How to make a sapper shovel with your own hands

Do-it-yourself shovel - dimensions, drawings and recommendations on how to make a shovel from scrap materials

A shovel is a fairly versatile tool. We use it when we work in our garden, when we remove snow from the local area, and we can’t do without it at a construction site. This simplest tool is still popular, despite the advent of many modern automated techniques.

This tool is not at all difficult to make yourself from simple and affordable materials.

How to make a shovel with your own hands? Let's look at several types of homemade tools.

General recommendations for making a shovel

So, despite the huge variety of shovels presented in stores, the requirements are the same for all tools.

If you follow them when making your own, you will get a convenient and practical device for removing snow.

So, if you look at the photo of a shovel made by yourself, you can note that:

In appearance, the shovel bucket is sufficiently rigid and durable so as not to break under load.
The depth of the scoop corresponds to the length of the handle. In addition, the bottom of the bucket should be ribbed so that it slides easily over the surface.
At the end of the handle there is a handle, which greatly facilitates the work of the tool. If you manage to match a rubberized handle to your shovel, it will be much more comfortable to work with and will not slip in your hand.
The height of the handle should be equal to the height of the person who will work with it.

Plastic shovel

This is a lightweight tool that is ideal for clearing snow from a small area

To make a snow shovel with your own hands, you can go in two ways:

Buy the plastic part of the tool in the store, and at home attach it to a handle that is suitable and convenient for you. This option is more reliable, as it is made of a suitable material, the rigidity of which is ensured by the presence of ribbed protrusions. The edge of the scoop is protected from damage by a metal strip.
Make your own plastic bucket.

If you decide to make a snow shovel entirely with your own hands, then use the instructions:

Choose a sheet of thick, durable, but at the same time, elastic plastic so that it does not break under the weight of snow at sub-zero air temperatures.

The suitability of the material is easy to check: slightly bend the workpiece and, if it is not broken or cracked, then the plastic is suitable for a shovel.

Draw a sketch of the future bucket on a piece of plastic. For ease of use, its size can be made 50 by 50 centimeters. Cut the workpiece using an electric jigsaw and sand the edges with sandpaper.

Next you need to attach the handle to the shovel scoop. This is done using metal strips and suitable fasteners. The handle should be located exactly in the center of the bucket.

For increased strength of the product, go around the front edge of the scoop with a metal sheet and secure with rivets.

Aluminum shovel

A metal shovel is, of course, stronger than a plastic one, but it is not always convenient to use, since it is heavy. The exception here is a tool made of aluminum.

This metal is lightweight and ideal for making a DIY cleaning shovel. Let's try to make an aluminum shovel ourselves:

The bucket for such a shovel must be made with sides. To do this, when you draw a drawing on aluminum, provide sides on the sides of the scoop and on the back, and the back side should be higher than the side ones, since the handle will pass through it.
Aluminum is easy to cut, so you can do without a jigsaw and use special metal scissors.
After the workpiece is cut, you need to bend the sides of the shovel. It is necessary to cut a hole in the rear side for the handle.
It is necessary to make a blank for the handle holder from an aluminum sheet and secure it in the center of the scoop with rivets.
All that remains is to attach the handle by passing it through the hole in the back wall of the bucket and securing it in the holder with a self-tapping screw.

After studying the materials in this article, you can easily make a convenient and practical tool, while spending a minimum amount of money.

It is worth noting that a simple, small shovel is only convenient for cleaning a small area. If your garden plot is spacious, then try making a shovel on wheels with your own hands.

Photos of shovels with your own hands

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How to make a sapper shovel with your own hands?

1 How to make a sapper shovel with your own hands?
2 Sapper shovel, large and small, USSR and Bundeswehr during the Second World War, forged, army and folding, used in battle as a weapon
3 How to make a sapper shovel with your own hands
4 We make a handle for a shovel according to the advice of professionals 4.1 We plant the handle correctly

5 DIY 3 in 1 folding shovel - Do it yourself

6 Sapper blade, large and small, BSL 110, made in the USSR, using a forged army blade as a weapon, how to use it in battle

It would seem that a shovel is an ordinary tool. A handle and a canvas - what could be simpler.

