John - here's a couple photos. Hope they help you appreciate the size better than a ruler (which to my scientific side seemed a better way, but no worries). Please note I have pretty big hands (size 8 gloves), so my hands make them look a bit smaller than they really are when I look at these photos. Anyway . . .

Size comparison:



Big Dig in typical ready-to-be-used position:

Edited by QiWiz on 06/17/2011 07:52:58 MDT.

Thank you!!

Just transferred money for an Original.

The Big Dig is still smaller than your average elephant turd!

Edited by colinm on 06/17/2011 18:25:59 MDT.

$36 via paypal. Can't wait! Thanks Rob!

Jacob of hikeitlikeit.com has written a nice instructive post on his blog with favorable commentary on the lightest cathole trowels on the planet. He got one of the first batch from October 2010 before the yellow handles became standard. I can dig it!
Check it out at:

http://hikeitlikeit.com/2011/

The problem with the trowel is that it needs a big hole on the handle end. Then you could easily use it as a tent stake. Maybe Version Two will have that.

As it stands, you can only use it as a potty trowel or as a very large soup spoon.

--B.G.--

Thanks for sharing the link, Robert. It's possible that BPL censored it due to the word p-o-o-p appearing in it, if that's the case this little encoded link should work:

http://bit.ly/mazTm4



With regard to not having a hole in the end; adding one could benefit some users I suppose, but I wouldn't call it a problem. The trowel works as advertised :)

Next, Robert needs to write a 50-page user guide to supply with Version 2.

--B.G.--

That's great, Robert!



B.G. - I'm [sincerely] confused on how a bigger hole in the handle would better allow the trowel to be used as a stake. If it's a matter of line attachment and angling back the trowel doesn't work, wouldn't a small loop of appropriate lightweight cordage suffice as an attachment point?

As it is, it could be used as a dead-man, I think.


Of course, a bigger hole in the handle would make it a pinch lighter!

Aaron, the photos show no holes at all in the handle. So, what do you mean by a bigger hole?

Most tent stakes have either a hook or an eye for attachment.

--B.G.--

B.G. - now I see where you're coming from.

Robert's trowels do have a hole in the handle; without measuring mine, I'd say it's about 1/8" or so. The yellow coating on the handle nearly fills the hole and you can barely make it out in the pictures on this page (3), but you can clearly see them on the first page of this thread.

Edited by AaronMB on 06/24/2011 20:37:11 MDT.

The May 14 photos show holes. The later photos show no holes. It appears as though there was a design change (a "slipstream release"). Of course, the ones with holes would be slightly lighter in weight, which is a plus. Also, you can easily tie to them, which is a plus. So, it seems that the two pluses have been eliminated.

--B.G.--

Hmmm... the case of the vanishing holes. Mine never had one to begin with. Now I feel like I've missed out on the revolution.

Mine has a hole that is filled in with the yellow rubber. I could easily poke it out if I need to.

Just to clear up the confusion . . . the very first dozen trowels I made in the Fall of 2010 (without yellow handles) did not have holes. All trowels made in 2011 have yellow handles and holes. The yellow rubbery coating often fills the hole, making it harder to see the hole in a picture. That's why some pictures show holes and some do not (but the holes are there). Those that would like to add a thin cord to their trowel can just poke through the coating. No worries, mate!

Order sent. It was the yellow handles that sold me. :o)

Michael

Edited to note that I send payment to the wrong address (D'oh!). Fortunately, the other fellow was honest enough to refund the money (Woo-hoo!). I gotta pay more attention...

Edited by MichaelReagan on 06/25/2011 00:47:35 MDT.

Discovered another use for the trowel this weekend. Water was hard to come by, so I had to dig a sump with my "Original" trowel where there was a little trickle of water. The hole filled with water, I scooped it out, filtered it, and wasn't thirsty anymore.

Stargazer

P.S. I hope everybody cleans and sanitizes their trowel after every use. ;-)

Hey All,

I got my trowel last week and had a chance to put it to some use :)


I badly needed to get my mind off work today so I spent tonight working on a video.

Its kind of a video comparing another trowel, a stake, and this Ti trowel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWNZPUVO81M

I think for where I live, I am going to pick up the larger one and see if I can get any better performance from it.

Also thinking of putting my duck tape around the handle. This would get the duck tape off my hiking GGLT4 hiking pole (less weight there, eh!) and give the trowel a little bit better hand protection.

OK trowel fans, FYI I will be away from 7/15 through 7/24, so any orders placed after 7/13 and before 7/24 will probably not ship until 7/25 or 7/26 when I'm back home. So if you are in a hurry, just be sure to get your order in by 7/13. Can you dig it?

Edited by QiWiz on 07/23/2011 16:35:07 MDT.

I'm now back from my West Coast swing. Trowel production and shipping are resuming Monday 7/25 (orders placed tonight and tomorrow will ship then; next day shipping as a general rule will continue henceforth) ; )