Originally Posted by jay-t

In colonial America it was considered treason for a blacksmith to make iron tools to sale,all iron tools had too be made in England and import taxes paid .In 1774 John Ames of Mass. started making iron shovels .He desinged a very important feature the handle socket that is used to day.Ames shovels are still in business they are sold thru True Value Hardware stores.Since the 1860's Ames shovels were standard issue for troops from the Civil war thru the Korean war.