Digging tool from lowes

[DougsGraphics]

Originally Posted by Jack D

Have you seen this product? I bought one for the shop and it's about the handiest saw handle I've ever seen or used. It takes any Sawzall blade, and there's a bunch to choose from. Change blades with a twist of the fingers.
Milwaukee Job Saw

Yeah, I've seen them, but I just don't think the sawsall blades are stiff enough for cutting through some of the dirt here, but I've thought about trying it. Right now, buying one new saw a year just doesn't seem like a big deal.

I'm toying with just making a heavier-bladed saw for cutting the plugs, maybe with a fairly substantial spline. One of those things I can put on the list of want-to-do's for the winter months. I really think the way to go is to have two tools, one for cutting, one for digging/prying. Trying to mix them into one causes some compromise to each function. That's just my $0.02 worth on the subject...

[Orthosophy]

I toyed with the idea of making my own sod knife/trowel. I agree with you about the quality issues. In the end I bought one for the same reason I dont keep my gun loaded with reloads. God forbid, if I ever plug someone, the lawyers will have a field day yammering on about "home made bullets, designed to kill". Store bought may be more expensive, but you wont get that at least. With the trowel, I didn't want there to be any question if someone had a burr under their saddle. I basically bought one so I could say "It's not a knife, its available in the gardening tool section" if any one gives me flack, since knives aren't covered by my ccw. Make sense?

[DougsGraphics]

Originally Posted by Orthosophy

...With the trowel, I didn't want there to be any question if someone had a burr under their saddle. I basically bought one so I could say "It's not a knife, its available in the gardening tool section" if any one gives me flack, since knives aren't covered by my ccw. Make sense?

Intersting point. Hadn't thought about it that way.

[Knipper]

Leo,

Sorry, I just saw your post requesting a pic of the digger I make.

I'll get a shot tomorrow and post it.

Knipper

[Knipper]

Leo requested I post these....

The steel is 5160 heat treated to 'Banite' (a process by which you can get some steels to be both tough and hard enough to keep a decent edge...)

It's a bit over 14" long, and the steel is 1/4" thick from the bottom of the trowel portion to the start of the handle. From there to the end of the handle, I tapered the steel to a thickness of 1/8" at the butt end.

The top of the trowel is hollow ground with a radius of 10"; enough to serve as a scoop, but still flat enough to act as a cutting blade. the bottom of the trowel has two hollow ground sections at the edges, and is left thicker in the middle for prying strength. The handle itself is green canvas Micarta, which is layers of phenolic resin and canvas compressed together. Its pretty much indestructible, unless you throw the whole thing in a campfire overnight....moisture won't penetrate it though.

The 5160 steel is prone to rust, however. But thrusting it in and out of dirt really doesn't allow rust to build up. Besides, I take care of it and wash it clean followed by a light spray of WD-40 after use.

The way I use it, is to cut a 4" x 6" trapdoor in the sod, then push the trowel in to the front side of the 'door' as deep as I can (usually about 6") and then pry up the sod and dirt under the trap door. I can then use the trowel to keep cutting and prying dirt out of the hole until I get my target. If its a manicured lawn, I put down something to pile the dirt on so as not to leave a muddy smear on the lawn. I can usually recover coins to a foot deep with no problem. I like to keep the hole as small as possible, so I loosen the deep dirt with the trowel and scoop it out with my other hand.

If I run into a root (any larger than 3/4" and I leave it alone...) I just put the edge of the trowel against it and push. The trowel will usually cut through with one stroke, as I keep the edges very sharp.

Anyway, this has been my solution to all the tools I've used in the past that haven't held up. This thing is strong enough that you could drive it into the dirt to the bottom of the trowel portion, and then kick or push the handle with your foot and it will neither bend nor break. I expect this to last me a good many years of hard use.

Knipper

[Knipper]

Forgot one thing...

Re: some people's hang up in seeing knives actually working as tools: I make knives for a living, so that kind of attitude about an inanimate object that is a tool almost as old as man himself really ticks me off. This thing is obviously not a "knife". It really looks like a digging implement, no point etc. But I'll tell you this, I'd rather face a guy with a knife than one of these! You could swing it like a hatchet and do some very nasty damage...in self defense, of course....

Knipper

[creekrat]

Knipper,that is a good looking digging tool,i like your design,id like to have one like that with a long t handle on it,or ball ,carpel tunnel and a few disc in the ole back. cuts down on the diggin time if i grip on a knife handle much ,so i use a t handle or ball seems to work for me.im not by any way putting your design down that is some of the best metal work ive seen in a while,..hh...creekrat

[EPC Guy]

I went to Lowe's and found the tool you're talking about...12 bucks...so I bought it - so far, it works great - and best of all - Pris can't make fun of my diggin' tool any more! ...just kidding, Pris - you know I love ya!

[CanUDigIt]

I use the 7 in 1 planting buddy from Lowe's too. It cuts a nice sod plug to hide where I have been. It has helped me dig a lot of tabs. I never needed to pry anything though. Maybe you just need to try a bigger hole.

[LeoinPA]

Originally Posted by Knipper

Leo,

Sorry, I just saw your post requesting a pic of the digger I make.

I'll get a shot tomorrow and post it.

Knipper

Hey Knipper

Thanks for the pictures. Not quite what I expected. I found your website, and my first thought was a modification of an existing pattern. It beats the flat pry bar I use from Ace Hardware. Good looking tool, and exceptional workmanship. I appreciate your efforts. It's a shame it can't be mass produced.

Thanks
Leo