The field shovel or short shovel is the most versatile outdoor tool after the knife. It can split firewood, cut trees, cut a path through the undergrowth, regulate a campfire, help climb steep slopes, serve as an improvised lever, an emergency rake and a knife. The list goes on and on, not forgetting its main function - digging. Compared to the folding shovels used today, it is significantly stronger and more durable. The Boker Plus M1874 shovel follows the original design of the first German field shovel, introduced in 1874 by imperial decree as portable trench work equipment for infantry and hunting battalions. Its construction includes a blade and a spring, connected by five sturdy spikes and additionally secured with a 40 mm wide steel tip, which covers the unbreakable ash handle to half its length. This complex and expensive to manufacture design requires the manufacture of two punching and bending tools, as well as significantly more assembly steps. The result is unsurpassed stability. The M1874 model was used in both world wars.
The blade of the shovel is pre-ground, but additional sharpening is recommended for use as a machete or knife. To meet modern needs, minor adjustments have been made to the original, creating a modern bushcraft tool. The durable stainless steel used is used in the manufacture of steam turbines and surgical instruments. This steel is resistant to breakage and impact and is easily sharpened even in field conditions. The shovel case is made of moisture-resistant and rot-resistant black nylon with a hard plastic insert, which makes it easy to maintain. This makes the Boker Plus Shovel M1874 an indispensable tool for bushcraft enthusiasts, off-road drivers, collectors of military equipment and reenactors.
- Blade material: 2Cr13
- Handle material: Ash
- Total length: 53 cm
- Blade length: 19 cm
- Blade thickness: 2 mm
- Weight: 938 g