Danish M-1943 Style E-tool, Surplus

Good old WWII US-style folding entrenching tool, this time the Danish version. These kinds of digging tools were used in many places long after the war. The pouch is not included. This older military surplus is becoming rarer and rarer, and we didn't get very many of these, so be quick!

• Weight: c. 1,2 kg (2.65 lbs)
• Length when opened: c. 72 cm (28.3”)
• Length when closed: c. 53 cm (20.9”)
• Shovel head width: c. 16 cm (6.3”)
• Wooden shaft

History

During WWII, many folks realized that it might be smart to put a folding shovel head on an E-tool. Not only do you get a more easily carried shovel but also a very practical pick. The US folding E-tool was issued in 1943. It didn’t manage to replace the older T-handle shovel but was used on all fronts. The idea was so good that e.g. French, Belgians, and also Danes copied it.

Features

This E-tool is of the good old M-1943 style made famous by the US. It is possible that there are American-made E-tools among the Danish ones. They look very similar, although not completely identical.

The features are the same though, a wooden shaft without a handle and the possibility to fold it in different positions (carrying, shoveling, and hoeing). Handles are for sissies anyway. Digging trenches isn’t supposed to be fun and games! The whole thing is painted green but the shade can vary a bit. These don’t come with a carrier but these fit very nicely in the US M-1943 E-tool carrier.

Condition

Used Danish military surplus. These have been used for digging all sorts of holes during all those years. The paint is often stripped, metal scratched and a bit dented but these are all otherwise intact. Because these are decades old, we cannot give any mega guarantees on the shaft for the upcoming decades. These were made to last though. And handy folks can of course replace the wooden shaft if a need arises at some point.