Crovel

[MicroBalrog]

CROVEL CHINESE E TOOL BEATDOWN: http://youtu.be/NKCW2sknswc

Granted mates, it's a different model, but a cool demo nonetheless. (FYI - first e-tools were American. Look at the wiki history...)

Wiki is a bit wrong, or rather, just omitting a major inventor in this field. A Danish army captain patented what was effectively a modern entrenching tool in 1869 (he was actually promoted to Captain two years earlier, for submitting his invention to the Danish army).



Here's a drawing of the Linnemann spade.

Of course this is all silly because the Roman legions already had some sort of a proto-entrenching tool...

[vaskidmark]

That "beatdown" sure did not look like it was against THE Chinese military shovel.  The videos of the guy using the crovel vs, the folks using the Chinese one made me think the Chinese one would be the one to go with - more features/functions if nothing else.  And I still want to see someone digging a foxhole with the crovel.

The crovel may be a wondermously fine short-handled shovel but for essentially one feature I keep coming up with http://www.redwoods.edu/instruct/agarwin/big_rock_candy_mountain.htm this argument against them.  At least the Chinese one lets me do other stuff with it.

stay safe.

[brimic]

Why not just get a Cold Steel shovel because its what real ninjas and fat guys operators use to cut ropes, bricks, and blocks of ice?
http://www.coldsteel.com/spshovel.html

[MicroBalrog]

Why not just get a Cold Steel shovel because its what real ninjas and fat guys operators use to cut ropes, bricks, and blocks of ice?
http://www.coldsteel.com/spshovel.html

Why not, indeed? I for one recommend that recourse to all.

[brimic]

Because you can get a more better shovel for cheaper. http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Detail.aspx?pid=718880&filter=718880

[Boomhauer]

And here I am just using a standard shovel...when I absolutely have to. I hate shovels. Like pimping, digging ain't easy, especially in the hard clay down here...

[Perd Hapley]

And here I am just using a standard shovel...when I absolutely have to. I hate shovels. Like pimping, digging ain't easy, especially in the hard clay down here...

Words. I've had a Cold Steel shovel for several years. It may not be the best e-tool in all the universe, but I don't see any defects in it. It's just a miniature shovel, after all. I prefer the simplicity and (presumably) lighter weight of that design, over the folding ones.

[MicroBalrog]

Consider me a conservative in this issue, but I am firmly a believer in the notion that unless you have no place to put it, a fixed-blade e-tool is better than a folding one. That's one less set of screws for dirt to get into, to get stuck, etc. et, and is easier to dig with too. And of course quicker to deploy.

[kgbsquirrel]

Consider me a conservative in this issue, but I am firmly a believer in the notion that unless you have no place to put it, a fixed-blade e-tool is better than a folding one. That's one less set of screws for dirt to get into, to get stuck, etc. et, and is easier to dig with too. And of course quicker to deploy.

+1. Fixed spade for the win. Reminds me, I've been meaning to acquire a hooligan tool for a while. 

[Boomhauer]

+1. Fixed spade for the win. Reminds me, I've been meaning to acquire a hooligan tool for a while. 

What the heck is a "hooligan" tool?

[Perd Hapley]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halligan_bar

[Boomhauer]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halligan_bar

Calling a Halligan bar a "hooligan bar" is like calling a magazine a clip.

[Balog]

Calling a Halligan bar a "hooligan bar" is like calling a magazine a clip.

In that it's something internet pedants with too much time on their hands whine about?

[AJ Dual]

Hooligan Bar

[kgbsquirrel]

Calling a Halligan bar a "hooligan bar" is like calling a magazine a clip.

As someone who has actually had cause to use one, I can officially say bugger off! In a polite and courteous way of course.

Also I think I actually found an original use for it. The debris screen on one of our submerged electrical pump was jammed. The Halligan tool disagreed.

[Harold Tuttle]

http://www.deadonstore.com/tools/an14.htm

[AJ Dual]

Stanley Fat Max Fubar is another good choice.

[Perd Hapley]

Only on APS would there be an exchange of unkind words, about a piece of metal that firefighters use to break stuff. I bet surlyfiremenforum.org does not even do that.

[kgbsquirrel]

Navy firefightin' is serious business! 

[Harold Tuttle]

http://www.chiefsupply.com/2424-Paratech-Hooligan-Bar.aspx

Not a small tool

[Boomhauer]

http://www.chiefsupply.com/2424-Paratech-Hooligan-Bar.aspx

Not a small tool

The Halligan isn't small but you won't find more versatile. It's sized well, it's not humongous but it's big enough to do what needs to be done.

We've been modifying Fubars and trying out the Dead On tools for personal tools but nothing IMHO beats an irons set for much of your forcible entry work...the Halligan was specially designed to be efficient and versatile yet elegantly simple.

Only on APS would there be an exchange of unkind words, about a piece of metal that firefighters use to break stuff. I bet surlyfiremenforum.org does not even do that.

I'm a member of a firefighting forum and they are quite rude about everything over there. Makes the worst of APS look like nothing, believe me.

[kgbsquirrel]

The one I used on the Iwo Jima was more like the one pictured earlier by Avenger...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halligan_bar

Nicely sized, good heft. Not nearly as onerous as the one pictured by HT.

[Boomhauer]

I didn't post one but there is a good example of a typical one at the wiki link posted by fistful. The pic posted by HT just looks odd.

Normal Halligan bars.




Best to stick with the classics. I don't like the Blackhawk versions.