Topic ID #6800 - posted 1/26/2010 4:59 PM
Massey914
My first trowel!
Massey914
Well...not my first, but the one I will be using for field schools and volunteer digs during the summer. Is this one legit?
http://store.marshalltown.com/productDetail1.asp?P=16949&sDept=900&sSect=901&sCat=C9002&FromSearch=9002-Base
http://store.marshalltown.com/productDetail1.asp?P=16949&sDept=900&sSect=901&sCat=C9002&FromSearch=9002-Base
Post ID#17145 - replied 1/26/2010 5:26 PM
FireArch
Moderator
A perfectly fine trowel, though I'm sure BAJR would want you to buy one of his English trowels.
You may also want to consider a margin trowel: http://store.marshalltown.com/productDetail1.asp?P=11202&sDept=900&sSect=902&sCat=C9004&FromSearch=9004-Base
Both have their uses when digging. The rubberized handles are supposed to reduce fatigue. I prefer the wood handles as this allows for decorative wood-working opportunities (figures, rings, initials, etc.) to make your trowel identifiable to you and others. It is quite easy to "lose" your trowel amongst others hanging around a unit.
You may also want to consider a margin trowel: http://store.marshalltown.com/productDetail1.asp?P=11202&sDept=900&sSect=902&sCat=C9004&FromSearch=9004-Base
Both have their uses when digging. The rubberized handles are supposed to reduce fatigue. I prefer the wood handles as this allows for decorative wood-working opportunities (figures, rings, initials, etc.) to make your trowel identifiable to you and others. It is quite easy to "lose" your trowel amongst others hanging around a unit.
Post ID#17146 - replied 1/26/2010 5:38 PM
FireArch
Moderator
Also, once you have your trowel, degrease it with an appropriate cleaner, then clear coat it with a good spray acrylic enamel. This will help minimize rust to the areas not often used, and means that you wont be contaminating soils or artifacts with any type of oils that you may have used for the same purposes.
Post ID#17147 - replied 1/26/2010 5:39 PM
Massey914
In the past I have just put a piece of green(favorite color) tape around my handles to make sure I know what is mine! But, I imagine it would be cool to have some woodworking on your handle. Also, if someone didn't just "accidentally" pick it up, they could just take the piece of tape off. Surely no one would ever do that though...lol
Post ID#17148 - replied 1/26/2010 5:55 PM
FireArch
Moderator
Ya, the tape trick is fine, but has shortcomings as you noted, plus there's the adhesive that manages to find itself along the margins of the tape when it gets hot, or as the tape shrinks, sticking to you.... I've seen one or two really well done carved handles over the years. Looks really cool, and carries on the tradition of personalizing one's tools of the trade.
Post ID#17149 - replied 1/26/2010 6:03 PM
Massey914
What cleaner and acrylic enamel would you advise?
Post ID#17150 - replied 1/26/2010 6:37 PM
FireArch
Moderator
Any good household cleaner should work, soap and water, 409, Simple Green, etc. As to clear coat, something like this http://www.spaceagepaint.com/product_detail.aspx?id_product=8570
You could even varnish the whole thing, if you go the wood handle route. A spar varnish or similar polyurethane would work. Many option available.
You could even varnish the whole thing, if you go the wood handle route. A spar varnish or similar polyurethane would work. Many option available.
Post ID#17151 - replied 1/26/2010 7:13 PM
Massey914
Great. I wouldn't have thought of this on my own, so thanks. Is this a pretty standard practice field wide?
Post ID#17152 - replied 1/26/2010 7:38 PM
FireArch
Moderator
In terms of prep'ing and painting, not that I am aware. It's just something that I've done personally and found it keeps my trowels a bit cleaner over the years, esp if I'm water screening or have to wash clays off of them. Then there are the long stretches between excavation gigs where they just dont get the use that they should.
Post ID#17153 - replied 1/26/2010 10:21 PM
prisoner
that's some intense trowel treatment. I never do anything with my trowels other than clean them when they are dirty and sharpen them when they are dull. Still have my first two trowels I bought 20 years ago and they work fine. I guess different climates and conditions may be a factor. I have on occassion spray painted the handles of my trowels bright orange since it can be easy to lose your trowel in cornfields or tall grass, even when it is right in front of you.
