Loose/wobbly handle on M-1910 T-handle shovel

[ken88]

Hi,

 

Has anyone ever had a T-handle shovel with a loose handle (hand grip) issue? If so, does anyone know of a fix? 

 

There's a big gap next to the bottom joint on mine from natural wear and age I guess, or from the wood contracting, which causes the handle to wobble. From what I've found the wood may be too dry and soaking it in water (causing it to swell) could be the solution but I'm not willing to try this without getting some sound advice. 

 

Thanks

 

 

[dmar836]

Soaking in water was common in the day. Model T wheels would dry like that and the occasion drive through the creek was common, affordable maintenance. Water, though, does evaporate so is not a permanent solution to dried wood. Permanent/"proper" solution would involve disassembling the handle rivets. Workarounds like pouring glue, etc. are no better for the collectibility than having it loose IMO.

Unless you are using the tool is the looseness a problem?

Dave

[ken88]

Hi Dave,

 

Thanks for the reply and advice! The looseness isn't a huge problem, and totally something that is to be expected from a tool that's been through war, digging foxholes and what not,, in that respect correcting the problem is more of a disrespect to the shovel's service life, totally aware of that, perhaps I am overthinking this and trying to correct the issue could do more harm than good. This shovel won't be used and on display you can't really tell that the shovel has a loose handle, a minor defect if you will, but on the other hand if you think of it, perhaps a completely natural result of its service life, so all things considered, probably just best leave it be, as long as there is no risk of the handle separating from the joint? The gap that was factory cut in the wood (to be be placed in between the iron) has become larger, that's all there is to it. The problem may in fact be a deformation in the iron or expansion thereof, but I'm not thinking of correcting that with a hammer, which I'm sure would only do more harm than good, possibly even damaging or splitting the wood, so there's nope to that.  

Thanks again

Best regards

Ken

[dmar836]

Is this the M1910? Great looking tools!

[ken88]

The M1910, yes. It's stamped US in the wood and iron, but undated

[dmar836]

Cool! I've always liked those over the collapsible entrenching tools.

Dave