Resurrecting old entrenching tool

[Mike8472]

I've just aquired a ww2 entrencing tool. It's in pretty good shape for its age.
The wooden handle is however quite dry and has slightly contracted leaving slight 2mm gap between it and the metal shovel.

my question is can I use something to rehydrate [if that is the right term] the wooden handle. To try and bring it back somewhere near to its original condition.

would something like soaking it in baby oil work?

 

[mr dazzler]

Assuming you intend to use the tool in its normal fashion, my advice would be to remove the original handle and keep it safe to one side, then make a new one to the same pattern from air dried cleft ash. If its dry and brittle the original might well snap with use....

 

[andybysea]

What nationality is it? is it the brit two piece one? eg pick/shovel head,with seperate shaft? if so id replace the shaft i used one of these and the shaft was riddled with woodworm and broke quite quickly, easily replaced at a iron mongers/diy type shop, if its the german type with the the fixed shaft its a little harder also got one of these luckily the woodworks still okay but to remove it id need to cut through two steel pins with the heads mushroomed over.

 

[launditch1]

Some wartime entrenching shovels are worth a bit of money like the u.s. and u.k ones, come to think of it the german ones are too!Got a piccie?

 

[andybysea]

Hi launditch my ww2 brit shovel/pick was dated 1944 i sold(to a group member) it when i gave up reenacting,about 4yrs ago along with most of all my kit(boy do i wish id kept some of it now) the German one i still have is as said a German type, post war i think as it isnt Waffen stamped(eagle holding a swastika)as German wartime equipment was.
I can take a pick if you like, i now use if for either digging a poop pit, or (not anymore now have multi stove) used to throw dross on the coal fire with it.

pic added,

if you want a rare silly money entrenching tool try and get a B.E.F 39-40 straight handled entrenching tool basically a Brit one used in limited numbers before the fall of France very similar design to German one.

 

[Mike8472]

mines a russian one, fairly similar to the picture above (but I think all of them from this time period look pretty much the same)

 

[Rory McCanuck]

my question is can I use something to rehydrate [if that is the right term] the wooden handle. To try and bring it back somewhere near to its original condition.

would something like soaking it in baby oil work?

Soaking for a couple of days in a pail of automotive antifreeze will swell it back up. I have done this to a few old axe handles, and it tightens them right up. They don't seem to ever dry out again. Good luck.