the wood has been cut at the top and bottom the middle blow sill loosen the center chip easily and the ax willbe freed. It is the last stroke in the series—No, 6 in the drawing—that throws the chip to the ground, ‘f course in actual practice it will nat work out jut this way unless every blow is perfectly placed. Ifthe blows are poorly aimed, several estra strokes may be needed. And again, ifthe log is big, several centr strokes may be needed instead of one, But the high-low sequence should be followed regardless. WEFECTVE RIGHT DANGEROUSHOW BIG IS THE COW’S MOUTH? Trpepenns ox THe S128 OF THE 106. The commorest mistake is to make it too small, with the result that before the center of the log is reached the V becomes so pinched that the ehips cannot be thrown out, anda larger notch must be started. The width of the cow's mouth should be the same as the width of the log. "This is really just «trifle wider than necessary, but ic is an easy rule to remember and a sale one slvays, Actually, 8 10-inch notch is wide enough for a 12-inch log, Dbut iis better to err on the wide side than the narrow. “Mark the width of the notch on the log before starting, then begin chopping the V, aiming it at the center of the log, so that when the V comes to a point the ‘center ofthe log will be reached. ‘Watch the angle at which you chop. Only those blows struck at a slantwise ile wil bite in, The picture atthe bottom of page 19 shows it: To swing the ax straight at the log will cut no wood—the ax will rebound and merely dent the log. At an angle of 45 degrees or a trife more the ‘ac takes hold and bites deep. But beware of glancing strokes, A blow swung at iss than 45 degrees is apt to glance off and send the ax Bying wide and far, More acci- dents result from these glancing strokes than from any other cause. A sharp ax hrlps, but watch your angle! Give the ax a little twist each time it hits, to prevent it from sticking and to loosen the chip. Iti this twist dhat bursts the chips and theaws them out- With ex- perience it becomes automatic. ‘The method of cutting the notch changes when the log is more than a foot fn diameter, The plan to follow is shown at B: frst chop a 10-inch notch, then en: large it by knocking of chips from one side of i. On an extra big log, enlarge it by chopping chips from both sides of it as indicated in C.MISERY WHIPS Inve re couneem the loggers spend many more hours a day with their “misery whips" than with their axes. Indeed, to all who work around logs, even if cy easily, the act of sawing Is every bit as important as that of axmanship. The large logging saws are of two types—the two-man and the one-man. The two-man ersicut sa (usually referted to merely a a croscut) has @ detachable handle at each end, and a its name implies, is operated by two men, fone at each handle Some have straight backs, and others have swaybacks, but the colting edge is aliays tound-breasted as show in the drawing While these can be had in length from 5 to 14 fet, the usual sae i 5 fet. The handles are attached bby sipping the loop over the end and twisting. A twist and a jerk will move them, an essential feature, fr in felling trees the handle must be yanked off fa « fash ‘The man in the picture (ight) on page 23 is using the one-man croscut sa¥, called a cedar saw because of its use in years past in cedar logging, These are 3% feet in ther standard size, and resemble jn appearance an overgrown carpenter's saw. In addition to the typical saw handle, a supplementary handle i also pro- vided called a point handle, which can he attached just above the regular handle, fr atthe end of the saw so as to make a two-man saw of it, or lft off altogethe. Such sasts are used in felling cedar and other small softwood tees, and in bucking. ‘thom up. In recent years they have been largely replaced by the how-saw (page 26). ‘The standard tooth patterns seen in erosscut saws are the tutte tooth and the perforated lance tooth. The tutle tooth is more wiely used, ‘fh Teer apes BUCKSAW (oppe: et) For sawing firewood CEDAR SAW (wppersight) One-man cosscut | for bucking softwood TUTTLE JOOTH CROSSCUT SAW (eight) § i, Sn City lh aN ee y = eee CEDAR SAW i BOW-SAW (bottom) | PERFORATED LANCE TOOTH For plpvood ewting and small log workDON’T DRAG YOUR FEET rss ne as inp eongh ch singles han handing an at tou dag Jor fete ee Sopa wah any Elevate the log if possible so thatthe end is free, Noten the ples on pgs 2 tht oporing os pled uneath Boa oe sow Ths vets ping, Bs te weg theless th kr eigen te sa ese land dive nege nck weve tng Semorina sf he Spe wae ou tend ose Thick back da al sa 5 Sue kesne en he nw for ato. {tea gn sny, wi ft vl oat Schl hey towed yo wg oven ods el Xeon esam. Pulser ou that and hing mae det positincthtyourparners johns a od Eres ou pros wd Ont acd soley ted thr your arms fora yn wth hse hse, outs ene put ese nd donot wees foe I down pll with jot enh dwn mpl ep thea ta on @ Karp the sights af at «sigh, etn ed Crooked he pnd Whe the ev begs plc ive a weg nthe ke When ts may hgh wl pba plc ayo, wedge o to wedge nln ager inne Ths eo ck ear