The Shovel Discussion Thread!

I have a surplus East German (I think) entrenching tool that's absolutely indispensable for camping. What the Cold Steel one was based on, I think. Digs beach forts (which keeps small boys busy for hours), pokes the fire and lifts food on and off without risking burns, digs out drains, and on and on. Would make a heck of a weapon if needed, too. Of course I didn't buy three when CTD (IIRC) had them...
 
Where I camp, I must carry a shovel with me (and a bucket of water) when having a campfire. They're also great for digging drainage around your tent as you mentioned. A few stories on here where that drainage had saved them from having a soggy night. You mentioned removing food. I wonder if someone could answer this. Is it possible to cook on a shovel without ruining the temper? This would only be for the all metal shovels of course. A nice surface to fry an omelet on.
 
I have a surplus East German (I think) entrenching tool that's absolutely indispensable for camping. What the Cold Steel one was based on, I think. Digs beach forts (which keeps small boys busy for hours), pokes the fire and lifts food on and off without risking burns, digs out drains, and on and on. Would make a heck of a weapon if needed, too. Of course I didn't buy three when CTD (IIRC) had them...

It's based off the Russian MPL-50. :)

450px-MPL-50.jpg
 
This ad shows soldiers cooking on a shovel:

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I read that the T-handles were phased out after problems with snagging while being carried..
 
This ad shows soldiers cooking on a shovel:

$(KGrHqF,!jUE8DfiGepiBPJzeBsWq!~~60_3.JPG


I read that the T-handles were phased out after problems with snagging while being carried..

Easy fix. Make it a D handle. I find the steel D handle on my Predator comes in handy for using as a set of vertical grips when breaking ground. Grab each side and jam it in the ground--a lot easier than trying to do it with your hand on top.
 
Wow, that predator tool has some nice stuff...kind of wish I didn't see that.

japan woodworker has some nice garden tools as well...but hard to beat the price of the zenbori soil knife.

when it comes to e-tools its a toss up between the glock and CS russian style as to what I like...maybe if I could only have one it would be the coldsteel? But I like the compactness of the glock.
 
Is it possible to cook on a shovel without ruining the temper?

I don't see why not, so long as you don't exceed the temperature that the tool was originally tempered at. I don't know how shovels are tempered. My guess would be that they're tempered to around 500° F. They're not a heavy impact tool so there's little chance of chipping the blade under normal use. Wear resistance would increase with hardness. 500° seems about right to me. I can't imagine they'd be tempered hotter than 550°.
 
To bad the wooden handle prevents me from cooking on it. Otherwise the sf shovel has a nice shape for bacon, omelets, etc.
 
No offense meant, but did you type that on your phone? Looks like a lot of autocorrect errors. :D

Bully Tools DOES make some nice stuff, though, and is the only manufacturer other than Seymour that I know of making a rice shovel right now. :cool::thumbup:

For a cousin-business of Predator Tools, check out WW Manufacturing. Predator is a family splinter of WW. Both make fine all-steel digging tools using similar construction, though you might consider Predator to be the semi-custom or "mid-tech" shovel maker of the two. :p

Yes I was using my phone to type that and should have proof read it before I sent it :-(....im gonna have to check out the Seymour tools u mentioned. Are they as high of quality as bully tools?
 
I wouldn't consider them as premium, but their upper end pieces are quite nice all the same. They offer a few items no one else does anymore. :)
 
Hmmm I see a number of potential issues with it. The biggest one is that the scales look REALLY uncomfortable. Also I think that V-blade shovels are best suited to shallow configurations or else you end up with very low load capacity. This in turn is compounded by the lack of foot steps. A set of inward facing steps can help keep dirt on the blade.

Interesting piece of work, though, and it looks like a lot of effort went into it!
 
Here I have a typical german shovel. Hammer forged in Bavaria at a small local smitty. Great steel and absolutely for heavy duty work. I have already four of them. But most them look so used you can´t see the smitty´s mark any longer (I was building my own house ;) )

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It´s my newest of them. Do you guys like that?

Kind regards
 
Yeah, they worl pretty well. Great digging tool! That´s a tool my forefathers have used, I think!

Kind regards
Andi
 
Ok--I wasn't alone in being interested in scythes, so let's try my other off-the-beaten-path tool interest: shovels! What do you use, what do you like in a shovel or trowel, and what do you wish was made?

I know a lot of folks enjoy the Cold Steel SF Shovel, and I do as well, but I wish the foot steps were turned inward. If allowed to redesign it myself I'd end up with something sort of like the below.


View attachment 257031

Around the home I mostly use either an aluminum transfer shovel for mucking the barn, or my Predator Tools "Big Red" diamond point. But out in the field I use a Zenbori "hori hori" like this one:

images


If I were able to design my own similar tool, though, I'd come up with something like this.

View attachment 257032


I like the Crovel extreme more and more but not to carry. I did take one of those stainless folding mini trowels and modified them as a cutting edge...it is kinda sweet with hardened cutting edges and a straighter handle. Topped them off with a kydex sheath you can put on your belt or pack open or closed handle and they also now make sweet spear heads. Not for everyone though. My many years living in japan has gotten me to appreciate the hori hori a lot as a tool and possibly self defense.
 
It's a great little combination of functions that not enough folks seem to appreciate--largely because digging tools tend to be an afterthought for many, and when their crappy plastic trowel breaks digging a latrine while camping they blame the activity rather than the crummy tool. A sharp hori hori goes through root-filled soil like butter. :D

And yes, if need be the design does lend itself well to defense.
 
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