just as a quick second thought this AM..i saw a bit on TV about Russian forest--read Taga- fire fighters.they went into remote places by aircraft and to save weight just took the spade part of the shovel and cut a handle on the spot.they were mostly digging fire lines in peat type soil as far as i could see.
WARNING & DISCLAIMER:
SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted
on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please
review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this
site.