But if it is important for you to work with the earth quickly, conveniently and without putting in extra effort, you need to know a few important points. This will be especially useful if you decide to assemble or make a shovel with your own hands. Before you make homemade shovels for the garden, you should have a drawing and diagram in front of you.

The shovel can be folding, on wheels, bayonet, self-digging, collapsible, and so on. You should consider in detail what the stand should be like, whether a wall holder or a cover is needed.

The most common cuttings for shovels are birch and pine. You don’t even have to look for them, since they are available in any hardware store. Despite their similar appearance, the difference between these cuttings is significant.

A pine holder has two significant advantages: low price and light weight. Disadvantages: fragility and brittleness. Despite the fact that three quarters of our cuttings are made from pine, think about whether it’s worth saving on this. As a last resort, buy two at once - keep one in stock.

Birch cuttings are much stronger than pine ones and will last longer. However, a significant disadvantage of such a cutting is that it is much heavier. It is worth noting that the heavy weight of a shovel is not always its disadvantage. If you're chopping roots, digging a hole under a fence post, or working in very rocky ground, a heavy shovel will double your effort. But when digging beds, a light one is preferable - with a heavy one you will get tired faster.

Oak and ash are also used for making cuttings. Cuttings from these types of wood are not so common, but they are superior in quality to pine and birch. The best option is ash.

The handle from it is light and very durable. Oak cuttings also have good strength, but they are heavy, so they are suitable for shovels that are designed for “impact” work.

Oak and ash cuttings are 3–4 times more expensive than pine cuttings.

Recently, pipes made of modern and high-strength metal alloys have also been used as cuttings. It can be anodized aluminum or titanium. The advantage of such cuttings is that they do not rust, are light in weight and have a large margin of safety. But they are not cheap either.

Important! The best option for an ordinary gardener is a universal shovel with a birch handle. Its cost is quite reasonable, and the shovel will have a significant margin of safety.

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Manufacturers offer more than 20 options for shovels made from various metal alloys. Let's look at the most common ones.

The bulk of shovels used by gardeners and builders are made of rail steel. The blade of such a shovel is very durable; under heavy loads it “springs” well, taking its original shape. It is easy to sharpen and quite resistant to corrosion.

Titanium fabric does not have such flexibility. Despite its high strength, it is quite fragile. It may break under heavy load or strong impact. The ideal option for use is digging beds. The light weight of the shovel will give you pleasure in this not very pleasant and tedious work. Please note that a shovel made from such an alloy is not cheap.

Recently, many summer residents have had “stainless steel” in their assortment of garden tools. A stainless steel shovel is lightweight, lumps of earth hardly stick to it, and it is completely non-corrosive. But there are also disadvantages: the canvas is not as strong as titanium or made of rail steel. It will be convenient for digging beds on soft and airy soil. When working with hard soil it will bend.

Important! A shovel made of rail steel is a universal option for a gardener. But if you need to dig up beds on light and loose soil, then a stainless steel shovel is best suited for this job.

The handle and the canvas are not yet a shovel. After purchasing these elements, you have to take its assembly seriously. It involves several steps.

First of all, you need to dry the cuttings well. Usually, holders are delivered to stores from the manufacturer damp, and in the spring season it happens that they do not always have time to dry well in the store. Therefore, it is better to place the cutting outside under a canopy for several weeks. This time is enough for it to dry well.

The next stage is sharpening the handle. It is necessary to remove a layer of wood at a certain angle. For rough processing, you can use a sharp ax, but do not overdo it. Next, the wood is processed with a grinder using a special wood sanding attachment. The final adjustment is made with coarse sandpaper. The holder must fit very tightly into the landing tube of the shovel blade.

