wh500special 2,170 #1 Posted December 9, 2023 I was sorting through dad’s pile of old tools looking for a digging fork and uncovered this thing. He remembers his dad having it in the garage since he was a kid but doesn’t remember grandpa ever using it for anything. Hard to get pix since it was kind of dark and the rusty patina blended in against gravel, rocks, and the ground. the tip is ground pretty sharp and it doesn’t seem to have any welds or modifications that are visible. The little flipper thing doesn’t have any apparent function other than providing a place to put your foot. Handle and grip is all wood. Like all old stuff, has a lot of metal. Anybody know what it’s for? Steve 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ri702bill 8,316 #2 Posted December 9, 2023 Perhaps a sod or peat cutting "shovel" ?? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,535 #3 Posted December 9, 2023 Looks like there was a lower part to the flipper thingy...? Does it appear like it broke off or is missing? I'm thinking lever / arm to clear the front of the device...? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wh500special 2,170 #4 Posted December 9, 2023 Nothing obvious missing, but it sure seems like it would have had something attached to that thing. It really has very little range of motion so not sure if it was always on there or if it was added at some point. Grandpa was a factory worker and did miscellaneous work, so no idea where this came from or if he just picked it up at an auction or something 70+ years ago. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,435 #5 Posted December 9, 2023 Potato harvester? Other crop harvester? I do like that sod cutter idea. Maybe a root cutter for transplanting something? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Newbie 7,069 #6 Posted December 10, 2023 It is an open tiling spade, used for cutting trenches in clay type soils. Digging in clay soil is like slicing cheese… 2 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Newbie 7,069 #7 Posted December 10, 2023 (edited) This is a seldom seen, antique, open tiling spade for digging trenches in clay type soils. When digging in clay it is like cutting cheese with a knife, the deeper you go the harder it is to push because the cheese sticks to the knife that is why cheese cutters are made out of wire. This tiling tool uses the same principle of having less surface area for the clay to stick to. These were blacksmith made and many ended up broken from abuse. Edited December 10, 2023 by Horse Newbie 2 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wh500special 2,170 #9 Posted December 10, 2023 1 hour ago, Horse Newbie said: It is an open tiling spade, used for cutting trenches in clay type soils. Digging in clay soil is like slicing cheese… THANKS! That didn’t take very long at all. If the blade is supposed to have those horns in it like you pictured it appears that ours is quite well used. although by and large we in southern Illinois are blessed with incredibly good soil, we do have swaths of clay and gumbo where something like this probably offered good utility. Nice to know what it is. I wonder what other oddities are in the shed… Steve 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