of that flowin gh nd he dope OLD-FASHIONED BUCKSAW ‘A nvcxsaw is used for bucking up small logs into lengths. Is an intimate partof the woodpile that feeds the stove and fireplace, fo the making of Srewoad it one of the buckss’s chief functions The time-honored bucksaw with ts familiar wooden frame, which has graced. the woodpiles of Ameria since pioneer days, is seen inthe hands ofthe man inthe photograph (upper left) on page 23, Its wooden frame is collapsible, assembled in five minutes. The metal rod across the top is equipped with a turnbuckle, and by (isting ths the blade can be given the necestary tension. The blade should be stretched with all possible tension $0 as to remove all play. Blades not properly tightened tend to buckle, vibrate, rattle and chatter ‘Time changes all things, and while the old bucksaw has served well these ‘many decades, iis fast giving way to the modern bow-saw o Swedish buck-saw described in the next chapter, with its metal frame and is fastr-cuttng teth, 1s chief shortcoming rests in the blade with which it is usually equipped and with which it works best, which has a series of simple V-teeth, This cuts wood all ight, bt not with the zep and zest of the bow-saw blade with its coarser teth, ‘These more highpowered blades can be inserted in the bucksaw, but the wooden ‘frame often has difficulty in providing the necessary tension for them, Styles change slowly, however, and the old bucksaw will doubtless continue ‘to make firewood on the wondpiles of America for many along year to come, But its usefulness confined to the woodbpile, while its faster-amoving offspring is cap- ble of going out tothe woods 0 fell trees and tackle all log work on timber upto a foot in diameter. Roof Bin sy (Stroct Brce Steight VToots ii well, for use om all timber up to 1s superior merit rests fst in is frame, which ‘in its frame, which is of hollow exceedingly light, and gives terific tension to the blade, But fre ‘wood, which lead usto the second point of superiority, the busines ting blade, which isthe nearest thin . itzips through timber. As compared tits savage teeth, the Vt "fot in ies atthe stamp eel bing nt do not at sedge ofitsct ig toa buzz th speed andensethhich ‘eth ofthe ol syle men boggy days. But this aks us ack te Fane sesn, foraless powerful frane wold ge he necsaty revere erful tt, Bute kaown hat thee are severe les of fee ee tooth patterns, some better than others. A tooth pattem ps Ne ream shold be Sly Bed in minds tha cer 12 hat canbe real the kris to lear ou the sad nthe ket is known athe Buchman This type of a vasosy led owe, Sued so, upd a (oF in the vernacular of the lumber camps, a ic ered PS, & Swede fd, but to those who use it ‘These bow-saws came in vi replace the oldstyle bucksaw for cutting Stewood, The own wat atc n th Ame : to th Amer woods em Svan nth 180% mealies hag Sle Ba supreme in the pulpwood camps, PSUSMAN PATTERN FOUR C7. 104 hese! ITS TEETH NEED BRUSHING ‘Tux emer norris you see sticking ot of a logger's hip pocket contains coal ‘il (kerosene) to be squirted on the saw to Tubricate it, and to cut the resin in ever- greens. The neck of the bottle is filled with straw or pine needles to make the squirtet. The hip-pocket habit is a bad one, however, because the pants get wot and this chafes and ierltates the skin, The better way is to wire a hook on the nock “The thin stiip of wood you see on his erosseut saw as he goes to work is & saw guard, which performs the seme functions as a sheath on an ax, mszaling the ‘harp teeth so that she saw can be caried with safety, and protecting the teeth from ding dulled. Be sure your saw is equipped with a guard when you buy it, and keep the guard on always when notin ute. Make one if need be, by cutting off a %-inch, strip from the grooved edge of a pece of tongue-and-grooved lumber. Sav, like axes, noed sharpening regularly, but walike axes, they re- quire the experienced hands ofthe Old Squint Bye, The logger who uses his saw constantly brushes up the teethat least once a day, and tums it over to a7 hg the Squint Bye for « complete shargening at last once a week. Everyone 24” af should lero to brash up the teeth, but the how of ti a story oolong tobe Bre eee told here—take your saw to an expert sharpener and watch him work—ack questions, and learn. se The daly touching up avaves two process: Fis, the rakes (page 28) must be shortened oF jointed, for it is necessary that they be a shade shorter than the cutting teth, in crosseut saws perhaps 1/64-inch for softs wood, and 1/100-inch for hardwood. This is done in « ssh with a raker ‘guage which when sett the proper length is slipped on the raker and a fle run over the endl of the raker points. Next, each tooth is sharpened with a inch mill le, care being taken to retain the original shape of each, Complete sharpening involves, in addition, setting the tooth or bending them to the side. Proper setting is very important. Softwood requires more set than hardwood, and if one's ssw does not work prop ceil, it probably does not have the proper set for the kindof timber being sawed. Setting