I'm a bit of a nerd for hand tools and I've the same book for axes, and another for hand files lying around somewhere. Around this time these tool companies had a huge array of designs for their tools. It seems like almost every region of America had their own pattern of ax head with a range of sizes to choose from, and their own preference for style of handle, of which there are probably more than you'd expect, and users had their own preference for the style of cutting edge too. You had axes for just about any type of wood cutting job you can imagine. The land was conquered by these tools and the people using them put a lot of care and consideration into them, and it showed.
Nowadays, you still have some regional patterns available, but they're almost all swamp axes (a general purpose axe, not good at any one thing -- the head is too thick for very effective falling, but too thin for very effective splitting). You could thin them out, but filing the cheeks down messes up the temper of the steel. Handles have about two styles to pick from, and they all come clearcoated, which is awful on your hands, unlike linseed oil. Sure you can go boutique, like Gransfors of Hult Bruk, or Tuatahi, but you're looking at spending hundreds, which may actually be more in line with what you would have been spending for a quality tool 100 years ago, if you adjust for inflation.
vmh1928 54 minutes ago [-]
The catalog is a reminder of a time when the prime motive power for moving material was a human. Thus, the large number of different shovels(for different materials and situations,) with a human interface (i.e., the handle.)
Ames was just one of many firms making shovels. Often these were local to a region since transportation costs added excessive costs (unless the target market had no competing shovel makers, say on the frontier.)
The same situation exists for the ax. Look up "vintage ax brands." At one time there were many ax makers, mostly regional, because the ax was still a common tool for shaping wood, again, with the motive power being a human.
In modern times most of this type of work is done by a machine. Possibly human run but a machine so trench digger, auger, backhoe, etc.. (or with the ax, a sawsall, circular saw, chainsaw, etc..) With the result being there are a few shovels for sale in, say, Home Depot, most made in China, and, although most construction companies and landscapers have some shovels they're mostly for situations where a machine can't reach or can't do a fine enough job.
twarge 3 hours ago [-]
These shovels are marvels of mechanical disadvantage. When I had to manually plough a field, the Kodali-type shovel was a much better configuration than a normal shovel because your arms are around the shovel instead of at the far end of a stick.
Isn't that a great way to lose money on AWS, by linking directly to buckets?
bobnamob 5 hours ago [-]
Heh
dtgriscom 3 hours ago [-]
I love the terminology and the details. Back in the day, if you were a professional shoveler, you had to have exactly the right shovel.
Interesting that the best wood for handles was "second growth Northern ash".
baxtr 3 hours ago [-]
I know nothing about shovels. Would have never thought that there is a need for such a variety of different items.
defrost 4 hours ago [-]
There's an extended pro shovel monologue in the gripping Boy's Own Adventure series:
Ripping Yarns Episode 2: The Testing of Eric Olthwaite (1977)
Eric Olthwaite is interested in precipitation patterns in West Yorkshire, shovels and black pudding. He is so boring that his family all leave home to escape him.
One day he is accidentally caught up in a bank robbery and discovers that the robber shares his interests in shovels, black pudding and rainfall so they team up to make daring raids to steal rainfall records.
Eric becomes famous and is considered interesting again, so much so that he is made the mayor of Denley Moor.
Nowadays, you still have some regional patterns available, but they're almost all swamp axes (a general purpose axe, not good at any one thing -- the head is too thick for very effective falling, but too thin for very effective splitting). You could thin them out, but filing the cheeks down messes up the temper of the steel. Handles have about two styles to pick from, and they all come clearcoated, which is awful on your hands, unlike linseed oil. Sure you can go boutique, like Gransfors of Hult Bruk, or Tuatahi, but you're looking at spending hundreds, which may actually be more in line with what you would have been spending for a quality tool 100 years ago, if you adjust for inflation.
In modern times most of this type of work is done by a machine. Possibly human run but a machine so trench digger, auger, backhoe, etc.. (or with the ax, a sawsall, circular saw, chainsaw, etc..) With the result being there are a few shovels for sale in, say, Home Depot, most made in China, and, although most construction companies and landscapers have some shovels they're mostly for situations where a machine can't reach or can't do a fine enough job.
https://www.ppguk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/PPG-UK-NMM-...
https://www.photosnepal.com/photo/a-kodali-blx54z6kz
https://www.stonehill.edu/offices-and-services/archives/indu...
Interesting that the best wood for handles was "second growth Northern ash".
Ripping Yarns Episode 2: The Testing of Eric Olthwaite (1977)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074rnwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYpsz2eAKOs