Post ID#17154 - replied 1/26/2010 10:45 PM
redleg
For me, a wood handle trowel just feels right. I don't care for the plastic handle ones at all, and that's all you find in the box stores now. I always find mine in old stock stores, but they're getting scarce. So, thanks for the source, and kudos to Marshalltown for keeping the equipment running! I toured the factory in Iowa back about ten years ago. It was great! I'm going to get a t-shirt. And a hat. That's all I need! :lol:
Post ID#17155 - replied 1/27/2010 8:09 AM
Jennifer Palmer
Webmaster
"I have on occassion spray painted the handles of my trowels bright orange since it can be easy to lose your trowel in cornfields or tall grass, even when it is right in front of you."
One of the big engineering firms that employs many archaeologists issues company tools, and they are all spray-painted bright orange. Having worked for them a few times through the years, I usually picked another color for my personal trowels, or even a few stripes of different colors to make all my hand tools stand out, along with the requisite carvings. More than once it has saved me grief looking for that trowel or archaeological patiche that someone picked up and carried away on a big block excavation. You will find that it's possible to become quite attached to "your" equipment, especially if you've somehow managed to hang onto the same trowel for x number of years without losing it in a cornfield or having someone walk away with it.
And I'd go with the wood-handled Marshalltowns any day. They are still available in the archaeologyfieldwork.com Amazon store too (shameless plug, I know).
Jennifer
One of the big engineering firms that employs many archaeologists issues company tools, and they are all spray-painted bright orange. Having worked for them a few times through the years, I usually picked another color for my personal trowels, or even a few stripes of different colors to make all my hand tools stand out, along with the requisite carvings. More than once it has saved me grief looking for that trowel or archaeological patiche that someone picked up and carried away on a big block excavation. You will find that it's possible to become quite attached to "your" equipment, especially if you've somehow managed to hang onto the same trowel for x number of years without losing it in a cornfield or having someone walk away with it.
And I'd go with the wood-handled Marshalltowns any day. They are still available in the archaeologyfieldwork.com Amazon store too (shameless plug, I know).
Jennifer
Post ID#17165 - replied 1/27/2010 1:42 PM
Dmack89
The "wildest" trowel personalization I ever remember was a female coworker years ago - she painted the handle alternating stripes of pink and light blue, and then added a few ducks just to be artisitic. May have been a bit over the top, but no one ever mistakenly picked up her trowel.
I used a wood handled marshalltown for ever - unitl a certain state archaeologist borrowed it and broke the blade twisting in some roots - YES even a Marshalltown can break, - but we were all astounded by it.
I like the wooden handle - it ages well over time and you can perosnalize it with cavings (including your initials). My favorite was a circumfential groove - left the full handle intact, but still unique.
I used a wood handled marshalltown for ever - unitl a certain state archaeologist borrowed it and broke the blade twisting in some roots - YES even a Marshalltown can break, - but we were all astounded by it.
I like the wooden handle - it ages well over time and you can perosnalize it with cavings (including your initials). My favorite was a circumfential groove - left the full handle intact, but still unique.
Post ID#17166 - replied 1/27/2010 2:40 PM
FireArch
Moderator
I can attest to breaking a marshalltown. I was shocked!
It was my first margin trowel and had had it for years. It was a good friend and I killed it by trying to pop something out of the ground with it. I did mend it with a TIG welder, but never used it again. I used a wire wheel brush to make it nice and shiny, then clear coated it and hung it up.
Ya, you can kinda get attached to these things.
It was my first margin trowel and had had it for years. It was a good friend and I killed it by trying to pop something out of the ground with it. I did mend it with a TIG welder, but never used it again. I used a wire wheel brush to make it nice and shiny, then clear coated it and hung it up.
Ya, you can kinda get attached to these things.
Post ID#17167 - replied 1/27/2010 2:46 PM
FireArch
Moderator
[quote:="prisoner"]that's some intense trowel treatment.
Ya it is, but mine live in the back of my truck, and I spend a fair amount of time in a coastal environment when not working, so it pays off by not having a pair of trowels rusted together.
Ya it is, but mine live in the back of my truck, and I spend a fair amount of time in a coastal environment when not working, so it pays off by not having a pair of trowels rusted together.
Post ID#17169 - replied 1/28/2010 12:02 AM
prisoner
I certainly prefer Marshalltown and cannot stand the new rubber handled ones. I actually like the way my wooden handle has a little bit of slip to it. Mostly I just like the classic wood look, probably why I don't do much decorating. My first two trowels were actually Goldblatt trowels, not sure if they even make those still, a margin trowel and a 6" pointy. These have held up for 20 years now, so still doing well, although the pointy one is semi retired.