Before proceeding to the final stage - attaching a shovel to the handle, it needs to be painted. Very often gardeners neglect this, but in vain. An unpainted cutting will get wet in the rain, absorb moisture and become twice as heavy. In addition, such a cutting will last much less. For painting, use a simple stain. It is inexpensive and can be found in any hardware store. It should be applied to the wood with a paint brush in two layers. After this, let it sit for 12 hours and varnish. Leave to dry for 12 hours.

Stuffing a cutting is a simple matter, but it is worth taking into account the following subtleties:

it is very important that the handle completely fills the chamfer (recess) of the blade, which will give the shovel an additional margin of strength, otherwise the shovel will bend even with a small force;
Before inserting the cutting into the planting place, it is advisable to moisten its treated end with hot resin, which will protect the tree located in the planting tube from moisture and rotting, and the planting will be stronger;
insert the holder into the planting tube of the blade and, turning the shovel upside down, tap the end of the handle on a hard surface;
if you are convinced that the wood has completely occupied the planting chamfer, you can fasten the blade to the handle - for this there are two holes in the planting tube; Here it is safer to use screws rather than nails.

If you want a lightweight shovel with a durable and super-light handle, then pay attention to an aluminum pipe coated with a factory anode. The diameter of the pipe should be 3.5–4 centimeters, while the thickness of its wall should be at least 3–4 millimeters.

At the base, they will cut the pipe to the length you request. Typically, the length of a shovel handle for a person of average height is one and a half meters. The planting tube of the shovel for such a cutting should be several millimeters larger and preferably cone-shaped.

If the metal stalk still dangles a little in the planting tube, then in this case you need to use a seal.

This can be a piece of roofing material soaked in hot bitumen, or a regular bandage soaked in epoxy resin. After inserting the cutting into the planting tube of the shovel blade, it must be secured well. Unlike fastening a wooden handle, screws are not enough here.

Reliable fastening can be provided by bolts with a diameter of 5–6 millimeters. In two places of the landing tube, two holes of suitable diameter are drilled with an electric drill at a distance of 10–12 centimeters from each other. The planting tube of the shovel is drilled through along with the aluminum handle installed in it.

After this, insert the bolts with washers into the holes and tighten the nuts.

Shovels and plastic cuttings are attached to the canvas in a similar way. To give the ideal shape for the cone-shaped landing tubes, it is recommended to heat the plastic with a hairdryer or gas burner.

Shovels with aluminum or plastic holders are very light and durable. However, they must be handled very carefully - such holders are afraid of impacts.

A slight deformation in the center of the handle will cause it to bend (plastic - break) and it will no longer be possible to restore it.

The final touch to assembling a shovel yourself is the handle on the top of the handle. Its main function is to prevent the shovel from rotating in your hands.

This is a completely optional part of the shovel, but it greatly simplifies the work process, especially if you have to deal with clay or hard soil. These pens are available in a variety of materials and shapes. You will find a suitable option at any hardware store. The handle is attached to the handle with ordinary screws.

How to make a shovel with your own hands, see the video below.

How to make a miracle shovel (ripper)

There is a lot of work in the garden, but the most exhausting work is digging up the soil, cultivating it and removing weeds. They start digging ahead of time, in small sections, since the load is too great.

The miracle shovel will help reduce the complexity significantly and at the same time speed up the process at least twice. This relatively inexpensive and uncomplicated device really works, even on difficult soils.

What is different and what can

To be precise, this is not a shovel, but a ripper, since it not only digs, but also breaks clods. The miracle shovel consists of two (sometimes one) slats with pins movably connected. Some models also have a back stop - for easier digging of dense, heavy soil. So in reality it looks more like double pitchforks (see photo below).

Miracle shovel and its components

From the picture it is clear that this tool does not have a shovel as such, but the differences from the classic bayonet shovel do not end there. It also has a much higher handle - it should reach your shoulder. It is also convenient if there is a crossbar at the top - you can operate it with both hands.

