Finnish surplus shovels

[Jb4046]

This has been my recent obsession. These Finnish army surplus shovels. I bought one pretty cheap since it seemed pretty cool. Then I realised there are tons of variations.

As of right now I have three. One I am pretty is Russian made then used by Finland. One that is German made and given to Finland dated 1938 with a waffenamt stamp plus a maker mark that I can’t remember who And I think a Finnish produced one that is dated 1939.

These shovels certainly have a long history as there are tons of different paint jobs and layers. All I have done to them is give them a coat of raw linseed oil as the wood seem super dry.

SA - means it for the Finnish army
P- means it was issued to a engineer or sapper

The holes were a means of attaching the shovel to the soldier. They have all been modified in the same way by the Finns ( I suppose in effort to make everything standard since the Russian captured examples and German exported ones are pretty different before being modified)

Hopefully you guys have some that you would like to share. I have seen that some of these shovels get dates as far back as 1917! That would be a cool one to get

Cheers
John

“The trio”


The Finnish made 1939 shovel (I think)



The Russian reissued shovel



The German produced 1938 shovel with logo and waffenamt stamp

[Verikauha]

I also have few of these, maybe later I check what stamps they have.

But that hole-hook carrier system in practise didn't seem to working. By default two metals clinking against each other all the time.

In war-time march or troop movement photos they carry these shovel under the belt on the backside.
---

I heard stories about my grand-grandfather always carried a shovel with him, and started digging when troops stopped.
He did get wounded by mortal shrapnels to his back ~1941 or 42. And after war complained that shrapnels would tear his sweaters.

[kradman]

Got a few of these myself mostly ww1 Dated Russian ones

[Verikauha]

I did read yesterday that Finnish machine gun squad carried 1 Billhook, 2 spades and 1 pickaxe.
I wonder how shovels were distributed for others troops.

My shovels, I decided to oil them while I was at it.
I wonder how many foxholes have been made with these.

I think all off these are german made, shortened from long shafted shovels.



H stamp, no idea. And P pioneer. Notice first original steelgrey paint. Brown is rust.


Big and smol [SA] stamps. Maker maybe under the paint. Green paint on top of black paint.


GEBR REIZ, number 803 and SA. Small flakes of steelgrey paint. Brown is rust.

[Jb4046]

I like the completed wooden D handle and the paint. I am considering picking up a few more soon. I wish to include one with paint!

[Verikauha]

Still "surplush shovels"
Finnish army sold all of these to USA after war.
Easier to find finnish made shovel leather carriers from US than in Finland. Bought all of these from ebay.

All of these are russian ww1 shovels. Two left are green leather, two right brown.


1916 made. Green paint on top of black paint.

Green leather. Civil guard stamps, made 1936.


SA and Pioneer, shovel 1917.


Two other leather carriers have only SA stamp.

Russian shovel 1916, base coat steelgrey paint and on top green paint.


Last shovel is devoid of any paint, only rust brown and clear steel.

[toot]

a great collection, thanks for sharing them with us.