The Frankfurt shovel is especially suited for transporting loose materials or for performing excavations in packed and stony soil. The pointed blade makes piercing the earth extremely easy. One important part of a shovel is the socket (the point at which the handle is attached) and the socket angle (angle of inclination between shovel blade and handle). This model of shovel has the most common socket angle (¾ raised) and can be combined with a long handle. This means that material can be scooped up from the ground in an upright and back-friendly posture.