Ice chisel with handle, spring steel 65G

The weak point of any ice chisel is where metal meets wood: a few winters of blows and the handle splits. Here a 190 mm stainless-steel extension sits between the head and the timber. The shock lands on the extension rather than on the grain of the handle, which is why this build outlasts a one-piece tool.

The head is 65G spring steel, 150 mm high and 60 mm wide — narrow and heavy, it goes through thick ice in one or two strikes. The wooden handle is 1100 mm long, so you chop standing up rather than bent double.

Anglers use it for holes; homeowners use it on the ice that builds up on steps, paths and in front of the gate, where a shovel only skates. A protective cap for the head is included, so it travels in the boot without cutting into the rest of your kit.