The miracle shovel performs three operations at once:

loosens the soil;
breaks clods;
“extracts” the roots of weeds without tearing or cutting them (in any case, damaging them much less);
Digs root vegetables easily - you can dig carrots, potatoes, etc.

But its main advantage is that it greatly facilitates digging the earth, and the main load falls not on the back, as when using a conventional bayonet shovel, but on the legs (driving the working forks into the ground) and on the hands (turning the forks out of the ground). During work, the back is in a vertical position and is almost not loaded.

Another version of the miracle shovel

The only downside to this tool is the weight. It is really much larger than the bayonet one. But the super shovel can be rearranged; there is no need to lift it. Or rather, it is raised only a few times: when it is placed on the ground at the beginning of the row. Then, by pulling the handle, it is simply tightened a little.

History of military life: sapper shovel - Military Blog

The need for a special tool for the construction of various types of defensive fortifications arose in the army around the second half of the 19th century. It was then that the era of the so-called “trench” wars began. Over the years, the mining shovel has undergone several upgrades, making this tool suitable for both digging and close combat.

How did the sapper shovel appear?

The first appearance of a shovel for sappers and infantry was recorded in 1869. The invention of this instrument belongs to the Danish infantry captain Linnemann. As a military man, he himself experienced the inconvenience of a standard shovel when he had to dig in under enemy fire. The captain received a patent for his invention and began to promote it to the Danish army.

Sapper shovel, large and small, USSR and Bundeswehr during the Second World War, forged, army and folding, used in battle as a weapon

In recent decades, a folding sapper blade has appeared, which has advantages due to its compact size, but its working and combat qualities are significantly inferior to the classic army model.

When did MSL begin to be used in combat?

The first use of an entrenching tool in combat was recorded during the war between Russia and Turkey, although these cases were sporadic. Larger use of the engineer's shovel began during the First World War.

This is due to the fact that soldiers of the opposing sides constantly had to dig kilometers of trenches. E.M. Remarque was one of the first to describe the action of MSL in battle.

According to the famous writer, many soldiers went on the attack armed with grenades and a spatula.

Indeed, the wounds inflicted by an entrenching tool specially sharpened for this purpose were terrible. They could not only work like a bayonet, but also chop like an ax. Unlike the axe, it was lighter, which increased the speed several times. One blow with a shovel, delivered by the hand of a soldier experienced in trench fighting, was fatal.

Types and purposes of automobile shovels

Of course, you can carry an ordinary garden shovel in the trunk, but it’s still better to buy one that will meet all the necessary requirements.

Design Features

A typical shovel for a car is approximately 80 cm long (when unfolded). At the same time, the length of the handle is 60 cm, so that it is comfortable to hold. Sometimes, for convenience, it is equipped with a handle.

Shovels for the machine can be of various designs: folding, telescopic, collapsible. To clear snow drifts, shovels have a kind of indentation on the bayonet, and for digging soil and clay there must be a pointed end.

Production materials

Most often, shovels with a steel blade are used. But they also exist with installed titanium analogues. They are lighter than others. But the easiest material for making such shovels is plastic. Today's technologies make it possible to create them so strong that they can be used for any areas of the ground near cars. Metal cuttings, as a rule, are thinner than wooden ones.

Tips for choosing a car shovel

When buying a shovel for a car, you should keep in mind for what purposes and under what conditions it will be used. Before purchasing, decide not only what it will be called, but also what functions it is intended to perform. .

What is a shovel for in a car?

How much a copy will cost, of course, largely depends on the brand of the manufacturer. Not everyone is ready to buy such tools from popular companies (Fiskars, Supreme, etc.).

Sand shovel

Digging through sand is much more difficult than digging through snow. However, this makes digging out the car much easier. When digging out of sand, you should capture a larger part and make gentler slopes, since sand tends to crumble. After the car is able to leave, you will have to level out the drive, since starting to move, starting off on a loose slope, you can again find yourself in an ambush.

