The old-style field or short shovel is by far the most versatile outdoor tool after the knife. It splits firewood, cuts down trees, cuts a path through brush, connects a fire, is an aid for climbing steep slopes, a makeshift crowbar, an emergency oar and a knife. The list could be long. Needless to say, it is also great for digging. Compared to the folding shovels currently in use, it is much more robust, which is required for the applications listed above. In the case of our Boker Plus M1874 shovel, we decided to consistently implement the original design of the first German field spade, which was introduced in 1874 by imperial decree under the name of portable trench equipment for infantry and hunting battalions. The two-piece construction of the blade and the spring is connected by five strong pins, additionally secured with a 40 mm wide steel ferrule and closes the indestructible ash handle to half its length. This old design is complicated and expensive to manufacture as two punching and bending tools are required, and the assembly requires much more work steps. However, it is rewarded with unparalleled stability. In addition to later models, the M1874 field shovel continued to be used in both world wars. According to the historical model, the shovel blade edges are pre-ground rather than honed on delivery. Digging, splitting wood and limbing is already possible in this condition, but for use as a machete or knife, it is recommended to finish the edge by hand. To adapt to today's needs and possibilities, we made minimal adjustments to the original to create a modern bushcraft tool. For the blade and spring, we chose hard stainless steel, which is also used in the construction of steam turbine blades and surgical instruments. It is characterized by high resistance to cracking and impact loads and is easy to sharpen even in field conditions. A simple sharpening method is, for example, to lay both edges flat with the inside of the blade on a concrete block. The two-loop scabbard is made of moisture- and rot-resistant black nylon with a strong plastic insert instead of leather that would require care. This makes the Boker Plus Shovel M1874 an indispensable piece of equipment for all bushcrafters, off-road drivers, military equipment collectors and reenactors.
