What Army Shovels/E-Tools do you have for your kits?

[Bypah]

That's a copy of the new US Army e-tool which by the way is considered crappy amongst the troops. all because of they way it was designed.

[Wookard]

I would say that the Shovel modifications are about 75% done. Mostly fine sharpening and possibly adding a hanger with a leather string at the ball on the end of the handle. Do you guys think I should give it a stain on the top part of the handle near the blade and leave the 'grip' as is? As soon as the fine tooling is complete I will post some more pics!

I am doing this all by hand with just a few Steel Files, not even using a grinder. Doing it on a board on my lap with just my hands for holding, so it might not look perfect! When I am near completion I will finish it with my Arkansas Stones =)

Overhead shot with just the shovel blade flat out


I have it set standing on its own, with the blade and pick at a 90 degree angle. It looks like it would make one heck of a sundial!


Saw side which I am adding to the one edge. You can see the shiny section where I am just starting to add a sharp angle edge to it.


This is the 'machete' edge I was talking about. I just need to sharpen it a bit more, there is a definite angle to it and I tested it out on a board. Cut in about 1" with very little pressure!


My helper!

[Cracker]

That's a copy of the new US Army e-tool which by the way is considered crappy amongst the troops. all because of they way it was designed.

Copy? They use it for decades, the Dutch, and many other NATO countries aswell.
It's quite strong to be honest, but you have ones with a steel and with aluminium tubes. The aluminium ones tend to get broken. Both genuine military issue, but aluminium one is the old one I think. (1980s urge for lighter, rust preventive stuff)

With normal use you don't break them. Even not with hacking / using it as a pickaxe.
Some use it as a crowbar, that's one of the things it can't withstand, but neither can the wooden ones.

@ Wookard, not to be a pain in the ass, but that saw isn't going to work efficiently, it is a tool to "stab" roots with (the serrated part). For sawing you need to get rid of the saw dust. So you need something like |\|\|\|\ instead of /\/\/\/\.
For getting through roots it will be very effective though. I think that's also the main use of a shovelsaw. For thicker branches/roots you have your pocket knife with little saw.

[Stef]

Hi,
I had the French copy of the WWII US shovel, it was quite strong and efficient. I tried to switch to the new aluminium folding version but I was rather happy when the new one broke and I took back my good old shovel
I lost it whan I moved from Paris but when I see another one (not a cheap Chinese crap) I buy it!

[Cracker]

the magic words for that: marché brocante..
When you have to carry it all day long, trust me.. you want a folding one instead one with a wooden handle.

[Stef]

Yes, on a flea market certainly...
I HAD to carry it day long at my belt between 1982 and 1985 but I still like it

[housil]

That's a copy of the new US Army e-tool which by the way is considered crappy amongst the troops. all because of they way it was designed.

Copy? They use it for decades, the Dutch, and many other NATO countries aswell.

Bypah is right, the US had it before we - the Bundeswehr - got it.
It´s also right that folding tool isn´t *this* solid. I have it too and that nut that´s hold the blade in place will damage the thread real quick as it is just made from alu. This e-tool is nice to carry but not to dig in!

The older Klappspaten we had before, was much more solide:

That´s my personal favourit:

I "carry" it under my hood

[Cracker]

That's cheating..

I know the aluminium ones tend to get damaged faster. I don't know which ones are currently being issued. I think the aluminium one is the old one. I have both versions, but I "carry" the aluminium one, because of the weight.

The small size is crucial for me. If you have to move around, the small one is much more comfortable. It digs, and without mistreating it, I've never broke one. And I dug my fair share of holes... Especially in the rocky Eifel and Hürtgenwald area.

[Bypah]

That's a copy of the new US Army e-tool which by the way is considered crappy amongst the troops. all because of they way it was designed.

Copy? They use it for decades, the Dutch, and many other NATO countries aswell.

Bypah is right, the US had it before we - the Bundeswehr - got it.
It´s also right that folding tool isn´t *this* solid. I have it too and that nut that´s hold the blade in place will damage the thread real quick as it is just made from alu. This e-tool is nice to carry but not to dig in!

The older Klappspaten we had before, was much more solid.

Thank you Olli....
I have read reviews aboyt the foldable ones and are no favorable. Even troops on the field and frontlines don't like it because of the akwardness of folding and unfolding it. In a survival situation I rather have a either a russian or german spade rather than the new US Army "e-tool". Plenty of people prefer the first ones for their versatility in the field.
they are trying to go "back to the future" and bring etools similar to the german Klappspaten or a russian Saperka hybrid....
Like the infamous Spetsnaz spade.

[Bypah]

"SPADES AND MEN"
"Every infantryman in the Soviet Army carries with him a small spade. When he is given the order to halt he immediately lies flat and starts to dig a hole in the ground beside him. In three minutes he will have dug a little trench 15 centimetres deep, in which he can lie stretched out flat, so that bullets can whistle harmlessly over his head. The earth he has dug out forms a breastwork in front and at the side to act as an additional cover. If a tank drives over such a trench the soldier has a 50% chance that it will do him no harm. At any moment the soldier may be ordered to advance again and, shouting at the top of his voice, will rush ahead. If he is not ordered to advance, he digs in deeper and deeper. At first his trench can be used for firing in the lying position. Later it becomes a trench from which to fire in the kneeling position, and later still, when it is 110 centimetres deep,it can be used for firing in the standing position. The earth that has been dug out protects the soldier from bullets and fragments. He makes an embrasure in this breastwork into which he positions the barrel of his gun."

"In the absence of any further commands he continues to work on his trench. He camouflages it. He starts to dig a trench to connect with his comrades to the left of him. He always digs from right to left, and in a few hours the unit has a trench linking all the riflemen's trenches together. The unit's trenches are linked with the trenches of other units. Dug-outs are built and communication trenches are added at the rear. The trenches are made deeper, covered over, camouflaged and reinforced. Then, suddenly, the order to advance comes again. The soldier emerges, shouting and swearing as loudly as he can."

"The infantryman uses the same spade for digging graves for his fallen comrades. If he doesn't have an axe to hand he uses the spade to chop his bread when it is frozen hard as granite. He uses it as a paddle as he floats across wide rivers on a telegraph pole under enemy fire. And when he gets the order to halt, he again builds his impregnable fortress around himself."

"He knows how to dig the earth efficiently. He builds his fortress exactly as it should be. The spade is not just an instrument for digging: it can also be used for measuring. It is 50 centimetres long. Two spade lengths are a metre. The blade is 15 centimetres wide and 18 centimetres long. With these measurements in mind the soldier can measure anything he wishes."

"The infantry spade does not have a folding handle, and this is a very important feature. It has to be a single monolithic object. All three of its edges are as sharp as a knife. It is painted with a green matt paint so as not to reflect the strong sunlight."

"The spade is not only a tool and a measure. It is also a guarantee of the steadfastness of the infantry in the most difficult situations. If the infantry have a few hours to dig themselves in, it could take years to get them out of their holes and trenches, whatever modern weapons are used against them."
V.SUVOROV

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