Best way to remove compacted hardcore?

kataklysm

A few years back, I replaced an ugly straight concrete path and put down a nice a nice curvy gravel affair instead.

All is well, except that underneath the old path was a load of compacted gravel hardcore, which has now become a scrubby bit of bare earth. At the time I tried to smash it with a lumphammer, dig it with a spade, hack it with a crowbar... and finally determined that it would probably need a precision breaker of some kind to get rid of it.

So before I hit up the local hire shop, and potentially take out a water main... any other DIY ideas for getting this stuff out?

amcluesent

I'd have though a mattock/pick would let you start lifting it

prosaver

20 quid from a hire shop ..its worth it

kataklysm

OH MAN of course :O I graduated in Archaeology and I forgot all about the trusty mattock... shows what I learned

I'll see what I can achieve with that, thanks!!

timmmers

I have just bought an azeda, a long handled digging hoe. Saw then in every 3rd world country and always thought we should use them in place of spades...and my very overgrown new allotment needed some serious work.

Just dug a pond out of the garden with it in about an hour, it sliced bricks and compacted gravel it came into contact with in not time with little effort and no damage. it's similar to a matlock but wider sharper blade and no pick. Best 12 quid I ever spent. I can dig just swinging it with one hand even.

Unlike a matlock it's very useful for garden work of all kinds. Amazon have 'em, mine's a Silverline made version.

Jnelhams

Japanese Knotweed, that'll do it. It'll also wreck your house, destroy your entire garden and remain for a thousand years.....