Pics, British/American Farmer Impression, 4th Qtr. 18th C.

[Jim Jacobs]

A basic collection of farm tools;



-Wheel Barrow
-Linen field sack (large open top haversack, shown full of newly picked corn)
-Smaller grain/seed sacks
-Small Felling Axe
-Sickle
-Warren Hoe (shown helved)
-Cultivating Hoe (unhelved blade shown; I use one handle and interchange the two blades as needed)
-Wooden Fork
-Wooden Rake

Not Shown;
-Grubbing Hoe
-Period Shovel
-Dibble, line and stakes, for laying out rows
-Tomahawk
-Corn Knife
-Scythe Blade
-Froe
-Switchel Jug

Needed;
-Snathe
-Large period Felling Axe
-Pruning Knife

[Isaac]

Alright!!! Looking good.

IW

_________________
We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive.
Aldo Leopold

[ditmurier]

Very Nice, Jim! By the way it works now!

[Jim Jacobs]

Thank you, gentlemen.

[Isaac]

I REALLY need to make a new hay fork.

Need a pruning knife, eh? I have been working on getting a nice folding one like you see in a lot of french images... for the apples, grapes, and etc.

_________________
We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive.
Aldo Leopold

[ditmurier]

Yes, I have been using a rigid version for a while! Plus I need a small wheel for my wheel barrel?

[Jim Jacobs]

We discussed this some time back didn't we?









Yep, it wouldn't be too difficult to make one of these, with the right tools. I have yet to see one offered by any of the smiths at the events I've done, and I've been looking. (Hint to the Blacksmiths.)


I've also found several modern makers of these knives.....

http://www.frenchgeneralstore.com/gifts/opinel_garden.html

http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/eCommerce/product.jsp?range=31&SearchText=Opinel&Mode=Text&SKU=OP113110

http://premiumknives.com/ShopSite/Opinel_OP10_Pruning_Knife.html

http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/opinel_pruning_knives/

http://www.worldknives.com/products/horticultural-grape-hook-harvesting-knife-gh1-1552.html

(I'm not recommending these as part of a historical presentation, but I do find it interesting that the blade pattern and functionality has come down to us virtually unchanged. An oft-overlooked living fossil of sorts, I suppose.)


And here are some pretty impressive historical repros on this site;

http://www.woodsmithstore.co.uk/shop/Products/Tools/Billhooks/

[Jim Jacobs]

Wagon, cart and wheel barrow wheels....here's a place out of Mansfield Ohio....

http://www.amishwares.com/site/1504461/page/45031

No shortage of wheels from online merchants, and the wheel barrow sizes generally run around $60-$65.

[Isaac]

MacAdams was making me one, but I have not heard from him lately. With as nice of french folders as Ken Hamilton and Randy Wolf make, I would imagine either of them would be up to the job.

Wheels... I have a couple coming from Karl that match the ones on my current cart!!!!

IW

_________________
We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive.
Aldo Leopold

[Jim Jacobs]

Name dropper. ; )

I thought Karl only made straw hats, canoes and barrels. Quite an all around talented guy, huh? And yep, I think Ken Hamilton and Randy both would turn out a real good tool.

[ditmurier]

Might have to see if I can hurt myself, switching mine to a folder?

[Isaac]

Karl didn't make them, they are old wood hubbed ones. My original two came from him on a trade and this is another from that batch.

Speaking of tools... I took the tip of my thumb off with my billhook yesterday. I am missing a good portion of my thumbnail and some good flesh... sorta sucks but heck... it is a good billhook and holds an edge!

IW

_________________
We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive.
Aldo Leopold

[Jim Jacobs]

Ouch! Now there's an immersion experience.

[eseabee1]

where can one find an axe like you have in the cart.

[Jim Jacobs]

I'm not sure. It's a large hammer pole tomahawk head that I helved with a mallet handle, and I got it in trade at an event several years ago from a fellow that claimed to have found an old crate of them in a warehouse in Wisconsin. How old it is I don't know, but it has an "X" maker's mark stamped in it, and there are no visible tooling marks or any sign it was cast. It also rings like a tuning fork when driving stakes, which is something I've never seen in anything but top grade hammers and anvils.