ESCONDIDO FIRE DEPT TRAINING MANUAL Section Engine Module Page 1 of 9 Wildland Tool Maintenance Revised

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1 Engine Module Page 1 of 9 HANDTOOL CARE AND MAINTENANCE Hand tools must be sharp and stored in a clean, safe location and ready to use at all times. No hand tools may be carried in the same compartment in which the firefighters are riding. In addition, safety guards should be placed over the tools when stored on vehicles to reduce the potential for hand injuries when reaching for tools. The following are areas that require inspection and maintenance on all hand tools: Handles Handles must be inspected for tightness on the head. Smoothness of the handle reduces the potential for blisters, requiring sanding with a fine grade of sandpaper after each use. Do NOT apply any preservative to the handle as it will increase the friction for the user and increase the potential for developing blisters. Check the handle for cracks and straightness, cracks indicate a potentially loosening of the head. Bolts on the strap hook and McLeod should be checked for tightness. Wedges and rivets should be tight and in place. Head The head should be free of nicks and burrs, file to remove any flaws in the cutting edge. Check the head and make sure there are no clacks in the metal, frequently a problem with the tines on the McLeod. The head should be aligned with the main axis of the handle; remove from service if not properly aligned. Sharpening The key to efficient use of any hand tool is having a sharp edge on the tool. Care must be taken to reduce cuts and nicks in the cutting and scraping edges. A well-sharpened edge reduces fatigue and injury potential. A 12 flat mill bastard file is used on all tools for sharpening, file in only one direction without rounding the ends of the edges. Brush Hook The cutting edge should be sharpened maintaining the curve of the tool. The cutting edge taper should be 1 on the straight portion of the edge and ¾ on the curved portion. The point or toe should not be sharpened! Refer to Information Sheet #1.

2 Engine Module Page 2 of 9 Pulaski The cutting edge of the Pulaski should be sharpened across the full width using an even pressure. The edge should be tapered back 2 at the deepest point. The cutting edge should also be even across the full width and not rounded back at the ends. The grubbing edge should be sharpened at a 45 angle, maintaining a 3/8 bevel. Refer to Information Sheet #2. Shovel An even pressure should be applied across the full width of the cutting edge, starting approximately 4 from the heel. Apply an even pressure across the full length of one side of the edge, ending at the point. The proper angle should be 45. Finish the second side in the same manner, when the tool is sharpened, a defined point should be in line with the center of the bowl. Refer to Information Sheet #3 McLeod The cutting edge of the McLeod is sharpened at an angle of 45, in a straight line across the full width of the head. Do not round off the ends of the head by putting excessive pressure at the end of each stroke. Refer to Information Sheet #4

3 Engine Module Page 3 of 9 Information Sheet #1

4 Engine Module Page 4 of 9 Information Sheet #2

5 Engine Module Page 5 of 9 Information Sheet #3

6 Engine Module Page 6 of 9 Information Sheet #4

7 Engine Module Page 7 of 9 Axes Wildland axes such as the double and single bit axes are sharpened to a fine edge and are used for cutting as opposed to the axes used in structure fires. The cutting edge should be as fine as possible across the full length of the head. The taper should be a minimum of 2 across the width and not rounded off at the ends. Re-handling a Tool A hand tool can lose its integrity (either through improper handling, neglect, age and/or abuse) resulting in a break of the tool s handle. The tool head may still have a substantial service life, which can be utilized through the proper re-handling of the tool head. The Shovel and the McLeod are fairly simple and self-explanatory. Remove the rivets, and then remove old handle and place new handle into same location. The Pulaski and Brush Hook require more labor and attention to detail. Re-handling a Pulaski Removing Handle Not Secured with Epoxy Secure head in vise. Use wood blocks to protect head. Saw off handle next to head. Drill holes through wood remaining in axe head (use 1/4" bit). Drive out remaining wood in direction it was inserted. Installing Handle without Epoxy Inspect eye for cracks, breaks, or burrs. Discard head if cracked. Check new handle for defects, warp, twists, etc. File down neck of handle with coarse wood rasp to fit eye of Pulaski head. Shoulder not to exceed 1/2". If not already provided, saw slit for wooden wedge 2/3 the depth of the head. Fit handle into eye of head. Should have no gaps between handle and eye of head. Check for proper alignment of head (90 o to handle). When fitting head, never pound directly on head with metal hammer. Drive soft wood wedge into slit as far as possible (avoid splitting handle). Saw off excess wedge with hacksaw and file smooth. Drive two metal wedges (#4 or #5) at a 45 o angle to the wooden wedge, being careful not to spread eye.

8 Engine Module Page 8 of 9 Installing Handle without Epoxy, cont. Check for tightness by putting axe in vise (using head blocks) with handle horizontal and try to move handle up or down. Sight down handle for alignment. Removing Handle Secured with Epoxy Saw off handle next to head. Boil head 20 to 30 minutes. Drive out handle with punch while still hot. Clean eye with wire brush and sandpaper. Wipe head with solvent rag and air dry. Installing Handle with Epoxy Check head for cracks. Shape handle to fit eye using coarse wood rasp, finish with fine rasp. If not provided on new handle, saw slit for wedge 2/3 the depth of head. Mix epoxy according to manufacturer's instructions and apply to surfaces to be bonded. Drive handle into place. Using polystyrene high impact wedge, coat with epoxy and drive into slit of handle (avoid splitting handle). Allow epoxy to completely harden. Saw off excess handle and dress with a coarse file. Remove excess epoxy with a wire wheel brush. Re-handling a Brush Hook Removing Handle Place head in blocks when placing in vise (Do not put tool head in vise without wood blocks). Saw off handle next to head with a hacksaw. Drill out rivets or take off strap. Drive out remaining wood in direction it was inserted. Installing New Handle Inspect eye for cracks, breaks, or burrs and defects. Rasp handle down to fit the eye of the head. During the course of fitting the handle, never pound directly on the head or handle with a metal hammer.

9 Engine Module Page 9 of 9 When completed, there should not be any gaps between the metal eye and the wood handle. Length of shoulder should not exceed 1/2". Two types of wedges are used to expand the handle in the eye to insure a tight fit. Drive a softwood wedge into the split as far as possible but avoid splitting the handle. Saw off excess wedge with hacksaw and file smooth. Drive two metal wedges at a 45 o angle to the wooden wedge being careful not to spread the eye. After handle and wedge installation, it is important that the handle be checked for tightness and alignment.