Shovel

[Tony]

sorry guys, your not going to convince me that a digging stick is a good substatute for a shovel.

He he :biggthump Not trying to mate. For some, in some situations it's good enough. Sometimes it's not appropriate and it's shovel all the way, but if you find yourself without a shovel, or if you're going into a digging stick friendly environment......I'd leave my nice little folding shovel at home.... :biggthump

 

[Gary]

Ahhh, but you can't bake bread on a digging stick! lol :rolmao:

(Oh blimey...now I'll get told I can bake bread on a wooden plater!!! I know, I saw the Roy Rodger's edition of Ray's show too! lol )

Yes you can Phil - you twist it around the handle!!

 

[leon-1]

I tend to use a digging stick, but as a little bit of information, if you are out in a short term camp (around a week) then the old british army shovel is a good bit of kit.

Latrines, the RAMC teach that the ideal size for the trench is the same depth as the blade and the handle, the same length as the blade and handle and has the same width as the blade of the shovel , then after you have used it you use some of the spoil from the hole to cover what you have just done

 

[R-Bowskill]

I sometimes use a 'Black Ada' foot assosted trowel, bit of a mouthful I know but a great bit of kit. Designed for metal detecting it's got a narrow curved blade so can be used as a shovel, but is small enough to get around tree roots or rocks like a digging stick.

I've had mine about 15 years and used it on everything from wet beach sand to hard baked clay and as a lever on mine dumps so short of solid granite or reinforced concrete it will make a hole in most surfaces. I've not tried cooking on it but expect I could do a small fry up on the blade if I wanted to.

:super:

 

[Stevie]

Ditto for me..... Mine is a genuin British Army one and I find them very strong...unlike the cheapy copies you get on Ebay etc...they are useless and break very easily!

I also take a small gardening trowel when out for a weekend to bury my....waste.

Is there much difference from the British Army and the German Army ones apart from price? :?: The German ones come up at about £20 including carriage and the Brit at £25. The pictures are the same except the German come with a case. I've also found what appears to be the Rolls Royce version ie the Gerber NATO/USMC approved folder at £40.

 

[bambodoggy]

Hey Steve.... I'm afraid I really don't know as I've never used a German one. However, my british one does have a solid grey/green plastic case it was issued with.

My Mum and Dad bought me a cheapy one when they went on a walking trip a few years ago (bless them )...it's still in it's bag all spanking new... I might take it to Ashdown at the end of the month along with my issue one and have a dig off....see which fails first....(sweep stake anyone?) lol I'll need a partner to dig against....any offers? ): They are identical in desigh...but not in build!!!! :rolmao:

I've not seen the Gerber one and for some reason I don't like the sound of it...I dont' know why and have nothing to base my feeling on, odd really as I do rate Gerber gear very highly, I have two of their axes and 3 or 4 of their knives and find them very good...and very good value.

Hope that helps....

Bambam.

 

[alick]

Wouldn't suffer the weight of carrying one if I was on foot but the best I've seen is the folding shovel made by glock (Austrian).

 

[Stevie]

Wouldn't suffer the weight of carrying one if I was on foot but the best I've seen is the folding shovel made by glock (Austrian).

I've seen the Glock but I prefer either a "T" or a "D" type handle rather than just the straight stick type, they give you more control. :?:

 

[Kirruth]

One trick with the British Army entrenching tool is to fold the blade half way up and use it as a pick axe. It also has a saw edge along the side, handy for shifting blocks of snow.
It's worth keeping in the car at least: it weighs about three pounds and folds up to about the size of a couple paperback books.

 

[innocent bystander]

I've got the dutch version of the folding jobbie with case. Surely they are all the same : NATO shovel ? And the Gerber looks pretty similar as well . I wonder who makes them all ...

 

[Great Pebble]

In terms of the difference between the Dutch/British/German tri-folders the differences are:- the carriers and the second group of digits in the stock number