Victor3, I didn't get too excited when I bought one of these back in our Millenium year. But, whether you are digging mortar pits or just sand at the beach, (back in 2000 when our two Mastiffs were just three years old, Nancy and I used to dig big trenches on the Florida beaches on St. Georges Island to give them a cool place to lie while we challenged the kids with swimming races, etc.). I think mine has faired quite well during it's nine year test period.
The spiffy leather cover on mine was the first casualty of actual use, but you seem to be a particularly meticulous machinist, I bet you will carefully oil your's after each use and place it back in the cover. In fact your military entrenching tool will probably look pristine 9 years from now! Anyone who has all those baby food jars actually labeled with the screw sizes like you do in your garage, will probably be a better steward of Cold War Era military shovels than I am............
Tracy
Mine is a 1965 model, a very good year for entrenching tool manufacture. 4"x6"x6', 10' and 12' timbers are all over the shop; you can hardly move any more. Can't wait till the Paixhans' Mortar platform and bed it finished!!
Shovel blade has VERY good paint to have this much left after nine years. Timber cutting and timber hole boring fixtures are everywhere. I hate it when you feel foolish to shovel all the wood chips off the floor each evening.
