tool
Turf cutting axe
Axe with large, heavy and thick (approx. 5 mm), rectangular (approx. 40 cm
by 10 cm) or crescent-shaped (1) iron blade that is connected to a long
(approx. 100 cm) curved stem. The cut of the blade and the tip of the stem
form an angle of about 45 °. The turf cutting axe serves to cut through the
sod - with tough roots - in superficial peat extraction, but also, for
example, where a trench will be dug with the spade to lay drainage pipes
(see drain ladle and pipe layer). When cutting turf to protect dikes or
embankments, a turf axe is also often used to divide the area of the meadow
into long strips, which are then cut across with the garden spade and then
loosened with the paring spade (2). Such an axe is also sometimes used as a
dung axe, to cut through the caked manure of the stable. See also the
flauchter spade and sod cutter. [MOT] (1) Eg. DEBY from DAVID 1975: 140.
(2) Eg. FRICK & CANAUD: 508.