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
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 - Varusteleka.fi
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 Fisk
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 - Varusteleka.fi
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 Fisk
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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