For dense soil

Without the skills to dig hard soils, you will have to tinker with such a task. Before leaving the rut, it is worth digging high sides, over which, for example, a Skoda car will not be able to jump. They are removed by about 3 m to provide the machine with room to maneuver. Sometimes 5 minutes is enough to cope with such excavation work.

If the car gets into a viscous puddle, in order to drain it, you need to choose a digging spot for the hole in the direction of a natural depression.

Small sapper shovel

A sapper shovel for an SUV will help out in many unforeseen cases that arise on the roads. Its small size allows you to free up trunk space for other useful items. But it is not very convenient to use; for example, it is very difficult to dig out a car from under the snow.

Important! In Russian conditions, a sapper shovel should only be available as additional equipment.

Shovel

It is convenient for shoveling snow from under the car. Also used for cleaning dry sand. The length of the handle of such a tool should be standard. A short one is only suitable for cyclists and participants in desert rallies. It is almost impossible to cope with hard ground.

Bayonet

This shovel can dig almost any soil. She can even break ice. When choosing this type of weapon, you need, first of all, to pay attention to its strength. A shovel made of thin material may bend and burst under load.

Garden scoop

It combines the positive characteristics of a conventional bayonet and shovel shovels. But this variety has a straight bayonet, which creates inconvenience if you have to rake out loosened soil.

If the choice fell on a bayonet, then it is worth looking for one in which it is desirable to have a slight bend forward relative to the handle.

It is also better to choose one with a metal, slightly curved handle, which will add strength to it.

Folding car shovel

When choosing a shovel for your car, you should pay attention to its size. Ideally, the handle of the shovel should reach the elbow when the arm is lowered.

But, if it does not fit in the trunk, then you should choose the longest one that will fit across the luggage compartment. In addition, you can buy a shovel with a telescopic handle.

But remember that such a small shovel can fail at the most inconvenient moment.

Which one is better to choose for the winter?

Often the need for a shovel arises in winter, when it becomes necessary to free the car from snow drifts that occur on roads outside the city, as well as when leaving the yard if snow removal equipment has previously passed along the main road.

Note! A car caught in a snowdrift has to free the entire lower part so that only the wheels touch the ground. Before this, the snow next to the car is cleared. Only after this the car will be able to leave on its own.

Despite the enormous amount of work involved, digging a car out of the snow with a shovel is the easiest way. Today, the Supreme shovel, produced by a New York brand, is considered popular for these purposes.

Sometimes when driving on unclean roads, a pile of sticky snow forms in front of the car, over which the car literally jumps, and the snow sticks to the front bumper. Therefore, in order to prevent this from happening, you have to periodically get rid of the snow bank that has formed under the hood.

You can have a regular shovel that street cleaners use. The lightweight bucket will help you quickly handle large amounts of snow with minimal effort.

It is not difficult to remove compacted snow from under the car, but only from the edges. But it is impossible to reach all areas with it (this does not apply to a jeep).

Therefore, it should only be taken in conjunction with a smaller, but at the same time durable tool, such as the Supreme shovel.

DIY folding shovel

Multifunctional shovel

If a shovel breaks and you need to urgently take action, you can make a folding shovel for your car yourself from scrap materials in an hour.

For example, it can be made from a piece of plywood sheet. With the help of such a tool you can easily cope with a snow drift. For this you will need:

plywood (50x40 cm);
block of wood (40×7 cm);
small fragments of sheet metal (tin, galvanized metal, etc. will do);
handle;
self-tapping screws

The first step is to prepare the block. A hole is made in it to place the cutting there. You should not make a hole larger than the diameter of the handle, as you need the fit to be strong.

After this, the plywood bucket is attached to the block using self-tapping screws. To make the connection of the parts more durable, strips of metal sheet are placed on both sides of the plywood.

How to make a shovel for a cop with your own hands?

Making a high-quality shovel for digging with your own hands is very simple. The photo shows such a simple homemade shovel for a cop, which is made from an ordinary bayonet shovel. It is better to use a Soviet-made tool as a workpiece, because it is presumably made of higher quality steel than modern tools sold in hardware stores.

