McLeod (tool)

A McLeod tool (or rakehoe) is a two-sided blade — one a rake with coarse tines, one a flat sharpened hoe — on a long wooden handle.

[3][4] The McLeod was originally designed to rake fire lines with the teeth and cut branches and sod with the sharpened hoe edge.

[5] Because of its large and sharp head, the McLeod is an awkward tool to transport and store, and is often considered undesirable.

Ideally, it is carried with the tines pointing toward the ground for safety, with a sheath over the cutting edge.

Furthermore, because of its head design, the tool can be stood upright without needing to penetrate the soil, allowing for a safer "standby" configuration reducing tripping hazards and increasing visibility thus effectively reducing the chances that the tool is lost in the woods.