requires special tools and skill 1) or.4 OTHE LON NOTEH t ft Oren OTHE MK 00 0° UNDERCUT FLLLWG NOTH 45 A HINGE FELLING WITH AN AX 1, Ft, cutthe front ste or undercut, cous mouth asthe Tumba call "The ree wl fal in the duction of th not The width ofthe notch shouldbe hal the wiih ofthe tee_merh I belong starting. When the notch comes wo poi, the te shed beet sag tos pit the te hold be et haley 2. Next cut the bck atch dey oppose the fit and one t ‘wo inches higher This the fling nth that wil send the oe oe lig down ica in these way, and jut bere oes to poe the te wil go catingdovn nthe decton of he fae ah, 8.In chopping the notches, the same routine flowed as Sa chopping «log onthe gourd: there th rule wae hgh lw, nd ne idl" her ts ner far, din the mide The et coon he near si the second i th fr sidan the thd os many ove a cet, nthe mide, alvaye woking fom the sides ard, ee tge 14). Fist chop the top elge ofthe notch inthe wy selene Bottom isthe botom stake that remove the chips, andthe rol betwisted with each trokesoas to bunt the chip 4 Gut there a owas posible igh stumps waste wood 5. Iisa bigtee, the nth cat a nthe once dong by chopping two small notches, then Inocking ot the ok meshed 6. Inthe way ofthe lmberjeks, keep your mouth ope ile 2% you swing, and grant HAs the ax hit Ths hep you aed sed others sons tel. WOTCHMG A BIG ONE THE BRIDGE SERVES i i a WHICH DIRECTION? cine Wm nmRZTION to el tre require study ofthe ree ist, and of the suonndingsfor each ee shoul be felled according fo plan carefully worked ont before blow i srk 1. Drop ina clearing posable. The worst is that i get lodged in ether es for he tsk of recing i wl ten be dfeut and hazardoos Do nt at tempt to drop It betwee: (wo tees standing cle together boat the branches are ap to interlace and ld ifs I there are tes fn all eto, flit to ward a smaller one which wil be apt to give and lt the tree bump through and doom, 2 Almost every tree has a slight sn, or has more foliage an one sid. Drop tin that ection i pose 1s the dren in which the rewind © fall enyoay, and advantage could be taken of thi, One cannot determine the lean while standing under. Got away fom it, walk around and use your a= Band ara plumb ine 2. Drop th the wind if pole ven slight bree ext rest pee sure on te, or the folage ats as a huge sll a catch the wind. Hf his i in porbl, and ia big toe and the wind is ting, better wait for «camer day 4 In what direction do you want to move the log when down? Fl? sin that direction posible. Swinging slg nthe mods it ey If there i very lege and heavy link extending out low on one sie, avoid eling the tee in tat deton, for i should fall icy on this tin, the trnk mey break at ts middle. The sume thing may happen should the unk fll ety onto a large stamp or rck "hese are the factors then tat must be con sidered Ifthe tee ie stright and symmetrical, i Stands ia a clearing in ll directions i thee sno wind blowing, and you do not intend to move fin 2 prt recto, makes no diference where itis felled, But when one or more of thee futons enter the picture, ddsons mst be made before the i edTHE BRIDGE oT @ SAW THE 474 WNDERCLT FELLING CUT y SERVES AS A HINGE a | FELLING WITH A SAW 1. Fr, chp the notch or undereut The ew alin the dice on oft et Ths oth shouldbe oefourth the dlmetero he re Soe rer ye 2 Nec at eawing rely oppose the noth and one or wo ince above th lowe uc oft. HOH theo eve with he nd 9 that when the te fall the top ofthe stamp lb fat. Brber has aad toh ae sigs ef poor verianship CL smen are ang, thsi axomplshed by each man elg ts the svn frogs the uber finches beteen te sw andthe notch ob de When one cll his number th other answers ith as, and fone eter vay thn th other the sa imme adjusted, 4 To aval pinching keep the sw soll straight fits allowed TB, \, ben oc wit a dead pinch may renal In eting big tree, pinching can | Barber Clos os couse be expected rom the sheer weight of thee, ane wedge wl be "Pees cutting ceded to spread the kerf 7 5. Jast as the tree starts to fall, withdraw the saw and move off to one : side. too his witha tworman sow, oe man units shale sd lip 1a off so that the other -an pl the saw through as he turns to leave PB 1 6. Cutthe tree asnear the ground as possible. Itishardertosawdown low but i saves precious timber. IF THE TREE LEANS 1. Tr rae sac stanns Penrecryy STRAIGHT, It should be felled as already described. 2, Ifthe tree has a slight lean in the direction of the fall, tf felled exactly as if it were straight 3, Ifthe tree has a heavy lean in the direction of the fall, special caution is necessary: cut a deep notch, at Teast % the diameter of the tre, then extend the noteh to the aides of the tree, making the winged notch pictured ‘on page 34. Be careful not to carry the wings past the middle ofthe tee, however. Such leaning treesarenotori- ously dangerous~they are prone to split up the trunk be- fore the sawing is completed, thus imperiling the worker (see page 85). Cutting the notch deeper and extending it to the sides reduces the danger. It s usually safer to fll such trees at an angle to the lean if possible. 