In case anyone has been eyeing them, I bought a Woodman's Pal on line a couple weeks back. I'd looked at them for some time but debated about the $80 price. I saw a spot on the site referring to 2nds. So I called and ordered one. I got the GI version for about $38 shipped. It didn't come with a sheath, but they can be had on ebay for $10. So overall it's half price. I can't see anything that made this one a second.
Usefulness- I first used ti to clean some brush up around the house. I trimmed the lower limbs on a hickory and was unimpressed. It just didn't hack in very far. Later I used it on some sweet gum and some brush. Turns out the hickory is just very hard wood, because the WP cleaved through the sweet gum limbs with ease. The hook is handy for ripping vines out and for dragging the choppings away.
I'll be camping with it soon so I'll update on it's firewood abilities and shelter making use.
http://www.protoolindustries.net/
Usefulness- I first used ti to clean some brush up around the house. I trimmed the lower limbs on a hickory and was unimpressed. It just didn't hack in very far. Later I used it on some sweet gum and some brush. Turns out the hickory is just very hard wood, because the WP cleaved through the sweet gum limbs with ease. The hook is handy for ripping vines out and for dragging the choppings away.
I'll be camping with it soon so I'll update on it's firewood abilities and shelter making use.
http://www.protoolindustries.net/