Homemade shovel for a cop

Using a grinder, we give the shovel the desired shape, attach the handle, sharpen it and, if desired, make a cover. The shovel bayonet in the photo was originally longer, but it broke right behind the stiffening rib, so it had to be shortened, which had almost no effect on convenience.

The narrower lower part of the bayonet allows you to dig with less effort and high accuracy, and the wide upper part allows you to press comfortably with your foot. The shovel handle should be selected based on your height and ease of transportation. In my case (height 182 cm), its optimal length is about a meter.

Among the disadvantages of the shovel in the photo, one can highlight, perhaps, a protruding stiffening rib located near the cutting edge, which is why the tool may not be very willing to bite into the ground.

MSL device (MPL)

MSL (MPL) is still in service with the Russian army. Its design is known to everyone and consists of:

Steel blade or bayonet;
Wooden cuttings.

Due to the fact that a small sapper (infantry) shovel sometimes has to be used as a weapon, forged steel with hardening is used to make its bayonet. A wooden handle is usually made from hardwood and is not painted.

The end of the handle ends with a thickening in the form of a ball or “mushroom”, which protects the tool from slipping out of the hand.

Stocks of shovels in military warehouses are coated with a special preservative lubricant to avoid rust (the carbon steel of the shovel bayonet quickly rusts in high humidity).

To better hold the cutting, it is sometimes sanded and singed over a fire. There are folding models of shovels (for example, the Bundeswehr engineer shovel), but they do not have structural integrity, which leads to a significant decrease in labor productivity.

Different models of sapper shovels have different bayonet shapes:

Pentagonal (like MSL (MPL) 50);
Quadrangular;
Oval (quite rare).

MPL 50 has a bayonet width of 15 centimeters and a length of 18 cm, with a steel thickness of 3-4 millimeters.

The two edges that are involved in digging must be sharpened, and the sharpness depends on the type of soil being dug. The side edges are often also sharpened, which helps when cutting roots.

There were blades where one of the side faces was sharpened in the shape of a saw, which turned out to be inconvenient and ineffective in practice.

If the MPL is equipped with a lanyard to prevent the blade from being lost in battle, and all its edges are sharpened, then it is used primarily in hand-to-hand combat. Such a shovel is easy to throw, and it will chop no worse than a light hatchet.

To carry a small infantry shoulder blade, a standard canvas cover is used, which can be attached to elements of a soldier’s equipment. Sometimes the case is equipped with a special pocket in which an anti-fragmentation element is placed, used as armor.

Friends, on the topic of a recently posted publication dedicated to a knife-shovel-machete, I became interested in ordinary sapper shovels. It can even be not very foldable, but it skillfully performs its main function: to be lighter than an ordinary shovel, to be more compact, to be as reliable as possible and easy to use and transport. This is exactly how and only this way I see for myself the standard of a sapper folding shovel. Those who agree will support. Those who don’t will deny it. That's why I'm writing here, in fact. Let's go... So, we came to the market with the goal of purchasing MPL. Why we need it, everyone decides for themselves. For me personally, to dig a hole. In the forest. This is my hobby. However, how to properly dig sand in the forest will be in the next posts, but now let’s return to the market. Today in St. Petersburg the choice of blades is quite large, but somewhat monotonous in the assortment. Scanning of “Junon”, “Udelnye”, military equipment stores and iron collapses showed that, from time to time, the following types of blades emerge in different places.

Domestic blades. Usually sold without covers.

Rectangular blades on five rivets with a ferrule.
As a rule, these are the blades of the First World War, 1914-16, but, with special luck, you may be lucky enough to harpoon an 1890 one. They are in good condition, they clearly show the manufacturer's marks: K.Sh., CHAUDUAR, GRIEVZ, etc., the year of manufacture, and the military acceptance mark: the letter D in a circle, or another letter. Sometimes, you can see Imperial eagles.

