Finding old tools.

[Wagtail]

In the UK... maybe.

There, and quite a few other places too, Mate.

 

[ponytug]

I had a ditch shovel that was made like the mfgr split a thin 8" pipe lengthwise, welded an arch in the middle with a place for a handle on the top, and a standard long handle there. This arch was made to swivel and set to any angle so the user could either pull or push the " shovel along to make a round-bottom ditch.
I had used it at my FIL's place while getting it ready to sell and left it there.
Someone else liked it so took it.
I've never been able to find another or any reference to it on the internet.
It was great for cleaning out small ditches.
Anyone ever heard of something like that "shovel"?

That sounds like a useful tool. By your description, I have seen somewhat similar shovels in the UK and Commonwealth countries, but not here. I had forgotten about them, and now I'm thinking they would be great for digging out my rounded driveway gutters. Hmmmm. Thanks!

Any chance either of these are close?

Or

Found by looking for "long handled semi-circular trench shovel" photos from (and I have never used this vendor);

https://www.ebuy7.com/shovel-all-steel-extended-semi-circular-agricultural-iron-shovel-tool-shovel-digging-soil-digging-trench-digging-tree-shovel-shovel-digging-yam-special-shovel.html

Amazon has a slightly rounded version;
Truper trenching shovel

Or in the UK,

All the best,

Peter

 

[bigtiller]

I had a ditch shovel that was made like the mfgr split a thin 8" pipe lengthwise, welded an arch in the middle with a place for a handle on the top, and a standard long handle there. This arch was made to swivel and set to any angle so the user could either pull or push the " shovel along to make a round-bottom ditch.
I had used it at my FIL's place while getting it ready to sell and left it there.
Someone else liked it so took it.
I've never been able to find another or any reference to it on the internet.
It was great for cleaning out small ditches.
Anyone ever heard of something like that "shovel"?

That sounds like a crumb shovel. It's used to remove the crumbs at the bottom of the ditch following an 8" wide trencher digging a deep trench for water, gas, sewer, etc.

like this?

 

[ponytug]

@bigtiller Love it! I had never seen one before, and boy could I have used one on more than a few projects...

All the best, Peter

 

[Jstpssng]

It always amazes me. No matter what somebody posts, a TBN member or 2 is familiar with it.

 

[bigtiller]

@bigtiller Love it! I had never seen one before, and boy could I have used one on more than a few projects...

All the best, Peter

A handyman "let" me use his one summer in 1979 when I built my garage with a frostline footing dug with an 8" trencher.

That simple looking tool was a workout.

 

[civilian]

All the best,

Peter

My dad has that shovel on the right. He calls it a "diego" shovel. Not sure if that was the correct name or brand name. It could have also been a slang term. Used in narrow trenching. I have bought the one on the left years ago. Jon

 

[RayIN]

That sounds like a crumb shovel. It's used to remove the crumbs at the bottom of the ditch following an 8" wide trencher digging a deep trench for water, gas, sewer, etc.

like this?

Yep, That's it! Thanks, I've searched the internet for several years without success.

 

[Wagtail]

Or in the UK,

All the best,

Peter

The one on the left reminds me of a long handled 'pelican pick'.

A 'pelican pick' is a coal mining tool which is also very handy for gardening.

https://cyclone.com.au/products/pelican-pick

 

[bcp]

Anyone Ever get good at using one of these?

I’ve been trenching for drain tile and electrical, so I’m glad I was able to grab this old school tool at an estate auction. I have seen them in the past paying no attention to them. Found It’s proper name “crumb shovel”. It has a sturdy 6’ wood handle and is used to smooth and the base and...

www.garagejournal.com

Cast Iron Hunting & Identification | Apparently this is a "trench shovel or crumber shovel" It was used to clean and smooth farm trenches for irrigation pipe. | Facebook

Apparently this is a "trench shovel or crumber shovel" It was used to clean and smooth farm trenches for irrigation pipe.

www.facebook.com

And This Was..

Some called it a tile shovel, tile spade or a crumber, but the last “What’s This?” item had a big purpose on the farm.

agupdate.com

Bruce

 

[Highlandr]

My dad has that shovel on the right. He calls it a "diego" shovel. Not sure if that was the correct name or brand name. It could have also been a slang term.

A former coworker that ran a greenhouse in Alaska and a friend that worked at a greenhouse/landscaping business in NC both called that shovel on the right a "digging" shovel.

One day I finally asked, "Digging shovel? Aren't most shovels for digging?" Answer: "It's used for digging trees."

Oh.

 

[bigtiller]

My dad has that shovel on the right. He calls it a "diego" shovel. Not sure if that was the correct name or brand name. It could have also been a slang term. Used in narrow trenching.

I have only known it as a spade.
But many decades ago, a lot of "diego's" earned a living with one.

 

[Highlandr]

Here's one for the collective.

The jaws open when you squeeze. Dad said they were used for hog ringing, which doesn't make sense unless back then you had to open the rings first.

Modern versions are called Bow Opening Pliers and they're popular as a jeweler's tool, so...

Looks like they had a rough life.

 

[flyerdan]

The top pair of pliers are ones that my dad had for as long as I can remember, he probably got them at a sale, so they are from the 30's or 40's war surplus at the latest. The bottom pair showed up in the free box at a garage sale, covered in rust and unable to open without considerable effort. A few minutes with a wire wheel on the grinder and working a bit of oil into the joint resulted in a perfectly usable companion pair to the originals, whom they've got to be closely related to in age and manufacture.

 

[Jstpssng]

Here's one for the collective.

The jaws open when you squeeze. Dad said they were used for hog ringing, which doesn't make sense unless back then you had to open the rings first.

Modern versions are called Bow Opening Pliers and they're popular as a jeweler's tool, so...

Looks like they had a rough life.

View attachment 5336741

It sounds and looks like a set of snap ring pliers.