Manual demining hand-tool

The “Mini-spade” is a small excavation tool designed to remove spoil loosened with the Pick-prod or the Needle-probe, or to dig entire excavations in soft soils. It is designed so that it cannot be used vertically, and is ineffective on hard soils that have not first been prodded.

The unconventional shape of the tool obliges a kneeling or squatting deminer to work with their hand at a low angle to the ground.

Made using a malleable stainless steel head and shaft, the tool is designed to flex when excess force is applied, so making it difficult to use for excavation of spoil that had not already been loosened – a process that would involve the risk of digging beneath a mine and detonating it with upward pressure.

The spade-head is bent in the middle with a 1cm raise and a further 1cm lip at the sides. This makes it efficient at shifting loosened spoil. The shaft is 8mm stainless steel round-bar and keeps the user’s hand more than 37cm from the end of the head.

The handle is made of non-shattering polyethylene  which has performed excellently in all test and real blast situations. The tool weighs around 0.7Kg (1.5 lbs).

The user’s hand is protected by a small aramid hand-guard that is braced with a polycarbonate support that holds it upright in front of the hand. 

In tests, the tool stayed in one piece even when a mine was placed on the spade-head and detonated.