FS: Titanium Cathole Trowels are Back – Improved: 2 Sizes, “Original” 0.4 oz or “Big Dig” 0.6 oz

[Robert Kelly]

September 10, 2011 UPDATE: I'm back from 10 days backpacking in the Wind River Range, so you can order and expect next day shipments again. Can you dig it?

This thread was started in March and keeps showing back up when BPLers post to it. There is another thread as well in this forum that is more recent, though it is also getting long in the tooth.

Anyway, if you are not familiar with my trowels, they are back in production on a continuing basis. Unless I'm out of town, I generally ship the day after you order.

Trowels have a yellow rubbery coating on handle for better gripping and visibility as well as a handle hole to attach a cord if you like. A larger Big Dig model is available as well as the smaller Original.

Here are the specs:

The Original: about 6” long, 0.4 ounces – $29 shipped to you in CONUS
As light as a trowel can be and still work well for its intended function

The Big Dig: about 7.15” long, 0.6 ounces – $36 shipped to you in CONUS
Fifty percent more surface area for those who want to be bigger and longer

International orders will require an additional $2 shipping fee.

Make PayPal payment to robkelly54 at gmail dot com and make sure your shipping address is correct. You can also email at this address with any questions you have.

[Edward Z]

As a card carrying member of the Trowel troop, (And proudly in possession of the first , signed one….) I can say that these are featherweight, durable and indispensible. You won't be disappointed…. Get one!

[Brandon Campbell]

I just sent payment for a big dig. Very excited. :D

[Mark Hudson]

ordered a small

[Robert Kelly]

Appreciate Ed's kind endorsement. Every one of my trowels is made by my hands, one at a time, with loving care. They are all collectors items, but Ed has the very rare first one ever sold. I'm sure he keeps it in a safe deposit box whenever he's not actually using it.

This time around, I've gotten 12 orders so far, with Big Dig requests ahead of The Original by 3:1.

Looks like this will be a trowel-making weekend. Will try to get as many orders out Monday as I can.

Hopefully my tools will last through the marathon. (titanium is very hard, and hard to work with – it actually dulls and chips the blades of even very high quality tools).

[Troy Hawkins]

in for a big dig!

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Robert

Several comments.

I will move this thread to Gear Deals, as Gear SWAP is not the right place for it now. Good Luck!

I found that having a bit more of a point on the trowel made it dig better. See
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/myog_ti_trowel.html
for more details. The design you show looks too blunt at the tip to me.

> titanium is very hard, and hard to work with – it actually dulls and chips the blades of even
> very high quality tools).
Well, not really. It machines like stainless steel – which I admit can be a bit difficult at times, but it does machine, and does not wear tools that fast if done correctly. If you want to contact me direct we can discuss how I handle it.

Cheers
[email protected]

[Robert Kelly]

Roger –

Thanks for your support and advice. The main tool that's getting damaged over time is the metal snipper I use to cut the titanium sheeting. It is definitely not as sharp as it used to be and has a small chip along one edge, all due to working with titanium. Not enough to need replacement yet, but I think it may eventually.

I agree that a pointed shape digs better, but a blunter shape makes it faster to remove loosened soil as the hole is dug. I've been using an early prototype for about 3 years now (about half-way in size between the Original and the Big Dig) and it has worked fine for me in the East, with a few trips out West as well.

Happy to have you move the post to Gear Deals if that's a more appropriate place for it. I don't anticipate starting a Trowel Guy cottage industry, just maybe making a few once or twice a year to help fund my gear habit. Be well.

BTW – I love your reviews – very thoughtful and well written.

[Jacob D]

Hi Robert. I have one of the trowels from your first batch. Works great. Just used it yesterday in fact.

[Christopher Holly]

Just paid up for one of the original size hole diggers!

Cheers!

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Robert

> The main tool that's getting damaged over time is the metal snipper I use to cut the titanium
> sheeting. It is definitely not as sharp as it used to be and has a small chip along one edge

OK, understood.
I am going to suggest that any snips which are damaged and worn like that by cutting thin Ti sheet are not good enough. My snips do not get damaged at all, and they stay sharp.
There's consumer grade, and there's industrial/production grade tooling. Your local hardware store probably stocks only consumer grade, because that's where the market is for them. If you want to make more trowels (a good idea!), buy some serious production-grade snips. You won't regret it.

Cheers

[Robert Kelly]

Jacob – Thanks for your feedback. It's good to know that my trowels are being put to good use. I forgot to mention that (in keeping with the tradition of the first batch) everyone who orders a trowel will get a copy of the "Advanced Cathole Users Manual" shipped to them with their trowel.

[Eric Drew]

Can't wait to give it a go!

[Johnny Werbe]

I dig the big dig
Just ordered one
Good luck

[Marc Mensing]

I'm in for a Big Dig

[Mark Hudson]

"Can't wait to give it a go!"

Pun intended?

:)

[Chris Cheng]

Looks great. Can't wait to test it out.

[Robert Kelly]

The response has been a little much (good problem to have), but I guess that's how a cottage "industry" can begin. Thanks to everyone for their support and suggestions.

The trouble with my trowels is that they are likely to last a lifetime, unless they are lost (I've done that once, myself, so it can happen). So I don't expect that I will get rich quick with trowels, just maybe help fund a gear habit and defray some trip expenses. I could do worse, for sure.

CAN YOU DIG IT ?

[Mark Cashmere]

I think I am going to have to break down and get a Big Dig. Great to see another Northeast Ohioan around here. Buy local! Sending payment soon.

[Christopher Knaus]

A great addition to the colelction. Thanks,

[Cameron Semple]

Sent payment for a big dig. :)

[Rebecca Ribbing]

One for the big dig as well! Thanks!

[Michael Crosby]

Pmt sent.
Thanks

[Elisabeth Chaplin Philabaum]

Payment sent :) Thanks! Going in the gear kit for my PCT thru this summer.

[Robert Kelly]

6/16/11 Update:

Do not fret. I have plenty of trowels and titanium to make more. But the sooner you order the sooner that itch will go away . . .

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