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Logging is the most dangerous civilian job in the U.S., thanks to hazards like heavy machinery and falling limbs. The controlled environment of your backyard can be a safer place for you to take down old trees and chop up the pieces. You might not aspire to be Paul Bunyan, but you can still grab tools—similar to what lumberjacks use in competitions— to become a suburban log slayer.
1. Axe
The 6-pound head on the Precision Competition Chopping Axe has a 7.5-inch hand-sharpened edge. The steel slices deep into timber without sticking, and it absorbs vibrations.
2. Gloves
A pair of Husqvarna Functional Chain Saw gloves provides extra protection for your nonsawing hand. The left side has two layers of goat leather to shield it during a scrape with a blade.
3. Crosscut saw
The 4-foot-long Lehman’s One-Man Crosscut tool packs two types of teeth: The lance-shaped points are best at cutting, and the double-pointed rakers help clear dust from the groove.
4. Chain saw
Pros brandish the 7.2-horsepower Stihl 661 in competitions, but aspiring loggers can also make short work of a small forest. Shock absorbers in the chassis lessen punishment on hands and arms.
Related: These skulls look purple and orange. They are both red.
5. Flannel shirt
The Dakine Reid Tech shirt will help you look the part. Plus, the textile features a water-resistant coating and traces of antimicrobial silver chloride, which combats your body’s nasty odors.
This article was originally published in the Winter 2018 Danger issue of Popular Science.