4. If the tree leans diagonally to the direction of the fal, the saw should be held at an angle to the notch in the way shown in the diagram, The bridge is thus made narrower on the leaning sde, and this tends to pull the tree over in the direction desired. Ifa wedge isnecessary, {should be driven from the angle shown. 5. IF the tree has a sight backward lean, it can only be folled with wedges, if at all, Notch and saw as tual, and drive the wedges in deeper and deeper as the sawing progreses. Ifthe tee has a heacy contrary lean. {it cannot be felled away from the lean at all. All leaning. tudes are best felled at an angle wit oAGoNAL LEAN.‘Tnaxs D0 o£ Lonce, in spite of all that can be dane to prevent it ft hap pens in thebestof families and isnot always an indication of poor fling. Pertcu larly in the cedar swamps and the dense evergreen woods it an ever-present worry, where the stif ranches refuse to bend to let the tee crash through “There fs no foolproof way to fee a lodged tee, always sure to work, but ' these are the lines ofatack: 1. First, try shaking it by pushing against the trunk: If it starts to g, get cout of the way fast. But dont clin up it! That i a timpaton that always seems tole the greenhorn, and often to his gre, for many a man has een injred that sway, It's futile anyway, for if shaking won't fee, climbing i probably wo't | 2, Tf the bat i stil esting onthe stump, asi usually the ease, ry prying St off with a gale or by forcing the blade of your ax under it '. If tsa small ree, grab it by the butt and drag it directly away from the sopportng tee. But for safety: sake, take hold of ita the extreme end only, and dio not it the butt more than «few inches off the ground, sort of sling along Whatever you do, don’ get under i. For big tres, use a team oF a tractor. 4. Felling another tre across it will sometimes free it The tre should strike it as high up a8 posible. Never fell more than one tee on it lest a jackpot be created, which nothing shot of a team of horses ean untangle 5. Ava last resort the supporting tree may have to be felled, but this is risky—be sure to stand on the safe sid, and give it plenty of room, Never leave 4 lodged tree up. Tt then becomes a widow-maker and rnay come down unexpectedly on FREEING A LODGED TREE | ' t ‘some innocent pasterby. PUSHING THEM DOWN Big trees are felled with wedges, which is Just another method ‘of pushing, and if there is the slightest question of the tree not falling in the right direction, wedges should be used without fal ‘Trees under a foot in diameter, especially evergreens, are usually pushed down with the body. The savring is stopped just before the tree is ready to fall, leaving 2 litle bridge of uncut wood, then it is given a push, either with the arm or with a pole. This is always safer than continuing to saw clear through, for the bridge serves as hinge to guide the fall in the desied direction, ‘A very small tree that stands perfectly straight may be pushed byhand as inthe picture, by straight-arming it wth the arm at shoulder level and throwing the weight ofthe body into it. As soon as it starts to-go, step quickly to one side, It is easier and allways safer, however, tose a pole, because the pole puts the push up higher where i realy ‘counts, and permits you to stand farther back out of possible danger, Al tees over six inches through, and all tees that Jean, should be pushed with a pole, never by hand, ‘The pole should be held at an angle of 45 degrees, which isthe angle at which the greatest force can be applied. A series of short shoves to get it swaying is better than a steady push. Pulpwood loggers carry a pushing pole for the purpose, about 2 inches thick and 10 feet long, often with a pike (spike) on the end of it, but any similar pole eut on the spot will do, This same pole may be used as 2 measuring pole for bucking up the logs. ‘But mark this: You may fall and be hurt if your pole slips off the tee. Sharpen the point and work it into the bark before throwing your weight on it, and be careful“T-I-M-B-E-R” BEWARE ean awar evenrnie from erund the tee before you start to work-evry branched sap ling every tian ce, sar asthe x con reach, Check by swinging your at In a cle over your head, then ina Sele pall othe pou I jour tx could a ch a touch the tp a ranch, ina be defected so us to hurt you badly. Nvies often stright nto chop with ter dogard fet the danger tht hark in every igs such fol hardness at ewes aecdets Tbe the ell echoes though th woods wherever lglg going onthe danger ell at ars that ate about tera, Never alto gor is even if you fel sre you are lone To all odo ‘0 serminal nl ‘When the te Begin to sway, move few yards to oe sie oft never back behind frit In Kk back, and never ron away fom Step to tne equ and keep your eye o the te, You now where it suposed fll and if you are to ene eof and cls to you wl ae plenty of time to move it shuld age dein, Bat i Journ avay to where its branches could it you You nay ot be abeto gta. Beware alo of danger that ks gveead whenever ees are being flledthe foo kes or wldow-maters, age