All right, non Chevy related, whats a good shovel to stuff in my truck?

[WantedaDodge]

So, I am wanting to buy a good shovel to throw in the back of my Blazer to accompany my 60 inch hi lift and Razorback 3.5 lb axe.

I want something a little more compact, does anyone use the style shovel with a D handle at the end of it? I plan on going with a glass handle cause I've had to many wood handled shovels bust on me.

 

[lak2004]

I like a metal grain shovel, works good for scooping snow.

 

[BulldogK5]

I carry a stainless steel Nursery Spade with a slightly curved edge. Great for digging, cutting through roots, large enough blade to transfer a lot of material. The pitch is not as steep as a standard round point so they are less useful in cleaning out the bottom of a hole but will get that hole broken up 10x faster than any other shovel. Of course this is what I use every day so I am used to it. Add a piece of rebar to the foot step for extra weight if working in heavy clay or a lot of roots. Look for one with a solid shank instead of a formed one for strength.

 

[Drey]

I have always carried an alum grain scoop shovel in the winter, and im lookin at adding a trenchers spade also to break up the frozen stuff when I get hung up better

 

[TexasBlazerBoy]

I cut the end off an old wooden one to make it more compact.

 

[K-5 Bomber]

That's actually a good question. I've been carrying an e-tool (latrine duties ) and a standard issue Ace Hardware bullnose 'cause the Forest Service will kick me in the throat if I don't have one while I'm cutting firewood. Where I live (Lassen County) is in my opinion, the rockiest place on the face of the earth, this side of Afghanastan. My question to pose is this: What's a good shovel to deal with that?

 

[hunterguy86]

I carry an entrenching tool as well. I've used it to dig others out of mud and sand before. It works pretty good and is very compact.

 

[Tominator II]

Since if someone throws away a brokehandled shovel I keep it, the shovel I keep in my Jimmy is a short roundnose shovel that I rounded off the broken end of the handle. I keep it and a roll of toilet paper in my rig for the same duty. I don't need it for much else.

That's actually a good question. I've been carrying an e-tool (latrine duties ) and a standard issue Ace Hardware bullnose 'cause the Forest Service will kick me in the throat if I don't have one while I'm cutting firewood. Where I live (Lassen County) is in my opinion, the rockiest place on the face of the earth, this side of Afghanastan. My question to pose is this: What's a good shovel to deal with that?

A three foot wrecker bar in addition to a shovel works well for digging in rocky soil.

 

[diesel4me]

It depends on what your doing!..

What type of jobs will the shovel be doing?..moving snow or mud from your wheels,or digging shallow graves??.. ...

One thing for sure,don't waste money on one of those cheesy fold up "military" shovels,the civillian copies of them suck--the locking collar on mine was aluminum,and broke in two the first time I was a bit hard on it,and the wood handle was pretty wimpy too..a total waste of 15 bucks!.. I welded it in the 90 degree position and only use it to clean ashes from my wood stove now..

I took an old pitchfork and welded a 1/8" steel plate over the tines,to make it into a shovel--except for about one inch of the tines,that I left exposed,to make "teeth"..I also used electrical conduit, instead of its original wood handle (which was busted anyway,the main reason I found it in the dump!)..

I found it works quite well on mud and snow,and the tines chop out roots good too...wish I knew where I left it last... --I think a guy I know who does roofing might have "borrowed" it permanently,I saw him ogling it in the back of my truck once....it was great for tearing old shingles off..I bet he took it!

 

[blazinzuk]

go find a half decent army surplus store. Ours has about 15 different shovels all different lengths some fold some have picks too. Then just pick what suits you best.

 

[goldwing2000]

Good truck shovel:

Good shovel for rocky soil:

 

[WantedaDodge]

Digging out a truck. Mud and snow, not to rocky a terrain.

 

[Clod_King]

I don't know if Garant deals in the states, but they make a mean shovel.I used to handle them at my old work. They make every size and shape of shovel. They had thick Hickory (sp??) handles, and good shovel heads. Some were even heat treated, and everything!

Anyways, if you want a good shovel, that is going to last you some time, go to an industrial supply store. Construction/Contracting companies usually get there shovels from there.

Just don't go to the ones that are meant for the public. Go to the walk in ones, they usually have better deals going on.

 

[Clod_King]

Okay so the handles are made out of Ash, but here is the website link to the round point shovels:

http://extranet.garant.com/catalogue/listeProdCat.php?idSousCat=38

they even have fiberglass handles. I forgot all about these, they barely got ordered in because they aren't any sronger then the wood handled ones, just ALOT lighter.

 

[fireplug]

Okay so the handles are made out of Ash, but here is the website link to the round point shovels:

http://extranet.garant.com/catalogue/listeProdCat.php?idSousCat=38

they even have fiberglass handles. I forgot all about these, they barely got ordered in because they aren't any sronger then the wood handled ones, just ALOT lighter.

Chris they're gonna think we're Quebec er's

 

[Clod_King]

HAHAHA!!

Yeah, well..... okay, so the shipped in from Quebec..... But they make a mean shovel.... Probably so they can move around all their bull sh!t, hahaha.

Hey Jay, when are you coming down this way again??

 

[willymonster]

an automatic one with cruise control

 

[goldwing2000]

Digging out a truck. Mud and snow, not to rocky a terrain.

K-5 Bomber specifically asked about a shovel that's good in rocky soil. (post #6)

 

[WantedaDodge]

ah, got it, I like that top one. I'll look for one of those at the contractor store here.

 

[BKinzey]

K-5 Bomber, a pick axe works good for rocky terrain