This demining hand tool was first designed by MIT to meet the rules required to ensure that a tool does not separate or fragment in an anti-personnel mine blast. The tool is intended to replace the pick-axe (still widely used) when starting an excavation on ground that is very hard. MIT did not make or finalise the design, so I did.

The excavator must be made entirely of malleable steel, E304 stainless steel whenever possible. There must be reinforced welds between the handles and the angled shaft to prevent separation in a blast.The angled shaft has a sharp tip and is easy to direct accurately when starting an excavation.

The two-handed digging action copies the two-handed 'hammers' used by the police to force open doors, maximising the user's force while minimising effort.

The user’s forward hand is protected by a pliant and washable ballistic aramid hand-guard. A pit to the required depth is made well in advance of the detector-indication. The deminer then extends the pit forward using smaller tools.

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