limbs het hanging im tees, which ay cash dev at ny te and with call of “Timber for warning Keep ancgl ey out fr then, and dont work under them ‘alin ee may create is ovm widow makers town branches brea Ings goes down, Such bande are wally how ack 50a ofall neat he Stamp or behind t Keep your eve onthe trunk long enough fo make sure oft ecto of al the ook upward for he widow makers ‘Asai ree ean wally be depended upon to fall scheduled, 29 5 ots hl or ated oe. Always give the ee the ax ttt So iF itoounds bellow. If soa winged notch should Be wed fall, A WHGED NOTCH SHOULD ‘Wing BE USED OW A HOLLOW TREE \ | WATCH OUT FOR KICKBACKS Ye, math for Kel Try tpn, bu en in hey come ihe pe ead ee tice aay, The km dogg ten oy Sane Supe tom ten toe pT hymen tev Saeed ee tt ling Wetec do nt ot hppe by hance, They al hve ina hte cata be pte hy en ttt tezottaed Aesop lexbeckune ie low wands Wifes ther re flings ohn css be eto bnnce partied fy eked este, BEWARE OF LEMME ‘When there is a possibility of the tree striking another, be doubly 79665 - 74/EY MAY SAL/T cautious 2. Ifthe tree is felled up a hill: When the branches strike the ground they spring the tree upward and gravity shoots it down the hill. : 3. If the tee is sawed below the notch: When itis sawed properly, an inch or two above the lower surface of the notch, « litle shoulder i left on the stump which prevents the tree from slithering backwards. To sav low is to invite a kickback, 4. If the trunk of the tree spite before iis ‘out through: This happens in leaning trees and those with a hollow center-beware of them Re: member that such trees should be notched with a winged noteh, But the main rule is, never get behind the tree. TREES FELLED "ss UPHILL OFTEN KICKBACK,THIS WAY ~ LOPPING THE BRANCHES ‘Wars rie razz is wow, comes the task of lopping off the branches~a lng jb ofa short one, depending upon how gifted one is with the ax. Here is where deft axmanship counts for speed and for safety. These are the rules which the timber- wise and the experienced follow: 1. Work from the butt ofthe log up tothe top, cutting on the undeside of branches. There is good reason fr this, for were it done the othe: way, with the ax swung into the crotch WOT THIS: WAY ofthe branch, the bark would ripose below the branch and a second swing ofthe 1x would be needed to cut it An exception is found in the evergreens, where the ‘bark seldom rips, and the branches often extend downward anyway. 2 Always branch from the for side of the log, wih the log segaraing you from the axthis for safetys sake, fr the brenching i fraught with hazard. Yo 0 other task is there such constant danger of the ax glancing of 3. If the log is so big you cannot reach over it, trim of the top fst, then stand on top and clean up the sides. 4. Cuteach branch flush withthe log, leaving no stub, Stubs make the han- ling ofthe log dificult and dangerous 5. Use both hands on the ax, however small the branch, 6. Intrimming evergreens, the dead branches may be broken off by hitting them with the butt ofthe ax or with a pole. Such hard, bite branches may dull the a, if chopped. Care should be taken to knock the stub off clean however. BUCKING UP Arren prancunne cons nuckine, which is fawing the log into the lengthe desired, It should be done on the spot and as soon asthe branches are lopped. First, get the log supported on something so thatthe end is elevated. Nest, measure the length exactly. Saw logs are usually cut into lengths of 8,10, 12, or 16 feet, and these are measured with a measuring pole caried along for the purpose, But pulpwood logs, which are cut into 4- or 8-foot lengths, are meas: ved with the saw itself, which is so constructed as to serve this purpose. When the ‘aud of the 344-foot pulpwood saw is hooked over the end of the log, the end of the Ihandle will measure exactly 4 feet, and this ends also useful for seratching the mark fon the log. Ifthe saw is of an odd size, a measuring mark can be scratched on the framo and used as indicated n the drawing. ‘Now to buck up: Take long even strokes, 3s near the full length of the bow- saw as possible, putting your body int it as well as your arms, and keop a steady shythm—good buckers saw atthe rate of about 60 strokes per minute. % helps to rock the sew, dipping the end downward and backward—this helps to clear out the sawdust, ‘The main hazard in bucking is in placing the hand on the log to steady it. ‘Saws do jump when the kerf is being started, and many a hand is ripped open that way,i PUREPLACE LEWIS ; STOVE LENGTH THE BUCKER’S HORSES Ax-Tue came woovore we can have the assistance of N, sawhorse, which is great convenience over propping the Jog up on any old support. Sawbucks are of many types, bat they all do two things: they elevate the log to a convenient ‘height for sawing, and they prevent it from moving under the pressure of the saw. [Note the one at A. This is the commonest type. When a sawbuck must e tossed together in ahurry, make it as shown at B. Two poles are driven in the ground to form the X. A makeshift sawbuck can be quickly made as at C, by driving