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Great idea for lightweight trowel


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Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 37 total)
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  • #1236177
    Ethan Kunard
    Member

    @ekunard

    Shoe Horn/ Potty Trowl

    I thought of a great idea for a lightweight and inexpensive trowel. A shoe horn. I haven't weighed it, but it can't weigh more than an ounce or two. Best of all, it only cost $.49 at a local shoe store.

    #1499895
    Roleigh Martin
    BPL Member

    @marti124

    Locale: Founder & Lead Moderator, https://www.facebook.com/groups/SierraNorthPCThikers

    the gigantic 1 oz aluminum tent stake by REI works far better as a trowel and serves dual purpose as a spare tent stake.

    http://www.rei.com/product/358111tent stake

    #1500047
    Scott Bentz
    BPL Member

    @scottbentz

    Locale: Southern California

    Sticks and rocks don't weigh anything. That is unless you put them in your pack after using them to did a cat hole.

    #1500051
    Diane “Piper” Soini
    BPL Member

    @sbhikes

    Locale: Santa Barbara

    That's what I use. And my heel. Sometimes I have to hold it until I can find soft enough soil, but it's never been too big of an issue.

    #1500077
    Franco Darioli
    Spectator

    @franco

    Locale: Gauche, CU.

    Roleigh has the multiple use idea at work here. That is what I use now. Mine is made in the UK from soft aluminium, so care needs to be taken not to bend it, but useful for the weight. ( lighter and smaller than the orange trowel it replaced…)
    Franco

    #1500081
    Frank Deland
    Member

    @rambler

    Locale: On the AT in VA

    Good idea. Often time s the boot or pole just don't get through roots to get to the appropriate depth.

    #1500123
    Ian White
    Member

    @deuceregular

    Locale: Southern Jefferson

    I find that sometimes in the backcountry the urge to go sneaks up on me. I usually lift a rock and edit the space if needed till it is the proper depth. But I still like to bring a trowel in case I can't find the right rock or soft ground. When in a rush it is easy to excuse the use of an inadequate hole, and that's why I like to be prepared.

    The tent stake and shoe horn sound like great ideas. I will have to practice diggin holes in the backyard.

    #1500285
    Diane “Piper” Soini
    BPL Member

    @sbhikes

    Locale: Santa Barbara

    When the urge to go sneaks up, I've found that you can dig the hole after the fact.

    #1500329
    Anonymous
    Guest

    I live in a perfectly good house, so its bad enough that on the coldest night of the year I sleep in my tarptent. If I go digging holes all over the yard with a shoehorn………….well do you know how much psychiatric fees cost! (neighbors don't talk to me anymore. They shake their heads and pull their kids inside)

    #1500330
    Adam Behr
    BPL Member

    @justsomeguy

    Roleigh's "gigantic 1 oz aluminum tent stake by REI" is exactly what I use as well, for exactly the same reasons.

    #1500614
    Michael Mangold
    Member

    @mkmangold

    My "lightweight gigantic aluminum stake" bent after just a few uses (and after French Whipping it, too!) so I'm going to try the shoe horn. For multi-use purposes, maybe I'll also try it as… a shoe horn!

    #1500659
    James Gealy
    Member

    @surnailz

    Locale: White Mountains

    I like the idea of a shoehorn. I may have to try it. I know my orange trowel is needed up here just cause of the roots. Tried with the heel (of my boot even) and it just doesn't get the job done. Honestly, for the ease of putting a hole in the ground it's hard to argue with some sort of digging device. Interestingly enough the rangers up here were spot checking people a while back to see if they actually had trowels on them along with their camping permits.

    -jim

    #1500702
    Robert Blean
    BPL Member

    @blean

    Locale: San Jose -- too far from Sierras

    "the rangers up here were spot checking people a while back to see if they actually had trowels"

    I wonder what they would say if you told them you planned to use one of your tent pegs.

    #1501114
    Denis Hazlewood
    BPL Member

    @redleader

    Locale: Northern California

    This is my lightweight trowel. 11.1 grams.

    SUL Ti Multi-tool
    SUL Titanium Spoon-potty trowel-snow stake, multi-tool

    #1501116
    Rick Cheehy
    Member

    @kilgoretrout2317

    Locale: Virginia

    You make that?

    #1501137
    Michael Mangold
    Member

    @mkmangold

    Wow Denis: and you can use it as a shoehorn, too! Do you sell those? I don't have the equipment to machine my own.

    #1501164
    Denis Hazlewood
    BPL Member

    @redleader

    Locale: Northern California

    Shoehorn. Of course, I should have thought of that. Anybody got more uses for this handy tool?

    Re making it: If I remember, I got the Ti from Thruhiker. That, a lot of pipe clamps, a piece of 1/2" PVC pipe, tin snips, and a file. Oh, and the blood sweat and tears. I use a Harbor Freight punch to put holes in most all my Ti.

    Difficulty, on a scale of 1-5 = 3.5. I've got a pattern, if anybody wants to make one.

    #1501508
    Dylan Skola
    BPL Member

    @phageghost

    Locale: Southern California

    This was inspired by the inimitable Bill Fornshell a while back I believe. Looked good but I never got around to doing it myself (time, money, laziness). I'm still using my Montbell trowel. I would worry that the shoehorn might be too soft, if it's aluminum. I wonder if anyone makes a titanium shoehorn for the lightweight businessman?

    Here is the semi-original thread for those who missed it.

    And Jason Klass's write-up on his site.

    #1501884
    Eric Blumensaadt
    BPL Member

    @danepacker

    Locale: Mojave Desert

    Like Franco I use a snow stake as well. It's a rugged SMC brand stake that I had to hammer to get the tip a bit flatter for digging. Works well as a front guyline stake in soggy soil if rain or wind comes up.

    Eric

    #1505799
    Jens Aarnaes
    BPL Member

    @finnmark

    Locale: Rocky Mountains

    I know my home made trowel is not the lightest but it does work well. It is made from 1.5" aluminum angle "iron" and weighs 1.8 ozAluminum angle iron shovel

    Since the photo was taken – and based on ideas from this site – I have drilled a hole in the handle so this shovel can be used as a stake (in soft ground).

    #1514731
    Joseph Morrison
    Spectator

    @sjdm4211

    Locale: Smokies

    Dig a hole? I need to save my energy for wall sit exercises.

    #1529032
    John Larson
    Member

    @j-larson

    bye bye

    #1529105
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    Hey Guys

    An MYOG titanium trowel article is in the pipeline, coming soon to a website near you.
    MYOGTrowel1.jpg

    Cheers

    #1529115
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    I actually use ULA's "helix potty trowel', which can double as an ice axe in a pinch :-) for my trowel. I know, ridiculously expensive as a trowel. But very comfortable! 'Cause after I dig the hole, I invert it, put the handle on/in the ground and sit on the head. Heck, I could read a magazine comfortably while doing my business if I wanted to, or check email, or something! So it's a potty trowel/toilet seat! Dual use! And very light. And nothing goes through roots like that thing!

    #1529208
    Franco Darioli
    Spectator

    @franco

    Locale: Gauche, CU.

    " I invert it, put the handle on/in the ground and sit on the head."
    Thank you for clarifying how you sit, on it ,when you do, it
    Franco

Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 37 total)
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