About

Phase I of the grant was to conduct research and to develop a prototype tool to address safety, durability and ergonomic weaknesses of the traditional Pulaski, the mainstay wildfire hand tool of the fire agencies. The improvements developed by Dragonslayers included:

• improved balance for safety by changing the core material and mass
• double the width of the grub-hoe blade
• replaceable grub hoe and axe blades
• a handle three times stronger and 3 inches longer than the traditional Pulaski
• a pin-lock detachable handle to allow the tool to be broken down and easily stowed for travel
• a Pulaski head that could never slip off the handle

This improved version became known as the Dragonslayers “Magnum” Pulaski.

The function and quality of the Magnum Pulaski prototype proved so compelling to the USDA, that the agency extended the hand tool research to a Phase II level to improve all the traditional wildfire hand tools. The objective of the Phase II grant was to consolidate the hand tools, and to improve ergonomics, weight, handiness, and versatility.

One challenge of second phase of research and development, was to utilize the detachable handle that was developed for the Phase I prototype Magnum Pulaski, and to advance all the traditional wildfire hand tools. The Dragonslayers Universal Handle with snap-lock mechanism, was one of the most significant design solutions to address the multitude of conventional single-function tools. The Universal Handle allows firefighters to quickly change tool heads to meet the wildfire field conditions and to work more safely and comfortably.

Many of the designs and innovations in Dragonslayers tools came from listening to line firefighters, while other ideas came from observation and research of firefighting tools and techniques in foreign countries.

Wildfire fighters had expressed a need for an improved hand tool for scraping line and raking leaves in a more upright and more comfortable working position that would allow greater visibility, productivity and effectiveness. Based on that need, Dragonslayers designed and developed the “Troop Tool”, a multi-angled tool to serve many functions:

• An angled shovel to dig and accurately throw dirt at flare-ups or cool down burning snags;
• An improved McLeod scraping tool with a curved blade to remove litter on the forest floor;
• An improved fire rake or Eastern Council tool with a high back to clear a swath through leaves;
• A stand erect mixing, chinking and mop-up tool with shovel point hitting ground first; and
• A safety staff for cross-country travel on steep and unstable terrain.
• The Magnum Pulaski and Troop Tool are the most popular Dragonslayers tools because of their tremendous versatility.

Following development of the Magnum Pulaski and Troop Tool, Dragonslayers went on to design and develop other wildlife hand tools to assist firefighters – the Dragon Swatter for use in grasslands and an excellent prescribed burning tool; the Tony Pad Swatter for Arctic Taiga ecosystems;  the Bonnie Hammer, a combination tool with a steel wedge head on one side and a Magnum Pulaski blade on the other and; the Titanium Core Felling Axe Head, a felling axe or superior strength and performance.