two poles inthe ground to form the X, and wiring them together. The upright post driven in the ground just back of the X helps to steady the login that it gives you something to pth the log against with your foot while sawing. ‘An excellent sawbuck for big logs is shown in D, made of a inch pole, along the top of which a numberof holes are riled for the supporting pegs. Big logs are rolled up onto the Dorse, Hiandiest for sawing long logs into lengths are the lum. Derjack sawhorses shown at E and F That at E consists of skid-poles leaned against a log, up which the logs are rolled into the notches, That at Fis more permanent, with notched Dlocks spiked to the foundation logs, PEAVEY AND CANT-HOOK Most nosaenic op occ 70015, they are to the lumberjack 4s the lariat is tothe cowboy, yet few people outside the timber country seem to appreciate their uses or the difference between them. Firs, the cant-hook, sometimes called a log-wrench, or in the slang ofthe timberjacks, a mooley cow it a movable hook or dog on a wooden bundle, used for tuming or rolling logs. The process of tura- ing the log is called canting, hence the name. The handle serves as a lever to give the hook great power, so that one man ean turn a log that otherwise would require many men and much straining, How does the peavey differ? Only inthis respect: it has a pike cor steel point on the end ofthe handle, as in the pictare, Tis is bocause the peavey is employed in faridling logs in or around the water, ‘whereas the cant-hook is for use on Tand. The pike or point is used to push the logs as they float inthe water, thus making the peavey a sort ‘of combination of cant-hook and pike-pole. The peavey can, of course, be used on land, and often is, Buta cant-hook would not do inthe hands of the viverjockies who ride the booms end biel the logs and break up the jams jn the vivers-there the pointed end is indispensable. The _peave} get ts name from Joseph Peavey who invented it in 1858. (One does not really appreciate a cant-hook until he i called upon to move a large log. Like the wrench isto a bolt, thete big hooks grip Le, and tum that which hands cannot grasp and arms do not have the power to mave, Their uses are many, and their absence would make the moving of big logs wellznigh impossible. Peaveys tnd eant-hooks vary in length from 24 to 6 feet, 34 feet being best for average use. They vary also in the shape of the point on the hook, the best-known pattems being the duck bil, round, diamond, and chisel, of which the duck bill is the most widely used, and unless otherwise specified, your ceant-hook or peavey will probably come in that pattern, WSEL = DIAMOND ROUND DUG BUL Fa‘FoR PULPWOD ow FROZEN GROUND RlGE on "CORD" oF STOVE WOOD \j CORDING A cono is A UNIT OF MeRAsunE Fon wood, in thé same way that a gallon is for gasoline, or a bushel for potatoes. A cord is a pile of wood & feet long, 4 feet high, and 4 feet wide. A riok, on the other hand, isa pile 8 fect long, feet high, and of whatever th the woud happens to be cut. Stovewood, for example, is usually cut 16 inches long, and a pile of it 8 feet long and 4 feet high, would be a rick. To be @ cont this wood would have to be piled three pieces end to end, so as to make the pile 4 feet wide Pulpwood logs are usually eut into 4-foot bolts, and so a pile ofthese 8 fect long and 4 feet wide would be a cord. In some sections pulpwood is cut 8 feet long, in which ease a pile 4 fect long and 4 feot high would be a cord, In other words, a cord is 128 cubic feet. In popular usage, however, the word cord is often used to ‘mean a rick. Thus a pile of short stovewood 8 feet long and 4 feet high is often referred to as a cord of this wood. Although incor rect, this ute of the word is quite widespread, and in some sections of the country the word rick does not seem to he used a al ‘Wood should always be piled 4 feet igh, so that by meas- uring the length ofthe pile one can tell how many ricks or cords there ace in it. Ths isthe most convenient height anyway. ‘The easiest way to stack stovewood isto eriseross the ‘end pieces, thus making a slid supporto hold the pile secure. For longer wood, such ay the foot pulpwood, the usval sathod is to drive a picket in the ground at each end of the pile, supported by a pole propped against it. If the ground is soft or swampy, a brace is pot across the top instead, notched to accommodate the tops ofthe pickets. Long logs, if few in number, may be bunched in low piles, oto which they can easily be swung, If many, they may be either rolled wp onto the pile on pling skids, or swung, up on a piling jack, This jack is made from a @:inch pole, notched with ladder steps about 18 inches apart. By leaning it against the pile % from the end, the log can be placed in one of the notches and swung up.THE HANDY PULPHOOK We ser mre rnronea. sll steak that serves san exten of he frm fn seaching out after logs. Tis jst tout the handlest gadget ever lavented for working around sal logs, and to the prulpwood logge, worklog in smal tinker ashe doe, is aot a Teportant asa and saw thence the