A NEW potty trowel – the Deuce of Spades™

The name alone is worth $14. :)

I was also wondering about that hole.

I also picked yellow to make sure that I don't lose it too easily or anything. Hopefully that makes it easier to spot in the recesses of my pack when I'm suddenly desperate to dig.

Not trying to answer for Mike, but it looks to me like the holes (at the middle of the blade and in combination with the top lanyard hole) are simply a multitask accommodation to be able to string it for its use as a snow fluke (if you want).

Here's a pre-wired SMC snow fluke to serve as an illustration on the stringing the two holes for use as a snow fluke.

Blue, cause it's the color of the sky!

Seriously, blue stands out best to me so I consider it the most "hiviz".
And blue anodizing just rocks, come on, admit it.

The hole in the handle screams "lanyard".

The hole in the blade reduces air pressure when you are moving quickly trying get the cathole ready before disaster strikes :)

Still laughing one day later.

Hi All and Thanks!

The holes do indeed have a story which you can read near the bottom of this page under Designy Discussion:
http://thetentlab.com/styled-2/index.html

The final hole is just an oval near the top of the handle.

Thanks again,
Mike

Thanks Mike. It would help me to read the descriptions already provided. =/

I knew the hole in the handle was for a lanyard or storage hook, and the one in the middle of the spade is now gone. Got it.

The holes also make the metal lighter.

–B.G.–

Hi BG,
I'v resisted putting holes in this product mostly because it makes it harder to clean. Mud really takes to a hole! If I really wanted to lighten it with holes I would use a carefully designed set of fairly large holes – that's how you really save weight – and run into really bad problems with friction and catching when digging. So I content myself with just one (saving .004 oz).
best, Mike

Hey Mike,

Somebody posted your Kickstarter over at the campingandhiking subreddit, and there are a few comments saying they might be interested, but not without seeing a video of it in action. I think that's a pretty good idea myself.

Do you think you could put together a quick video of digging a 6-8" hole with one of the prototypes?

Yup videos of the Deuce in action are coming and I promise they will be bracing! (as in I hope you have a good support so you won't fall over if they put you to sleep).
-Mike

DING! Action packed video, the "Deuce in Use" is up on Kickstarter. I think you might find it amusing…

Pledged for a yellow one. The name is great, though perhaps "The Spade of Deuces" would be even more fitting :)

"Spade of Deuces" – Jonathan, I thought the same thing ;-)

Mike, I saw the "action" video. It actually looks like you are working a lot harder than I was hoping would be needed. You were using two hands, you had dirt all over both hands, etc. I get a little dirty digging but not like that. Initially I was hoping to be able to dig one-handed and to wrap a LightTowel or something like that at the base of the handle to cushion it enough to allow me to do that. Do you feel that that the top edge of the spade is too sharp to allow that?

To be fair, that soil he was digging looked pretty crappy. I plan on wrapping a bandana around the handle while using it, that should help.

First pass: use it buck-nekkid and see how it works. If that isn't awesome…
Second pass: The application of a little PlastiDip on the edges might do the trick. If not…
Third pass: I like the bandana idea.

Pumped about the fact that this thing succeeded in 1 week, and wondering if it's a little strange to be looking forward to taking a dump in the woods?

Thanks JR, Mitchell & John.

The ground was indeed not great. I wanted to be sure I couldn't be accused of slanting the evidence. A whole bunch of other holes could have been quite easy and hygienic.

I just did a quick tape job on one and found that 18" of tape (5 grams) covers things quite well. Brings the total weight to a little less than .8 ounces. Could probably have done a good job with half as much.

I would have loved to provide some sort of bumper but the need for an actual human to individually put it on was very expensive.

Thanks!
Mike

I pledged for a blue one myself… I have put off carrying a trowel long enough I guess… :)

Anyway, I was thinking about wrapping some GloWire around the handle once I get it in. Of course it will make the trowel heavier, but it will also be my spare cord, so it really won't add any weight (other than that of the trowel itself) to my total weight. But, this should also make the handle be a bit more gentle on my hands…

I gotta admit, I am looking forward to getting this in…

Here is a video of a 10 inch deep cat hole I dug in ~45 seconds using the 15 gram Suluk46 Titanium Trowel… got lucky on that one.

Regarding the holes and getting dirty… yep, they do make it be a bit harder to clean (if you care) so good idea not going with a bunch of holes.

Quick question… does having the handle flare back out at the top of the handle cause your pinky to get pinched when you really have to dig in some hard dirt?

Hi John,

Thanks for the question. No, pinky injuries from the shape as far as I can tell. In the soil here (rocky and often hard) I find myself using the top against my palm quite a bit. Please take a look at the drawing up now: final candidate 'I'. Subtle reshaping for more strength as a tent stake has been driving the last two revisions. They're getting better and better as far as hand feel too.

best,
Mike

Can you post a comparison of the design used for the prototypes with candidate G and candidate I, so we can see the differences over when the Kickstarter started?

Chad – great (dual purpose) idea, but wonder if my spare cord might get really dirty or, uh, "contaminated".

Mike – LOVE the fact that you are still honing the design. Guess we could have expected that from a guy with your background.

If it's not a great hassle I too would be very interested to see sketches as you worked through the design progression and optimization. Curiosity…ain't it great?

Looks like I need to work on a graphic..
THANKS for the interest and suggestion!

*infographic is up now*

Mike

I find it very interesting that the titanium Suluk trowel that John Abela references is nearly identical in dimensions AND full of holes yet only 2g lighter. That is not what I would have expected.

Good luck on your project. In for a yellow at $15.

This is my first Kickstarter contribution, and I don't really understand it, but I take it a trowel might show up in May? and might not? And the funding goes through Amazon somehow? My contribution was motivated in thirds: 1/3 to get a trowel, 1/3 to support the project, and 1/3 to grok Kickstarter.

Regards taping the handle (provided it's needed, probably not) — I'd first try a fold of 1/2" strip of electrical tape around the very edge and see if that wasn't good enough.

Diggin' the red.

I figure multi-purpose for creating drainage channels around the shelter or water sinks in more arid environments as well.