Bark spud (debarking spade)

A bark spud or debarking spade removes bark from logs. It has a flat iron head with a cutting edge and a handle, traditionally wooden. This forestry tool should not be confused with an ordinary digging spade.

Different forms

Blades can have straight or curved edges, and some designs use replaceable blades. Heavier versions were used on thick or frozen bark. Such variations do not identify a single manufacturer.

Documentation

Record blade shape, attachment, handle and inscriptions. Photograph repairs and possible replacement parts. A detached head needs evidence of use for confident identification. Do not transfer a museum object's measurements, wood species or attribution to another example merely because the shapes resemble one another.

Sources

• Store norske leksikon: Barkespade