Surprisingly good quality and strong, considering that they are over 90 years old.

A quadrangular blade made in 1915 with the mark “CHAUDOIR” and two imperial eagles.

The eagles are located on the same line with the “CHAUDOAR” brand

A quadrangular blade made in 1915 with the mark “GRIEVZ” and the imperial eagle.

Military acceptance mark, letter “C” in a polyhedron.

The imperial eagle is drawn more clearly and beautifully than on the “CHAUDOIR” shovels.

Pentagonal blades on five rivets with a ferrule. Production 1916-40.

The degree of preservation is completely different. But, even if the blade is covered with an even layer of rust, its quality remains quite at the level. You can also see the year of manufacture and the factory mark on them: P.K.A, KOMINTERN, etc.

Pentagonal blade with the COMINTERN stamp, 1940.

Pentagonal blade with the mark P.K.A. 1916.

More details about the P.K.A. blade

Pentagonal blades, produced in the 1940s - 80s, with a rivet and two fixing screws.

The blade is usually stamped with the year and the factory mark: NShZ, GMZ, OMZ, V.Z.T, etc. The quality is very different, from the absolute “G” for steel to an absolutely stunning bayonet. It is necessary to look at each specific case, because even blades of the same year, with the same mark, can be strikingly different. What caused this, I don’t know. I think it has to do with the planned economy. By the end of the year, in order to issue a plan, the plant could push the quantity without particularly maintaining the technology. Or he simply bent the bayonet of a shovel made of shitty steel. However, during the war, when the front demanded products, and boys stood behind the machines, this is not surprising.

Although, the blades from 1941-45 are, for the most part, good.

By the way, the well-known NShZ blade model 42 years old has acquired a very interesting appearance. In the post-war years, a batch of shovels with a modified bayonet was produced. In the picture is an NShZ blade made in 1952. There is a characteristic indentation on the bayonet...

... and the tulle is made with two rivets instead of one.

Remake. Pentagonal blades on one bolt on top, three Christmas trees produced in 1989 and later, etc.

We don’t even consider all this, especially the shovels with the “three fir trees” mark, 1989 and later, because it’s clearly guano.

I personally have not come across other types (folding, shovel-scoop, mortar shovel, etc.).

How to choose a domestic shovel.

If you choose a spatula for training, you can take any one. During operation, you won’t mind hitting them against each other. They broke it and threw it away. Anything will do for this. But, on the farm, it’s better to have a reliable thing that you won’t be ashamed to pass on to your son and grandson, muttering about what kind of an eagle their grandfather was. So that young people would shake their heads in envy and mutter: “The ancestors knew how to do it... they knew how to do it!..”

So, we have the following devices:

First of all, we pay attention to the general condition of the shovel. The market offers this:

We don't take this. The shovel has a very long shelf life. It was lying in the warehouses of some goofy ensign. The bayonet is not treated with bitumen varnish and is rusty. The cutting is old and withered. When used with a bayonet, nothing will happen, and the handle may crumble from a blow.

For a riveted shovel, pay attention to the handle near the ferrule. Age is showing, and there may be cracks and chips in this area. Definitely needs to be sealed. Otherwise, it is difficult to predict exactly how the chip will go at the moment the blade hits the tree with a strong throw.

This is common with almost all old ferrule blades. I think the cracks appeared during the factory riveting process, and time has taken its toll. Then, we do a general inspection of the cutting so that it is free of deep cracks.

For a pentagonal shovel, we pay attention to the fact that these are screws and not nails.

Then you should remove the original screws, they are short, about 10 mm, and install modern ones, larger and longer.

Pay attention to the rivet.

Some manufacturers use welding instead of rivets. If you cooked it directly on the handle, you could burn the wood, which is not good.

And finally, the bayonet. Examine the bayonet. Are there any nicks on the edges, dents, etc. Sometimes you come across shovels with bullet holes - some soldier is unlucky. But, as a rule, these are shovels dug from the ground.

