Be careful out there

My first use of the pick axe since back surgery today. Tackling a wild rose down the end of the garden.

It's going ok. But see in the pick there's an old tree stump? That wasn't my target. My eyes were not on it. My eyes were on the rose, which was my target.

I swung the axe full force. Axe found the tree stump and bounced off. Luckily for me my dad taught me from a young age to swing so that the head is never on the trajectory, so if the axe bounces it misses your head. I always, without exception, apply this rule. So when the axe bounced, it felt like I'd been kicked by a horse, but in my shoulder. I'm fine by the way. I laughed because I'm uninjured, but it could have so easily been different.

 

Glad you survived. Not to be too surprised as its not really the best tool for the job.Look out for a grubbing mattock, which will fit your pick handle. Often seen at car boot sales or second hand/house clearance shops. Could also go grand and buy a new one!
5lb Grubbing Mattock Head

 

My dad has the best mattock. I've never seen another one like it, so I thought it must be vintage, but one day my dad explained that he'd got the smithy to custom make it. My thing is just a regular pick axe though. It doesn't a perfectly good job of getting mature bushes out by their roots.

 

The worst I've done with my pick is take a swing at what I thought was a rock below ground to discover it's part of one of the seams of rock running across the garden. It's a bit like one of the Wiley Coyote or Tom and Jerry cartoons when the character ends up vibrating like a gong.