Description, strengths and weaknesses of the titanium shovel
Content
Description and characteristics
Conventional bayonet shovels, commonly used in summer cottages, have a steel working surface. It often has to be sharpened in the process of work, the earth sticks to it, this creates certain inconveniences, you have to stop and clean. After the first day of work, the steel shovel looks like it has been working all season - dirty, scratched. It needs to be stored properly, to ensure that it does not rust, but we are all used to such troubles. But then the Zubr shovel appeared, it is made of titanium, and this is its main difference. It has a number of advantages over steel, but nothing is perfect, it also has its drawbacks.
The titanium shovel "Zubr", which is produced by OJSC Ural, can make it easier for a summer resident to excavate, even give pleasure - it is so convenient. A bayonet shovel made of titanium has a pointed blade, the dimensions of its working surface are 22 cm by 30 cm; m 44 cm.
Titanium is the lightest of metals, which becomes a huge advantage in the tool, the sharpened edge of the blade does not need sharpening, as is the case with steel counterparts. She may have a curved handle, this is an additional plus, since working with such a handle puts less stress on the back. Although even a straight line with a handle also creates a comfortable stop and leverage when digging.
Folding models are very interesting, they make it possible to fix the working blade in three positions. On the road, it is good to turn the blade to the handle, in this position the shovel is safe and easy to transport (probably for this, folding models were invented). For work, in addition to the usual position, when the blade is directed in the opposite direction from the handle, and most importantly, it is fixed, you can use one more position: when the working blade rotates perpendicular to the handle and is securely fixed. In this position, the shovel turns into a kind of hoe, that is, one tool can perform several functions. There are also sapper shovels made of titanium, they are with a shortened handle.
Advantages
“Zubr”, unlike the one who worked with it, after a hard day's work looks exactly the same as before. The earth does not stick to it, even wet, no scratches and scuffs can be found. Moreover, it does not even rust, does not oxidize, and the working edge remains sharp and does not require additional sharpening. All this, of course, is due to the remarkable properties of titanium. Since the density of titanium is much higher than the density of ordinary steel, the Zubr shovel is successfully used on hard soils.
In addition, it is very important that the Bison is much lighter than its steel counterparts, they say, 4 times. This is remembered with gratitude not only during work, but when they take it with them on a hike or outing. True, for such cases, you can take a shovel. The sapper can be perfectly used in the garden, it can be convenient to dig in small plants without disturbing the neighboring ones.
The quality of the cutting is very important, because with the unconditional strength of the working blade, it can suffer from stress.
For "Bison" the handle is made of durable wood, it is polished, varnished for convenience and durability. But there is a better, more modern option - a handle made of carbon fiber, it is lighter than wood and much more durable, a worthy partner to titanium. JSC Ural makes cuttings with the possibility of telescopic length adjustment. The kit includes a protective case. Of course, a titanium shovel with a hydrocarbon handle is very light, and the telescopic adjustment allows all family members of all sizes to work with this tool with equal success.
Flaws
The main disadvantage of the Zubr shovel is considered by many to be its price. Conventional bayonet, sapper, folding titanium shovels are much more expensive than their steel counterparts. But they also last much longer, they need to be sharpened much less often - here you can calculate the costs of maintaining a steel shovel, which is constantly used in the garden or at the dacha, and it is not yet known whether the price of "Zubr" after that will be as frightening.
A more significant disadvantage of garden tools can be the fragility, more precisely, the fragility of titanium. It can be used on very heavy hard soils, where a normal shovel will bend, titanium will hold up. But if a very tough opponent is encountered, a piece of the titanium shovel may simply break off. This is already a serious drawback, but you just need to know which soil will have to be processed. It is better to uproot trees with another tool, and with a titanium "Bison" you need to dig up a garden, plant flowers and vegetables - you never know how to work in the country to cultivate the land.
The lightness of the Zubr shovel becomes its disadvantage, when you need to make a lot of efforts to cut through the ground, here you have to press more with your foot, which will not make the work easier.
Video "Folding camping shovel BISON"
Can I do it myself
Often we want to make tools with our own hands, but this is not always advisable. If you have already decided to get hold of a titanium shovel, it is better to purchase a Zubr produced by OJSC Ural, and not to look for it from any craftsmen. The fact is that it is difficult to find real titanium, and it will not work to process it at home, you can only buy it. You can save here only by buying a ready-made working canvas and making a cutting yourself. This can work out even if you want a folding or sapper shovel, but for work in the country you can make a wonderful handle with your own hands, according to your height and weight.
They say that it is the stalk that is more likely to fail. That is, having bought an expensive shovel, the summer resident can use it for many years in a row, but the handle will have to be changed several times during this long operation.