entrenching shovels

[camillus]

I have read over the years that i WWI and again in Vietnam that grunts sharpened the edges of thier Etool to use as a hand to hand weapon is there any thing to that thanks Mike

[Ronny67]

It would be hard to keep it sharp in the field. Killing someone with an E-tool is sexy to think about, but in reality a blunt e-tool is going to do the same damage a sharpened one would. Mostly its the weight of the thing that would be doing the most damage. I doubt even a sharpened GI e-tool would pierce much. Then as soon as you need to dig with it , its blunt again. My thoughts...

[camillus]

i see your point but they would make a great slashing weapon, but it is one of those things that make a good story but is it reality, thanks for your input

[Garandomatic]

When i read about it, it was the Germans in wwi that did it. May just be an old wive's tale.

[268th C.A.]

If you think about it, just as a Calvary sabre is not sharp, It was designed to break the shin, not cut it! It would have the same effect as a sabre. I see no reason to sharpen the blade. In times of need anything becomes a weapon in the right hands, including a pen or pencil. So I tend to agree with Grandomatic here....

[sactroop]

It's not uncommon at all for people who use shovels on a regular basis to put a file to the edge and introduce a bevel to it. Granted that bevel will normally produce an edge that more closely resembles something still considered rather blunt, but it does improve the efficiency of the tool in use. I tend to think something like this is the true origins of such stories. When things go to h*** grab the closest, hardest, thing at hand and apply with the worst intentions.

[ccyooper]

Don't have any WWII e-tools handy but one edge on the M-67 and later e-tool is sharpened for cutting roots, etc. While I suspect some may have sharpened their e-tool edges after WWI, it probably didn't happen that often. I think they would have spent more time working on their weapon and bayonet, etc.

[camillus]

thanks for your input, I thinks is in the realm of who nos. But I can see why it wouldn't be common. I have had a couple etools and would not want to get hit with one. Thanks

[BagmanL6]

I have a relative who served was a Machine Gun Squad Leader as a Marine Corps Sgt. He shared with me amongst other things when I first started my career that they would sharpen their entrenching tools. They also wore them upside down on their belts so that when they unsnapped the cover it would slide out tool end first so that they could grab the handle on the way out. He wasn't a "talker" when it came to his combat time. Tidbits like this would just sort of slip out over time. I have no reason to doubt his word.

[Ronnie]

If you think about it, just as a Calvary sabre is not sharp, It was designed to break the shin, not cut it! It would have the same effect as a sabre. I see no reason to sharpen the blade. In times of need anything becomes a weapon in the right hands, including a pen or pencil. So I tend to agree with Grandomatic here....

I don't want to sound like a smart arse but it's "Cavalry".....Calvary was where Christ was crucified.

Thanks.

Ronnie