The shovel

upnorth

upnorth

Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
7,038
Set one up, got another coming in, may grab a third just for the vehicle. I tried hanging it off my standard leather belt and it sucked. It felt like a floppy irritating weight. Then I put it on a pistol belt and voila. The wider belt makes it feel virtually non existent. Release is just popping the snaps and it falls out into my hand. I am happy again.
 
nice setup. i like that. a pistol belt without a pistol.:)
 
What's your grip set up? When watching reviews of this shovel, I found one instance where the reviewer mentioned he broke the handle and the blade snapped back and cut his hand. I was thinking wrapping the handle might be a good idea.
I've been very tempted to pick one up to play with.
 
In the 20+ years I have had mine, I have replaced the handle once due to splitting at the ball end. I have dug in snow, ice, dirt with various degrees of rock aggregate, and used it for light chopping of tree roots in limbs. The handles are so short and think you would have to be really trying to break it, maybe by trying to use it like an actual axe.
 
Have one in my truck with some other usefull stuff, been modifying the handle, making it more grippy by sanding it down and dipping it in 50/50 turpentine and lindseed oil. Adding new stainless screws which has beed countersunk to make them smoother than the stock ones.

fhtwXH8l.jpg
XE0g4Kfl.jpg
 
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I don't have a pic of mine, but can confirm that the shovel does everything well enough except work as an axe for anything larger than three or so inches in diameter. I actually bent the shovel blade a bit hacking it through some four inch wood logs. I think it was a fairly hard wood, so I don't exactly view it as a failure. I simply bent the blade back into shovel shape, and moved forward.

The shovel makes an excellent camping companion, especially as much dutch oven cooking as I like to do on trips.
 
F22shift said:
What's your grip set up? When watching reviews of this shovel, I found one instance where the reviewer mentioned he broke the handle and the blade snapped back and cut his hand. I was thinking wrapping the handle might be a good idea.
I've been very tempted to pick one up to play with.
Click to expand...

I think that some call it skate board tape. Then I used some hockey tape to make sure that it doesn't peel or slide. I took it out today and I just love this little thing. I have two more coming in.
 
BitingSarcasm said:
In the 20+ years I have had mine, I have replaced the handle once due to splitting at the ball end. I have dug in snow, ice, dirt with various degrees of rock aggregate, and used it for light chopping of tree roots in limbs. The handles are so short and think you would have to be really trying to break it, maybe by trying to use it like an actual axe.
Click to expand...

I never gave much thought to this thing until recently. My main metal detecting shovel Is a Predator Tools Raven....just an insane shovel, but it has weight by the end of the day. Once I clued in about doubling as a hatchet in a pinch, I was off to the races !, lol. I stipped this one and gave it three coats of boiled linseed oil, as I use on my axes. I may not strip the others that are coming in, particularly the one that will stay in the vehicle. But the tape thing seems to be working.
 
ragnerok said:
Have one in my truck with some other usefull stuff, been modifying the handle, making it more grippy by sanding it down and dipping it in 50/50 turpentine and lindseed oil. Adding new stainless screws which has beed countersunk to make them smoother than the stock ones.

fhtwXH8l.jpg
XE0g4Kfl.jpg
Click to expand...

I did three soakings of B.L.O. buddy, and it drank it like a bone in the desert.
 
Quiet said:
I don't have a pic of mine, but can confirm that the shovel does everything well enough except work as an axe for anything larger than three or so inches in diameter. I actually bent the shovel blade a bit hacking it through some four inch wood logs. I think it was a fairly hard wood, so I don't exactly view it as a failure. I simply bent the blade back into shovel shape, and moved forward.

The shovel makes an excellent camping companion, especially as much dutch oven cooking as I like to do on trips.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I am generally pretty easy on my tools for the most part. But good to know roughly were the limits are, appreciated.
 
I took it out yesterday on a southern facing hill that was a garbage dump for a few households around the turn of the century. I have found some great old labeled light blue or purple glass cork top bottles there. Nothing this time but I got to break in the shovel. It worked wonderfully for this task. I can see it being my companion when I am looking for/digging out old bottles tossed down brushy hillsides. Beats the heck out of lugging something bigger/heavier. Watch out for the cactus, and yes there is cactus in Canada, lol.


 
I had mine stolen a year ago.....beat the hell out of that thing for 7 years, chopping roots, everything....pretty fun to throw too

It lived in my toyota 4x4 until broken into...along with a 2 becker and an esee...sucked
 
Brad "the butcher";17059541 said:
I had mine stolen a year ago.....beat the hell out of that thing for 7 years, chopping roots, everything....pretty fun to throw too

It lived in my toyota 4x4 until broken into...along with a 2 becker and an esee...sucked
Click to expand...

I didn't even notice them until recently Brad. They just weren't on my radar. Love em, now though. Smaller and stouter in hand than pictures show. I did end up with three. Sucks about the loss and intrusion. I keep a shovel and sometimes a Mora or SRK, and often a Fiskars x11 small splitting axe (love it) in the vehicle. Wife and I often hit the lake with a portable b-b-q, and it sucks not to be able to set up an evening fire.
 
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