The traditional peat tool is the slane, also called a tuskar or slean, a narrow spade with a wing or flange at right angles to the blade that cuts a rectangular block in one thrust. A standard spade works but needs two cuts per block, and the key is producing uniform blocks that stack and dry evenly.
Part of Peat Harvesting
The tools used to cut peat by hand: the slane, a plain spade, and a knife or machete for pre-scoring, and how to improvise and care for them.
The Wing Does Two Cuts At Once
A block has a vertical side and a floor to be cut free from the bank. A plain spade makes one cut per thrust, so each block takes two thrusts and the second one is made without a guide, which gives wedge-shaped blocks. The slane carries a wing that cuts the second face as the blade goes down, so a single thrust frees the block. The parent article describes the blade as L-shaped, cutting a rectangular block in one motion.
What You Need
- A slane, or a long-handled spade with a straight, sharp blade.
- A knife, machete or hatchet to pre-score lines or trim blocks, as the parent says a large knife can cut pre-scored blocks.
- A file or stone to keep the edge sharp (Sharpening).
- Steel for a new blade: sheet or an old shovel.
Method: Improvise A Slane
Step 1: Choose the block size first, because the tool sets it. The parent’s standard block is about 30 x 10 x 10 cm.
Step 2: Make the main blade from a flat steel plate with the working width of the block, mounted to a long handle as a spade.
Step 3: Add the wing by bending or welding a strip of steel along one edge of the blade, at right angles to it and with its own sharpened edge. Its height sets the block’s depth.
Step 4: Test on a bank. The block should come out as a clean rectangle without tearing.
Step 5: Keep it sharp. A dull edge tears fibre and pulls blocks out ragged, and it needs more force.
If you cannot make a slane, a standard spade works but is slower. Cut the two sides in two thrusts and keep the blocks consistent, as the parent says.
Common Mistakes
- Using a rounded garden spade. It tears instead of cutting.
- Making the wing too tall or too wide. The block jams in the tool and breaks.
- Neglecting the handle. A loose head is a hazard.
Safety
A swung blade cuts legs and feet
A sharp slane drives into the ground close to your boots. Wear boots with a stout sole, keep the blade covered when carried, and keep people clear of the swing arc. Repeated bending and thrusting strains the back: take rest breaks. Keep a bleeding-control kit to hand (Bleeding Control).
What’s Next
- Learn next: Cutting Technique & Block Sizes — using the tool
- Combine with: Bank Management — what to cut and where