I am looking to acquire a folding shovel. I know you can buy them cheap but they are not good quality and a false economy. My guess is that one of you lovely people has got a good quality one you might let go of. Thanks. Dale
Wanted. Folding shovel
- Thread starter demented dale
- Start date
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What do you want it for? Beyond Digging? or rather what type of digging .
There are the cheap type of ( lightweight ) folding delta type shovels , american styled E-tools which are , i feel , rather sub optimal.
There are also good WWII style heavier ( not a bad thing for digging ) longer levered Austrian and German style Entrenching tools.
Really depends on how much digging you envisage doing.
There are the cheap type of ( lightweight ) folding delta type shovels , american styled E-tools which are , i feel , rather sub optimal.
There are also good WWII style heavier ( not a bad thing for digging ) longer levered Austrian and German style Entrenching tools.
Really depends on how much digging you envisage doing.
I have the British Army (NATO) folding shovel in olive plastic hard case (Alice clip system) The quality of it is perfectly ok. You can pick them up online for around £23 plus postage. I paid £5 for mine at a military fair.
Back breaking for a lot digging though but useful for minor jobs. Still got a 58 pattern shovel for car travel and snow.
Have a few of the NATO folding shovels, ok for the jobs they were designed for.
multi purpose Tee Dee. Coal shovel for fire, chapati/ toast plate, Digging holes. I want a good quality one though. Theres tons on ebay. I had one and it just bent after a bit. The german ones look decent x
The German and Austrian ones are bomb proof ( pun unintended ) I purchased one of each to just look and study the locking mechanism. Its solid over engineering - but the cost is weight , the pro is longevity and endurance.
The American ones that fold in two places to create a Three sectioned tool - I'm not a fan of - they do pack down small but most seem to shake themselves loose and rather more importantly don't possess the function to use as a mattock ( as the Austrian and German ones do )
Its horses for courses I guess.
The American ones that fold in two places to create a Three sectioned tool - I'm not a fan of - they do pack down small but most seem to shake themselves loose and rather more importantly don't possess the function to use as a mattock ( as the Austrian and German ones do )
Its horses for courses I guess.
If you want the best:
Fiskars trifold E-tool
A fantastic folding E-tool. You might have seen these in use by the US Army under the Gerber brand. It is originally a Finnish Defence Forces model made by Fiskars and was later adopted by the US.
www.varusteleka.com
If it is good enough for Finnish armed forces it is good enough for you.
If you want the best:
Fiskars trifold E-tool
A fantastic folding E-tool. You might have seen these in use by the US Army under the Gerber brand. It is originally a Finnish Defence Forces model made by Fiskars and was later adopted by the US.
If it is good enough for Finnish armed forces it is good enough for you.
Mmm... that for £67
or this for £4? (OK, if you're lucky, but they often turn up for les than £20)
I had 3 types, a 1960s German Army - heavy, but great using in mattock mode. Bit finicky to lock and unlock at times but built like a tank. Wasn’t getting much use due to the weight.
bushcraftuk.com
A Glock lightweight plastic one with a root saw in the handle. Useful, but felt a little weak and bendy when levering soil out. Good latrine digger though.
https://gearfreak.uk/shop/175-diggi...978-glock---foldable-field-spade-with-jigsaw/
And the one I kept, a 1958 Swedish tool. It doesn’t fold small but the blade shape and longer handle make it practical car carry. A brilliant tool. There’s a tale somewhere about these being sharpened and used to fell and split wood for fire and shelter, they’re incredibly strong. I see Military 1st do a copy of these, but no idea what they’re like.
Sold - German Army Folding Shovel/Entrenching Tool
About the heaviest duty of the entrenching tools, this one is in what Endicotts describe as Grade 1. It’s a great shovel, but too heavy for backpacking. A good addition to the boot of any car or Landy though. £45 including PayPal and postage.
bushcraftuk.com
A Glock lightweight plastic one with a root saw in the handle. Useful, but felt a little weak and bendy when levering soil out. Good latrine digger though.
https://gearfreak.uk/shop/175-diggi...978-glock---foldable-field-spade-with-jigsaw/
And the one I kept, a 1958 Swedish tool. It doesn’t fold small but the blade shape and longer handle make it practical car carry. A brilliant tool. There’s a tale somewhere about these being sharpened and used to fell and split wood for fire and shelter, they’re incredibly strong. I see Military 1st do a copy of these, but no idea what they’re like.
Yeah, that’s the one, same as mine. Built like a tank, too heavy for pack carry but that weight comes in handy for hacking.
I use coal shovels daily and small spades for trapping, stumping and other hard use. Whilst distinctly prosaic, modern micro shovels are hard to beat
Roughneck Square Head Micro Shovel - Screwfix
Order online at Screwfix.com. Square head shovel ideal for use in confined spaces and for removing ballasts from delivery bags. Fibreglass D handle. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.
I use coal shovels daily and small spades for trapping, stumping and other hard use. Whilst distinctly prosaic, modern micro shovels are hard to beat
Roughneck Square Head Micro Shovel - Screwfix
Order online at Screwfix.com. Square head shovel ideal for use in confined spaces and for removing ballasts from delivery bags. Fibreglass D handle. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.www.screwfix.com
I also have one of these. Like Red says - also good and comes with a pointy one if you like them.
I use coal shovels daily and small spades for trapping, stumping and other hard use. Whilst distinctly prosaic, modern micro shovels are hard to beat
Roughneck Square Head Micro Shovel - Screwfix
Order online at Screwfix.com. Square head shovel ideal for use in confined spaces and for removing ballasts from delivery bags. Fibreglass D handle. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.
Agreed! (no soul though
)
I totally agree. I have the pointy version and use it for everything in the garden and camp. I bought it years ago for post hole digging. I plant everything except trees with it - often, one spit and it’s done. (I have a monstrous lurid Spear and Jackson for trees)
I’ve never fried anything on it.
It doesn’t fold.
No soul? - soul is what you put into it.
Downside - my three year old grandson thinks it’s his.
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