US WW2 Entrenching tool

**billers** · 10-05-2017, 12:04 PM

Hi, i am pretty sure this is genuine ..... right shaped handle etc ..... but, i cannot find the tell-tale US mark close to the base of the blade. H

ave I bought a dud?

**rra227** · 10-05-2017, 04:59 PM

Maybe if you cleaned in the correct spot you may find a mark. Rich A. in Pa.

**billers** · 10-05-2017, 05:01 PM

So, how about some help Rich!

**earlymb** · 10-05-2017, 06:15 PM

The marking should be on one of the sides of the blade, around the height of the rivets of the hinge.

**USNV5** · 10-30-2017, 05:39 PM

by billers

Hi, i am pretty sure this is genuine ..... right shaped handle etc ..... but, i cannot find the tell-tale US mark close to the base of the blade. H

ave I bought a dud?

Not necessarily a dud, but the handle does not match the one I have had for years. As earlymb says, the markings and a date should be between the handle and the edge of the blade. But the handle on yours is different from mine. Is it possible that yours is German? The U.S.copied their e-tool from Germany.

**billers** · 10-31-2017, 09:14 AM

Thanks, it was a €5 buy from a farmer near St Lo in Normandy so no great loss if its a dud. That said, will follow up on the German possibility. David

**earlymb** · 10-31-2017, 11:14 AM

Not German I think as the collar ring is not bakelite and the blade doesn't have the re-enforcement ribs. Remove the paint on the inside of the blade, left and right of the hinge as it will be stamped there if it's a real US shovel. If you want I'll post a pic of where mine are stamped.

**Rescue190** · 10-31-2017, 01:37 PM

The US M1943 entrenching tool was reverse engineered from the German entrenching tool to replace the M1910 shovel. There does not appear to be a standard for the location of markings on the shovels. There were also variations in the handles with some of the makers. The metal hilt also is shorter on most fakes. The rivets also look good. Most fakes have straight handles, this one is tapered. The aluminum locking nut also looks good. It looks like a good US shovel to me. Thanks for posting.
John