mane, puipook 2A glance atthe pletres wl india ts many Uset—for pling vp logs, for swinging them around, and forsaking them to you: for carrying short bls endfor throwing tem tothe ple Tes» snap f0 tesa log with hook, bu ilo beave the unwed thing very far by hand_the hook gets more distance and greatly Seproves yours. The woodman who adds pulghook to his ott saver himself much stooping lifting reaching, handling, an wer and ear on the human frame. ‘A hook tha blot point gps the log beter, and safer. File the point of fiat toa thickness of about inch A pulphonk isto be respected, for it dangerous crow shout cael. Hang it up when not in we. And beware of jabbing into the side of log ort apt to glance of and stab you let bites into the end of log but shies of the ide ‘An ax sometimes ued do the work ofa pulpook, bo tis cxovdingly dangerous practice, tnd hat cused many and many ap Accident: An ex thud never Be wed fr iting, snaking or tring Puphooks canbe made by any bucks, inde res made tn the logging cape, They arent on the market. One ofthe most tiling of role events isthe logdbrowing contest with pulpock se page 81, CARRYING LOGS 1's mzancy 4 jon for a team of horses or a tractor, but if necessary a log can be hauled out by hand —and without any tools if need be, although the come-alongs and skid ropes dé scribed in the following chapters would be a great help ‘Toothpicks or slender poles can often be dragged out by Hooking your arm around one end and walking forvard, If too heavy, they may be moved by swinging them end for end, that i, by picking up one end and swinging i forward and dropping it, then picking up the other end and swinging st forward, To do ‘this, however, the log mutt be in the clea Big logs up to backbreskers (over 14 inches) in size can be carried on skid poies placed crosswise underneath asinthe deaw- ‘ng, Several men then pick up the log by means ofthe skid-poes. But watch your footing, for if a man should stumble and fall thereis grave danger that the heavy log willbe thrown upon him Forthis reason tis never wise for fourmento carry alog, because sf one falls the og is almost sure tot him; with six, there is hope that it will be held up by the remaining two men on that side ‘The front men who can see the tral ahead should warn of very root and boghole underfoot, and of every widow-maker over- head, inthe latter case calling “Headache,” which i the himber- Jacks’ warming that an overhanging branch is at head bumping level and must be ducked. If the ground is level enough, the log may be rolled on the skid poles instead of carried. Place the skid poles crosswise and push the log forward, bringing the back pole forward when- ever the log rolls of it In lifting a log, never bend down and hoist t by straight- ening up for this places undue strain on the muscles ofthe back, and often causes back injury and hernia, Squat down and lift it with the leg muscles.COME-ALONGS ‘Tay ane vamousLy caLLeD come-alongs, lg-hooks, oF timber-cariers, and {for moving a log, they have anything beat short of a team of horses to skid it. These ingenious devices for carrying « log by hand consist of 2 pair of dogs or hooks set ‘opposite each other lke icetongs, and hung in the middle ofa long handle, so that when the hooks are clamnped on alog there is a convenient handle on each side by which to litt. ‘There is nothing like having the right tools with which to work. Handling 2 log with a pair of come-alongsf 39 much quicker, safer and more convenient than carrying it on skid poles, The hooks ean be applied in a jifly, and when the log is lifted sti carried low, just off the ground, so that if « man should trip ana fall there {sno danger ofthe log falling on him, whereas with skid-poes it i held high and clfers grave danger in case of a fall. There is just one thing to watch: when the ‘hooks are clamped on make sure they are firmly yet ‘With a lugchook clamped on the frontend, two men can swing a log around and even drag ita short distance although dragging is heavy work. A pair of hooks, ‘one at each end, will be necessary to transport it, perhaps more, depending on its “The hooks are equipped with a swivel so that the handle can turn, which is ‘4 great convenience in going through « narrow opening, as for example between two tees so clase fogether thatthe ends ofthe handle would hit fit did not tur, age SNS ‘oa SaSKIDDING Iw Tr Logcine canes it would be done with skid-chain and a caterpller or a team of horses, but this is not a book on how the big outfits operate. Rather it sa book on how you and I can get the job done with ‘whatever happens to be at hand. If a rope i hhandy, three or four men can skid out a pretty big log on level ground, and itis lot easier than carrying it. If a team is available to pull it, so much the better, and the ar- rangement of the rope would be the same Its done with a timber-hitch ted as in the drawing, which knot is famed for ts‘ability to grip even a slippery spar. The timber-hitch should be applied near the back end of the log, and a simple hitch added at the front end, the purpose of which