When struck, the shovel bayonet should sound long and drawn out. Steel does not sound on riveted shovels and this is normal. But on shovels with fixing screws, good sound is a must. If the bayonet rattles (for example, shovels from 1989, three Christmas trees), then immediately move to the side. Sometimes, in order to hear a long, drawn-out sound, you need to tighten the fixing screws. If the bayonet dangles on the handle, it is not “musical”. The presence of rust and paint also plays a role. It happens that you buy a shovel that seems so-so, but once you clean it, peel it off the varnish, tighten the screws, and lo and behold, it starts playing.

Covers.

The covers are varied. The main cases that are offered now are:

Modern tarpaulin rectangular (universal).

Front side of the case

Reverse side of the case

Rectangular leather case (frame).

The front side - I mean that on the belt the paddle is positioned so that the lock is always outward, then you can unfasten it and take out the MPL without removing the cover from the waist belt.

Pentagonal case (frame).

This side of the shoulder blade is carried towards the body. By the way, because of its regular position, the MPL had the nickname “I’m with you”, because when running it hit the soldier’s legs. Therefore, on the march, infantrymen often wear their shoulder blades under their belt. Then it does not hit while running and walking, and paratroopers sometimes attach the shoulder blade with the handle up, under the taxiway or on its strap.

This side is outward.

Covers are sometimes marked. I suspect that the number 26 is the year of manufacture.

Rectangular covers are universal. A pentagonal blade can be successfully placed in it. On the contrary... of course, you can stuff it in, but it will look bad.

On the one side

On the other side

You can read more about covers here.

Regarding domestic blades, that’s all, briefly.

Foreign blades.

As a rule, they are sold with covers.

Rectangular blade with five rivets with a leather cover, made in Switzerland, WWII period.

This shovel is slightly longer than the domestic one, approximately 30 mm

The blades are usually of very good quality, with a ribbed handle.

The case is made of fine leather, sewn with harsh thread. There is a stamp class=”aligncenter” width=”500″ height=”289″[/img]

Other side

Manufacturer's mark and year of manufacture.

Rectangular blade with five rivets with a leather cover, Germany, period of the First – Second World Wars.

German awkward blades remained practically unchanged in the First and Second World Wars. They differ from Russian shoulder blades in having a thinner and longer handle. Personally, for my small brush, it is more convenient and grippy. The blade and sheath bear the marks of the manufacturer and the year of manufacture. In general, the blades are decent, but sellers charge absolutely unimaginable prices for them, arguing that they are a rarity. I don’t know, but it seems to me that 2,500 rubles for a shovel is too much. However, this, as they say, is not for everybody. (by the way, the right shoulder blade, on which there is a brass nail, seems to be not German, but Swiss)

Photo from the site.

Folding pentagonal blade of the Bundeswehr 60s. The leather case is of excellent quality, with two straps for securing the bayonet. (corrected after clarification)

Its features include the fact that the blade is equipped with an additional folding “fang”, which allows you to turn it into a small pickaxe. The idea would have been good, but the presence of a hinge, which, over time, always breaks and plays, brought it to naught. Another disadvantage is that it is quite heavy. If you really want to buy this shovel and put it in the car, then, of course, it’s your choice, but I wouldn’t.

Folding German shovels from the Second World War.

Often sold with the original case.

Photo from the site.

I didn't use them. In my presence, a man bought such a blade and, with great difficulty, turned a jammed hinge. Some of my friends used it and praised it, but I don’t like folding things.

Who is interested in a more complete description of German shovels, types of marks, etc. here is the link.

Folding paddles USA. The “original” canvas cover has a folding flap at the top and a hole for the handle at the bottom.

They are very reminiscent of the described folding German spatulas. With all the advantages and disadvantages of this design.

This time - that's it. I hope that my advice will help you choose the right device that will last for a long time, delighting its owners.

Enjoy the shopping!

Best regards, Your sir zhab. And the article was taken from here. It’s an interesting work, so let’s mentally thank the author.