The Shovel Discussion Thread!

[I'mSoSharp]

Nacional vs National.
Probably made in Spain or Portugal

Yeah, spelling never was my strong point..... . Thanks & of course you're right.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Heres a small shovel I recently did up to go on my minibike, I really do not like the Russian " spetznaz " shovel and it has to go, it's not designed / shaped like a regular shovel and I hate that about it.
I made this out of an old AMES shovel from my grandfather that he had previously modified for some other purpose.


I pounded out a couple inches of the socket bulge in the blade so it wouldn't look as much like a full sized shovel that was cut down, and for now I have just used the Russian shovel handle.
I will do something better for it eventually.

 

[veeteetee]

Old Billnäs shovels from the Finnish Army (SA, Suomen Armeija).

With factory handle complete with decals:

With handle made by soldiers at front during Continuation War 1941-44:

The stamping says "RINTAMATYÖ" i.e. production from the front:

Both shovels are unused showing just some minor storage damage/rust.

 

[Andrulamb]

Hi, I was hoping ya'll might help to crowdsource an ID model and year range for a Wood Shovel and Tool company shovel I found recently in S. Oregon. Seems difficult to find much info about this company.

 

[Hickory n steel]

All I could find out is that THE WOOD SHOVEL AND TOOL CO was founded or incorporated in 1902.

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

Hi, I was hoping ya'll might help to crowdsource an ID model and year range for a Wood Shovel and Tool company shovel I found recently in S. Oregon. Seems difficult to find much info about this company.

https://thetroyhistoricalsociety.org/Stories/Biograph/biog-tz/0516.htm
https://www.google.com/books/editio...piqua+history&pg=RA1-PA15&printsec=frontcover
https://www.trademarkia.com/moly-71216660
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1929-wood-shovel-tool-company-piqua-1852017099

 

[Square_peg]

https://thetroyhistoricalsociety.org/Stories/Biograph/biog-tz/0516.htm
https://www.google.com/books/editio...piqua+history&pg=RA1-PA15&printsec=frontcover
https://www.trademarkia.com/moly-71216660
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1929-wood-shovel-tool-company-piqua-1852017099

All good links but I especially like that second one. I could get lost.

 

[garry3]

We have talked about Woods before but it's been some years ago. I think there may still be pictures of this one buried in this thread.





I use it for tasks that my aluminum scoop my not be up for.

 

[rjdankert]

"Ever broken a shovel handle? Here is one way you can fix it up! We used dried wildwood ash to carve out a rustic handle, rivet it securely in place and plant a tree."

Bob

 

[fix addiction]

we came across this cool shovel today in a storage unit owned by a deceased family member. thinking of a northwest wood to replace the handle, what WOOD WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? thank you

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

we came across this cool shovel today in a storage unit owned by a deceased family member. thinking of a northwest wood to replace the handle, what WOOD WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? thank you

There's some ash in the northwest.

 

[FliteRN]

Heres a small shovel I recently did up to go on my minibike, I really do not like the Russian " spetznaz " shovel and it has to go, it's not designed / shaped like a regular shovel and I hate that about it.
I made this out of an old AMES shovel from my grandfather that he had previously modified for some other purpose.
View attachment 1988697
View attachment 1988698
I pounded out a couple inches of the socket bulge in the blade so it wouldn't look as much like a full sized shovel that was cut down, and for now I have just used the Russian shovel handle.
I will do something better for it eventually.

thats really cool!

 

[Square_peg]

we came across this cool shovel today in a storage unit owned by a deceased family member. thinking of a northwest wood to replace the handle, what WOOD WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? thank you

While there is some Oregon ash in the northwest they tend to be small and it’s unlikely you’d find a suitable piece for a shovel handle.

I’d look for a fruit wood. Wild plums are common and often have long straight trunks suitable for a handle.

 

[eveled]

I found this shovel in the trash recently. It is all aluminum. Somebody took the time to replace the handle with an aluminum pipe and homemade D handle. They even filled in the back of the shovel. It was covered with dried cement when I found it. I had to wire wheel it off. The welds were never perfect, but I can appreciate the effort to create a lifetime shovel. It is a work of art in my eyes.


It is very smooth, but etched by the cement. The pictures make it look bad, but it is not.

There was a sold sign on the house. They just emptied out the basement onto the curb on trash day. I picked up about 20 rakes/ shovels and a sledgehammer. Also a brand new roll of 3/8” copper!

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

The D handle looks like some manufactured ones I've seen, but the overall aluminum build makes me wonder if they were using it in a non-sparking environment.

 

[Square_peg]

The D handle looks like some manufactured ones I've seen, but the overall aluminum build makes me wonder if they were using it in a non-sparking environment.

I had that thought as well.

Coming from an old basement it may have spent some years as a coal shovel. It's the right size and shape.

 

[eveled]

I had to trim the edge. The corners were worn back. So someone used it a lot.

You are probably right about the handle being factory made. It looks too good to be homemade. Interesting how it has an arch and isn’t straight across.

Is wood not allowed in non Spark environments? I guess maybe because of the steel rivets?

 

[John A. Larsen]

eveled. Not sure about the rivets in wooden shovels, but some years back ran across a video on You Tube, want to say made in Appalachia, about the supposedly last man making all wooden shovels. Seem to remember cut and carved out of a single tree trunk. I did not understand why, but was told it was for places like working in grain silos where you did not want to have anything that could create a spark. John

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I had to trim the edge. The corners were worn back. So someone used it a lot.

You are probably right about the handle being factory made. It looks too good to be homemade. Interesting how it has an arch and isn’t straight across.

Is wood not allowed in non Spark environments? I guess maybe because of the steel rivets?

The tubing for the handle was likely for strength, but aluminum used both for being non-sparking as well as being lighter than steel, and allowing it to be welded directly to the aluminum head and handle. Wood is allowed in non-sparking environments, you'd just use non-sparking rivets, such as copper.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Everything shovels. Everything.



Never seen the video before, but I'm familiar with the shovels--good stuff!



If you like the Fiskars check out Predator Tools. Similar construction but USA-made and ten times as indestructible. I love my Big Red--used it this morning to chop, chip, and pry ice chunks from the mouth of the driveway from when the plow truck went by.

While not a compact shovel, I still love it. At 68 its the last shovel I'll ever have to buy. I'll break before it does.