The Pulaski is a unique hand tool combining an ax and pickaxe, used by firefighters and forest services since 1913. It’s also popular with hikers and gardeners for digging jobs. Its origin is credited to Ed Pulaski, a US Forest Service ranger, who invented it after a fire accident in 1910. The tool is now readily available in many retail outlets and online.
The Pulaski is a unique hand tool that has been used by firefighters and forest services since 1913. It is a combination of an ax and a pickaxe, a hand tool that has a broad chisel-like blade similar to a hoe, perpendicular to the 36-inch (91.44 cm) wood or fiberglass handle. This combination of two heads on one handle makes for the perfect tool for alternately digging and cutting, a common action in creating firebreaks. The mattock side of the tool can also be fine honed to make it sharp enough to cut notches in wood for small woodworking projects.
In addition to being favored by firefighters, the tool is also popular with hikers and gardeners. Hikers use it to build new trails and clear debris and obstacles from existing trails. Gardeners find the tool useful for small digging jobs, as its double-headed construction makes it ideal for digging in hard ground or rooted areas. While it used to be hard to find outside the firefighting arena, the Pulaski is now readily available in many hardware stores and home improvement centers.
The origin of the tool is controversial. Its creation is generally credited to Ed Pulaski, a US Forest Service ranger. He is recorded as having invented the hand tool a year after a salvage accident in which none of the existing tools proved adequate for firefighting.
According to the story, in 45 he was leading a fire crew of 1910 to put out a small fire near Wallace, Idaho. Due to Pulaski’s composure and resourcefulness, only five men died.
Unfortunately, a third of Wallace burned to the ground and Pulaski suffered extensive and permanent damage to his eyes. He reportedly invented the Pulaski soon after, though he never patented it. Supposedly he was never compensated for his eye injuries and allegedly died a resentful and angry man in 1931.
The handy tool was used extensively by the Forest Services beginning in 1913. In 1920, based on its practicality and popularity, the United States Forest Service contracted to manufacture Pulaski in mass quantities by a tool company commercial. The Collins Tool Company reportedly made and distributed a similar tool in 1876.
The Pulaski is now available for purchase in many retail outlets and online. It is available in a variety of weights and with different handle lengths to meet a wide range of needs and applications. This tool is still best known for its firefighting applications.
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