Toilet trowel

[Bob Cartwright]

Just wondered what the ideal lightweight toilet trowel is made from in the US?

Hunting around for a good product to put on our website in old Blighty and thought there must already be an answer to this question?

Somewhere??

Answers on a postcard please ….

[Scott Peterson]

I doubt it is made in the US, but the Montbell model is made from 1mm SS and weighs 1.4 oz. with a nylon leash. If you remove the leash, you might get that closer to 1 oz….which seems pretty good for those times when you need a little more strength than plastic.

[Bill Fornshell]

This is copied from the “Make Your Own Gear Forum” BPL.com of mine titled:
SUBJECT Super Ultra Light – Make Your Own for an AT Thru-Hike

TROWEL ?? in your SUL gear list??

I was looking at the mont-bell web site and found what they call a “Handy Scoop” this trowel is SS, weighs 1.4oz and is 6.25″ long. This item is made in Japan and was out of stock. I decided to make my own. My Home-Made version weighs 0.32oz.

How many SUL backpackers or even Light-backpackers really carry a trowel ??????

I am making a Titanium Trowel more or less the same shape and size as the mont-bell Handy Scoop.

I have the blank cut and ready to shape into a trowel. It will weigh 0.32oz. I should finish it this afternoon.

I finished my SUL Ti Trowel. It is 0.32oz. I creased the handle and just a little of the spoon area. This makes the Titanium Trowel very ridged and should work well in all but the hardest soil.

The last picture shows what I did use for a trowel before I made the Ti Trowel. The tent stake weighed 1.15oz. Heavy next to the Ti Trowel.

Jim Colten asks:
Q – 1) what gauge/thickness Ti stock did you use?

A – 1) I use 0.016inch – 6A14V -This is military grade titanium sheet and is extremely strong. It combines a high strength to weight ratio with corrosion and heat resistance. I buy it from Thru-Hiker.com The piece for the Ti Trowel is some scrape from my Ti External Pack Frame.

Thru-Hiker.com Link

Q – 2) What did you use to cut and drill the Ti?

A – 2) I cut the Ti to shape with a pair of WISS Tin Snips. These work really well for Titanium. I Punch my holes with a “Hand Punch”. This is also easier than drilling in Titanium. You can drill Ti but where the punch will work it is easier to use. The forming is done by what I call my primitive “‘blacksmith” skills. Heat and pound. File and sand, a lot.

[Scott Peterson]

I think one trowel is definitely worth while for a group trip! Pass the trowel is a fun morning time game.

It looks as though you have enough material to make another??? Would you trade one for a little cash??? Maybe you should go into production for Bozeman mountain works.

[Ken Helwig]

I carry one. In the high sierras the ground is quite hard, so carrying a trowel is something I bring.

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