McLeod

[Frank S]

A lot depends on where and how the tool is needed for use.the Mcleod has been around since 1905 and is manufactured in a few variations in size. There are several brands on the market and can range in price from $40 to 80.00 made from the same type of tempered steels that shovels and hoes are made from usually either 12 or 10 ga in thickness from around 9 to 11 inches wide and from 7 to 8 inches tine tip to blade edge some of the brands are th eNupla, Zak, Corna, and Lamberton
Home Depo sells the Nupla brand, I think outdoor world may have a collapseable folding variation for carrying in a pack
the ZAK is preferred by many because of its tine configuration allows for stacking the spigot of one into the tine of another this allows for less space required to transport plus helps keep the storage area tidy.
If I were going to make one I might use 10ga AR 400 or ASTM 516 boiler plate or possibly ASTM 514 T1 any of these are restaurant to bending have good welding properties for attaching the spigot. and can be drilled or cut with a band saw though not easily. also they can be hardened
Since weight is a factor in the use and comfort of any tool 3/16" thick steel could be used for a more robust striking force when cutting through ground cover or roots but it make the tool much heavier to carry and wield kind of like the difference between using a large common garden hoe and grubbing hoe some call it an eye hoe
Additionally if I were making one I might forge the spigot out of 12 ga mild steel by rolling it to a taper, flangeing the narrow end then drilling and rivet it to the center of the blade instead of welding it then attach a common heavy duty hoe handle like one found in a 10" garden hoe. I might even use the thinner 12 ga material for the blade but forge a slight rearward "V" shape to the tines for added strength