It is interesting how attached we are to our tools. I don't personalize my tools much, but I could pick them out of a lineup in no time. People seem to respect the trowel more too. I have had crew walk off with my tapes, munsells, compasses, but never my trowel. When they have walked off with it they usually call and return it. The funny thing is that losing most of my gear is really just annoying from a money sense, if I lost my trowel it would break my heart, probably same for my rock hammer too. One project I was on we returned to a survey area a couple of months after the survey to do some testing and one of our coworkers had accidentally buried his trowel in a shovel test. He remembered the location and we went back to it so he could dig it up.
It is interesting how attached we are to our tools. I don't personalize my tools much, but I could pick them out of a lineup in no time. People seem to respect the trowel more too. I have had crew walk off with my tapes, munsells, compasses, but never my trowel. When they have walked off with it they usually call and return it. The funny thing is that losing most of my gear is really just annoying from a money sense, if I lost my trowel it would break my heart, probably same for my rock hammer too. One project I was on we returned to a survey area a couple of months after the survey to do some testing and one of our coworkers had accidentally buried his trowel in a shovel test. He remembered the location and we went back to it so he could dig it up.
Post ID#17170 - replied 1/28/2010 12:18 AM
Massey914
Sounds like I might catch some flack for my cushioned handle. I just want to be as comfortable as possible with the tool that I will be using the most.
Post ID#17172 - replied 1/28/2010 6:40 AM
Jennifer Palmer
Webmaster
I don't think you'll necessarily catch flack, as a lot of folks do have the cushioned-handled style. I think it's just a case of people have their preferences.
Post ID#17189 - replied 1/28/2010 12:44 PM
Dmack89
I have used both cushioned and wood handles, and prefer the wood - it has different "feel" - and I just dont mean hard vs. soft. I have a sense that I can feel things in the ground better with a wood handle. both kinds will give you a "tink" if you hit something - but I think I can actually feel it better when I first touch something hard with a wood handle - carries the vibration better -??
Post ID#17191 - replied 1/28/2010 12:53 PM
Dmack89
I did a google search to see what might be posted out there for decorated trowels - like this one by Daniel Leen http://www.danielleen.com/art.php
would anyone with out of the ordinary trowels be willing to share photos? might make a cool little image gallery
[/img]
would anyone with out of the ordinary trowels be willing to share photos? might make a cool little image gallery
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Post ID#17194 - replied 1/28/2010 1:01 PM
Massey914
I never thought about it in terms of being able to "feel" objects. That seems like a legitimate reason. Can anyone else attest to this?
Post ID#17204 - replied 1/29/2010 2:39 AM
fresno
Ah yes, the abominable rubber grip-handled Marshalltown trowel! I don't know why these catch so much flack. I have owned a couple and found them to feel very comfortable in the hand. I currently use a wooden-handled trowel and have probably worn down, snapped, or lost about ten or so over the years. Quality-wise, in my opinion, there is no difference between the two varieties. I have noticed lately that sometimes Marshalltown puts out some lousy trowels--loose wooden handles, crappy welds, flimsy blades. Overall, though, they are still hands down number one.
Massey, after you get some dig hours under your belt, you should be able to "read" the dirt with your trowel. You will feel and even hear changes in one stratum to the next and pick up on anomalies like soft and hard spots (pits, postholes, feature edges, etc.). However, I don't think one type of trowel handle makes it any easier to feel changes in the dirt than the other.
Another thing to consider is blade size. Personally, I prefer a smaller blade- five inches-because it give me more control and a stronger pull. A six inch blade could move more dirt, but using one for me is like walking around in flippers--not a pretty sight. I kinda get trowels for free because I'm indentured to one CRM company, so any time I get a hold of a six inch trowel, I immediately angle-grind it down to a five inch. Unfortunately, those, as well as wooden-handled trowels, are getting hard to find these days. Oh and it is a lot easier to break 'em when you get 'em for free! :lol:
Massey, after you get some dig hours under your belt, you should be able to "read" the dirt with your trowel. You will feel and even hear changes in one stratum to the next and pick up on anomalies like soft and hard spots (pits, postholes, feature edges, etc.). However, I don't think one type of trowel handle makes it any easier to feel changes in the dirt than the other.
Another thing to consider is blade size. Personally, I prefer a smaller blade- five inches-because it give me more control and a stronger pull. A six inch blade could move more dirt, but using one for me is like walking around in flippers--not a pretty sight. I kinda get trowels for free because I'm indentured to one CRM company, so any time I get a hold of a six inch trowel, I immediately angle-grind it down to a five inch. Unfortunately, those, as well as wooden-handled trowels, are getting hard to find these days. Oh and it is a lot easier to break 'em when you get 'em for free! :lol:
Post ID#17211 - replied 1/29/2010 12:42 PM
Dmack89
I agree about those smaller trowels - in most situations. Having a variety can be helpful as well depending on what you are doing and where sometimes you want one that is only 2 inches long - for working in tight spaces, sometimes a 6 (or even large - almost a small shovel) can be useful if you are removing a lot of overburden and really shouldn't be finding anything anyway. Edge treatment is another place for variabitility. In most cased I like to keep my edge fairly sharp - makes for a nice clean cut in sand, silt or clay, and can be a huge help for dealing with small roots/rootlets. But if I am in some heavily graveled till - a sharp edge will quickly wear down and not give you much help - so a duller edge works just as well.
