colfaxer Posted December 10, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 10, 2009 M-1943 Entrenching Tool Marked: WOOD 1942 (or 43, last digit hard to make out) Cover marked: VL DUNAS MFG CO. 1944 I found the shovel in an RV storage compartment when I worked at an RV shop when I was a kid. The RV shop bought the RV this was in). I kept this shovel in the trunk of my VW bug for a long time, then finally realized it was a possible WWII item(?). I bought the cover at a flea market fairly recently. Any info on these items with regard to value and any other info, is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted December 10, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 10, 2009 You do have valuable, or even very valuable item. Market is flooded by the M1943 e-tools made by Ames Baldwin Wyoming Co. whereas you specimen belongs to much smaller group of those e-tools manufactured by the Wood Shovel and Tool Company of Piqua. Also date 1943 is ultra rare and hard to find today. Cover is made by W.L. Dumas Mfg. Co. and is correct for WWII era e-tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilko1 Posted December 10, 2009 Share #3 Posted December 10, 2009 http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...?showtopic=1062 I have only ever seen a couple of AFH.co 1943,More Wood 43 and lots Ames 43.But all seem a bit thin on the ground at the moment,More so in NOS condition as them in quoted thread..They are the only three makers of the tool i know of.. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colfaxer Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted December 14, 2009 Thanks guys. (Gregory - thanks for the proper name of the cover mfg!) Few more thoughts/questions: 1) do anything to it (the metal) to preserve or leave it alone? 2) store it in the cover or out of the cover 3) any idea as to value (replacement/insurance)? Thanks, Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted December 14, 2009 Share #5 Posted December 14, 2009 3) any idea as to value (replacement/insurance)? Mint/near mint/excellent/ Ames-made 1944 dated are for $40.00-75.00 Mint/near mint/excellent/ Ames-made 1943 dated are for abstract prices "who can pay more" Mint/near mint/excellent/ Wood-made 1944 dated are for $90.00-140.00 Mint/near mint/excellent/ Wood-made 1943 dated are for totally abstract money, $200.00, 300.00 etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyClanton Posted December 16, 2009 Share #6 Posted December 16, 2009 Howdy I have a 1943 Wood & 2 1944 Ames. I will hafta dig them out to see what the covers are marked. Memory not what it usta be. These were first intro'ed in 1943 and 1944 were the most common dates. They were preceded by one with a fold-out pick added to it. Then with the tri=fold in Viet Nam Billy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earlymb Posted December 16, 2009 Share #7 Posted December 16, 2009 In a perfect world a 1943 dated M1943 shovel would have a first model (fixed hanger) cover. Preferably dated 1943 of course ! I'll post a pic of mine later. Greetz David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr-X Posted December 16, 2009 Share #8 Posted December 16, 2009 I guess I'll stop using my 1943 dated A.F. & H. in the garden :w00t: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted December 16, 2009 Share #9 Posted December 16, 2009 I guess I'll stop using my 1943 dated A.F. & H. in the garden :w00t: Good idea. You do have the most expensive garden shovel in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mustang5l5 Posted April 9, 2011 Share #10 Posted April 9, 2011 Mint/near mint/excellent/ Ames-made 1944 dated are for $40.00-75.00Mint/near mint/excellent/ Ames-made 1943 dated are for abstract prices "who can pay more" Mint/near mint/excellent/ Wood-made 1944 dated are for $90.00-140.00 Mint/near mint/excellent/ Wood-made 1943 dated are for totally abstract money, $200.00, 300.00 etc. What about Wood-made 1945 date....which is what I have. Not really concerned about value, but more about rarity. Where does 1945-wood compare to the others. Since not mentioned...I'll assume it was more common? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted April 9, 2011 Share #11 Posted April 9, 2011 Good idea. You do have the most expensive garden shovel in the world. What do these go for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Boghots Posted April 10, 2011 Share #12 Posted April 10, 2011 That "Wood" is a very nice find, Jeff. :thumbsup: I've hung onto a '43 Wood for years, and consider it my favorite of my M43's. Other M43's in the stable are: 3-Ames '44's, 1-Ames '45. Sold off several '43's and T-Handles in the last ten years, including an M43 A.F. & H. - But I just can't seem to completely shake my obsession with them Best regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted April 12, 2011 Share #13 Posted April 12, 2011 I would say '44 seems to be the most commonly encountered, perhaps the contracts were suspended in '45 and therefore less than a full year's worth were made? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milsurp_Fan Posted April 8, 2017 Share #14 Posted April 8, 2017 Is it ok to reply to old threads? I have this shovel marked US WOOD 1944, it appears mint/unissued and looks very close to an M1943 but lacks the folding mechanism... Any ideas on what I have here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomfixer Posted April 10, 2017 Share #15 Posted April 10, 2017 Kind of an odd duck with out the lock...looks either never used or refurbed...? wouldn't the handle be OD also if NOS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milsurp_Fan Posted April 10, 2017 Share #16 Posted April 10, 2017 That's what I thought, it looks never used and don't think it was refurbed. It should be riveted to the handle but instead has a bolt although it looks factory or very well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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