Type I Black Leather Carrier for the Klappspaten Folding Shovel

Type I black leather carrier for the German Klappspaten folding shovel, made to hold and carry the folding entrenching tool issued to German troops during the Second World War. The Klappspaten was a practical development of the standard fixed field shovel: its blade could be folded along the handle, reducing bulk and making the tool easier to carry on the belt or field equipment.

The Type I carrier is one of the early carrying patterns for the folding shovel. It is often described as a “box top” carrier, because the upper section wraps around and secures the folded metal head of the shovel. The black leatherconstruction, strong stitching and compact layout allowed the tool to be attached to field equipment while covering sharp or moving metal parts. Reference copies of the Type I pattern are commonly described as being based on originals, with hand-stitched construction and hardware matching wartime details.  

The German folding shovel, or Klappspaten, was used by the Heer, Luftwaffe and Waffen-SS. It did not fully replace the standard fixed entrenching tool; both types continued to be issued and used until the end of the war. Collector and equipment references describe the folding shovel as appearing early in the war and as an improvement in portability, while its issue was not strictly tied to one specific unit type.  

From a functional point of view, the carrier was essential because the folded Klappspaten concentrated the blade and locking hardware into a compact but irregular shape. The leather protected the soldier’s uniform and equipment from wear and helped prevent the shovel from shifting during movement. Black leather was consistent with many German field-equipment components of the period, including belt fittings, bayonet frogs, tool carriers and other leather accessories.

A useful historical detail is that the folding shovel never completely displaced the older rigid entrenching tool. Period photographs and surviving equipment sets often show both systems in use during the same years, even among similar units. The Type I carrier therefore does not identify a single branch or formation, but rather a more compact equipment arrangement within German field gear.

Suitable for German Klappspaten folding shovels, equipment displays, restoration work and historically consistent Second World War German field setups. Its black leather construction, wraparound profile and Type I form reflect the practical, utilitarian character of German leather equipment made for field tools.