The art of trowling - could be a whole 2-3 day workshop, if not more =)
The art of trowling - could be a whole 2-3 day workshop, if not more =)
Post ID#17214 - replied 1/29/2010 3:05 PM
fresno
One other good thing about the wooden-handled trowels is that if you have a personalized handle-like that awesome Pacific Northwest carving-you can remove it and put it on a new blade should it snap or get worn down to the point of being useless. I have yet to figure out how to remove the rubber-handled grips from the metal part.
BTW, I have found that JB weld is great for keeping a loose handle from slipping. The downside is that it is permanently attached, so forget switching the handle out later.
BTW, I have found that JB weld is great for keeping a loose handle from slipping. The downside is that it is permanently attached, so forget switching the handle out later.
Post ID#17223 - replied 1/29/2010 5:27 PM
scottyj432
Well....consider me an outcast in the field of archaeology, but I am no fan of Marshalltown trowels. Everyone I have ever owned has broken on me, whereas, several of the off brands, both wood and cushioned handled, have held up quite well.
Scott
Scott
Post ID#17247 - replied 2/1/2010 6:11 AM
PennFarms73
As long as you arent buying one of those 2.99 dollar spot welded trowels, just about any will get the job done. Personally, after 15 years of CRM, Ive found that Marshalltown performs NO BETTER than other trowels of similar quality. Ive snapped numerous Marshalltowns and have also had a few loosen in the handle so they swivel when you want to trowel. Plus they seem really expensive these days. Its like the old chevy/ford debate. It doesnt really matter, its what you like. Dont get hung up on brand names, just look for one that feels good in your hand and is not spot welded.
I like to see what kind of trowel Estwing would come up with. Then, MAYBE, Id worry about brand names.
I like to see what kind of trowel Estwing would come up with. Then, MAYBE, Id worry about brand names.
Post ID#17249 - replied 2/1/2010 8:21 AM
FireArch
Moderator
"I like to see what kind of trowel Estwing would come up with. Then, MAYBE, Id worry about brand names."
That would be neat, but they'd cost about $30 apiece. :-o
That would be neat, but they'd cost about $30 apiece. :-o
Post ID#17260 - replied 2/2/2010 10:14 AM
Classarch
The truth of the matter when it comes to trowels is the only thing which matters is personal preference. I have used the Kobalt rubber handled, both pointing and margin, trowels for years and I love them. The only problem is after some heavy use the weld on the pointing trowel sometimes breaks. I have had 3 and only 1 broke (other 2 were lost). Their handles are ergonomically designed to fit into the hand in a more natural manner than some wood trowels (they are thicker towards the front) and that is one reason why I prefer them.
For Christmas I received a new trowel and kit from my fiance from Past Horizons.
http://www.pasthorizons.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=39&product_id=89
&
http://www.pasthorizons.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=39&product_id=58
Have to say I love the new trowel, even with the wood handle. It is a one-piece forged handle and blade. The blade is much thicker than most other trowels I have seen. The neck shaft is 2" long allowing for a much more comfortable feel, angle and allows extra room for the knuckles. I'm a big guy so I need it!
The great thing is that we have OPTIONS due to the multiple companies making a variety of trowels.
For Christmas I received a new trowel and kit from my fiance from Past Horizons.
http://www.pasthorizons.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=39&product_id=89
&
http://www.pasthorizons.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=39&product_id=58
Have to say I love the new trowel, even with the wood handle. It is a one-piece forged handle and blade. The blade is much thicker than most other trowels I have seen. The neck shaft is 2" long allowing for a much more comfortable feel, angle and allows extra room for the knuckles. I'm a big guy so I need it!
The great thing is that we have OPTIONS due to the multiple companies making a variety of trowels.
Post ID#17265 - replied 2/2/2010 12:08 PM
PennFarms73
""I like to see what kind of trowel Estwing would come up with. Then, MAYBE, Id worry about brand names."
That would be neat, but they'd cost about $30 apiece. :-o"
TRUE......But I could probably figure out a way to charge it to a project though. :)
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