Abstract: The first embodiment of the tool for girdling the trunk of a tree includes an elongated and horizontally disposed handle having first and second ends. The tool also includes a horizontally disposed cutting blade support having a first elongated arm portion and a curved arm portion. The first elongated arm portion is pivotally connected to the handle intermediate the lengths thereof. A linkage also pivotally connects the second end of the handle to the first end of the first elongated arm portion. A cutting blade carriage is selectively movably secured to the curved arm portion to compensate for various tree trunk diameters. A second embodiment of the tool includes an elongated handle which is adjustably secured to a cutting blade support which has a cutting blade secured thereto which is forced into engagement with the tree trunk by a spring arm.

Abstract: The first embodiment of the tool for girdling the trunk of a tree includes an elongated and horizontally disposed handle having first and second ends. The tool also includes a horizontally disposed cutting blade support having a first elongated arm portion and a curved arm portion. The first elongated arm portion is pivotally connected to the handle intermediate the lengths thereof. A linkage also pivotally connects the second end of the handle to the first end of the first elongated arm portion. A cutting blade carriage is selectively movably secured to the curved arm portion to compensate for various tree trunk diameters. A second embodiment of the tool includes an elongated handle which is adjustably secured to a cutting blade support which has a cutting blade secured thereto which is forced into engagement with the tree trunk by a spring arm.

Abstract: An adjustable peeling utensil for peeling an exterior portion from an interior portion of a fruit or vegetable, having: a base having a front side, a back side, a left side, a right side, a top side, and a bottom side; the base being associated with a handle on the back side and having a support bar slideably associated with the front side; and a U-shaped adjustable blade having a front blade side with a cutting edge, a left blade side with a left cutting edge, and a right blade side with a right cutting edge; the U-shaped adjustable blade being slideably associated with the left side and the right side of the base such that the U-shaped adjustable blade is extendable from the front side, to a selected distance between the support bar and the front blade side matching a thickness of the exterior portion; and a locking element.

Abstract: The invention concerns a mechanical part with abrasionproof surface characterized in that it comprises a sintered metallic body obtained from metallic powders and a laser-deposited cermet coating. The coating has a certain thickness whereof a portion is metallurgically bound with the metallic body. The laser deposit enables the sintered part to be surface-melted under the effect of the laser beam. The surface of the sintered part to be coated is therefore fused over a thickness ranging between 10 &mgr;m and 1 mm, which enables the surface pores to be closed, as is characteristic of sintered parts, thereby increasing its resistance to shocks. Moreover, the small surface coated at a given moment by the laser enables the self-hardening of the exposed part, following the beam displacement, by the heat-sink effect of the surrounding metallic volume. The resulting coating also has very low porosity owing to the complete fusion of the powders by laser.