isto guide the log as it s being snaked along the ground Rough ground will hamper any skidding operations, but on smooth ground the log will come right along, Indeed, as a race for speed, skidding ts ane of the ‘most thrilling events for young men in a logger’ roleo, as described on page 81 ‘There Is danger in snaking, however, not to those who are in front and pull- ing, but to anyone walking Beside the log, for logs have a vicious way of jumping. sidewise when they hit a bump. Many a loggers leg has been broken in this way. Always walk behind the log. In skidding with a team the driver i often foreed to walk beside the log, but he should remember he is taking a grave risk and be cautious ‘A log will skid more easily if i is nosed, that i, if the edges at the front end are rounded off “The easiest way to get a log up a steep hill by hand is to par- Dbuckle it. The arrangement is shown in the drawing-hang the rope at its middle around a tree atthe top ofthe hill then put the ends around the log so thatthe log rests in the loops. By pulling on the ends the log will come up with surprising ease. UTMBER-HITCH SWAKING BY MEANS OF A TMBERH/TCH PIKE-POLES ‘Tue rasuesr way 10 Move Loos isto fot therm. The lng way round by| CURYED} |] STBNGHT, || BILE waters often preferred 0 the short way AMES b wot OMY 14 by lan. If here isa current the logs will take care of themselves and travel on their ow, with jst little shove now and then to keep them headed right, Here is where the pike-pole comes in, the long erm with which the riversjockey reaches far out over the water to push and to pull the strays int line. For pike-poles are long and slender, ranging from 10 to 20 feet, and are exceedingly light. A pike-pole is just what the name implies~a pike (spike) on the end of a pole. Most of them have a hook in addition, the hook for pulling, tnd the pike for pushing. The three styles are shown atthe top of the page, the commonest being the curved pike and hook. If the stray log cannot be reached from shore, the jockey leaps out onthe floating logs, and jumping from one to another, goes right out to it. In this bust ness of riding the logs, the pike-ple serves another purpose~it isa sort of balanc- ‘ng pole, helping the ride to keep his balance, expecially while bitling or spinning the logs, as desrbed inthe next chapter. ‘Tn Rating logs in lake, without benefit of current, a oom is formed by chaining a numberof logs end to end to form a large circle which surrounds the mass of los and holds them together. The boom then towed by pull boat, When the river is reached the boom is broken and the logs turned to oat. 4BIRLING Duar May ne PART OF THE Wonk-A-pA¥ LiFe of the log jockey on the rivers, but i 8 also one of his chief sports at the roleo, related to it as the brone viding isto the cowhoy’s rodeo, While one can have fun on a log barefooted or with tennis shoos, he can't go fa without cals, the shor spikes riven inthe soles of heavy leather shoes. Size 000 is used except on Douglas fi of the Pacife Coast, where size 00 is preferred, ‘The best biting logs are of cork white pine, but any straight smooth soft. ‘wood log will do, 20 inches in diameter, from 12 to 16 feet long. Bark it and smooth itup.A balancing poe i also needed, mado from a 14-foot cedar sapling, 2 aches thi, Start by just standing on the log until you fee at home. 1f balance is dificult, tue the pole with about one foot of the far end in the water. There are two funda ‘mentals of bisling-to rll the log, and to snub or stp i. To sollit, face sideways, crouch a ile, and start treading slowly. As the log turns it will tend ty take you down the back side of it into the water. Watch these things: (2) Spin if slowly™speed can come later. (2) Keep your eyes on the end of the log (8) Stay on top the Jog, always using short quick steps, (4) Maintain a slight stakes nthe oun A sledge woul baler the loss the posts and srl ruin hemor the bee wi do, Tet no peblem to make one alough the help of & Mackamith wl be need to put onthe ton bands Use| irontoood if possible, even if you have to hunt far for it, | btherws some tough hardwood to witand the severe Tatterng wl rece ant fora woe measuring oven | Tacs the but and et of jst at ground evel | ting the but forth beetle hed ecase the wood toughest there. Shape io the dimensions shown have R=@™A tng te ends dow crfly, nd then havea can sik he ron bands om the ens The vecfoot bade shuld be of ronweodor and rely wedged sta arg as fencoponts cn uly be deve i he beetles he round very bard or rocky. eis nh eal han digging posts, beleve me Tes prety hard toms the pot withthe big beet, batt play sae have on parser bl t nth bet green branch a in he dain "The chi equine fort pst that twin dasa. The Bist woods are white cedar red edar, Mack lot, chest and nage onde, thee lstng from 18 t 90 years. Good ao. are taatack pres, beneck white ea, and Binck vat, which hve fe Span up to 18 Years, TF the bottom end ofthe posts dipped in a bucket of exeosoe, ts ie wll ve greatly ners. Orin he way of the bacwonds the ends ean be cared in the caplet preven cy.