Let's talk about.......shovels!

[SKR8PN]

I have broken the LAST handle out of a shovel that I will ever break.
I think it must be an inherited trait, because my mother used to break every stinkin' shovel she ever had. Used to pizz my dad off something fierce! I have had one shovel in the past, that I had for about 10 years, and the stinkin' BLADE of the shovel cracked and broke! The LATEST shovel that I just broke the handle out of, was one of those highfalutin rigs with a FIBERGLASS handle!
All I wanted to do was dig out a Hosta. Snapped that dude right spank in half.

I am now on a quest to find a shovel that I or my wife can't break. I want this to be the LAST darn shovel I ever have to buy.

What brand has worked out to be the best for you?

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

i too mourned the loss of "old blue".. i loved that shovel so much... when he finally went on to his great reward (broken in half digging out the mother of all roses) i kept his trusty handle and it now adorns my garden..... "new yellow" just cant fill his shoes...

i gave up and just break the crap out of all tools and consider it a cost of gardening. there is no tool i cannot break. seriously.

 

[patandchickens]

I have yet to meet a shovel manufactured in the last 20 years that is not a p.o.s.

IMO your best bet is to haunt farm/tool/junk auctions and garage sales until you find an old but *well cared for* shovel, then force yourself to use it PROPERLY i.e. not as a prybar.

Buying an actual prybar will help save some wear and tear on the shovel, too

JMHO,

Pat

 

[SKR8PN]

Buying an actual prybar will help save some wear and tear on the shovel, too

JMHO,

Pat

Ya...I know.....but they have yet to design and build a pry bar with a nice spade on the end for digging.

 

[Wifezilla]

there is no tool i cannot break. seriously.

Are we related?

 

[rebecca100]

Well, it sounds as if you guys have your answer. Get a shovelhead and weld it onto a piece of steel tube or a heavy galvenized pipe or a long prybar something. Unless your weld or the shovelhead breaks it will last as long as you need it. I have a pitchfork like that and it is still used only the pipe was a little small and kind of hurts my hands.

 

[SKR8PN]

OOOHHHH....I think I may have found my dream shovel.

http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Handl...1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1273626134&sr=8-1


I sent Fiskars an E-mail to see where the nearest dealer is. I wanna fondle one of these before I spend good money for it.

 

[patandchickens]

Well, it sounds as if you guys have your answer. Get a shovelhead and weld it onto a piece of steel tube or a heavy galvenized pipe or a long prybar something. Unless your weld or the shovelhead breaks it will last as long as you need it.

Which may not be as long as you think -- I've BENT a 6' long prybar, and anything tubular probably wouldn't last as long as good ash wood.

However, speaking as the owner of several solid steel handled tools (sledgehammer, pitchfork) they certainly make it SEEM like a long time, as they are quite exhausting to use

You can get a, I don't know really what it's called, but it's like a big metal digging bar with a flat end maybe 4" wide. Loosens dirt and rocks pretty well. Then you remove the loose dirt with the shovel, which is really what shovels are FOR after all

Pat, having broken a lot of shovels too, over the years, and readily admitting that it is awfully *tempting* to just lever that rock or heavy load of clay out with the shovel rather than go back to the garage for the digging bar... <g>

 

[Wifezilla]

Fiskars makes good stuff. It takes me much longer than usual to destroy their scissors

 

[Wildsky]

Fiskars makes good stuff. It takes me much longer than usual to destroy their scissors

Give em to my kids for FIVE minutes!


I have an old old old shovel, actually two or three of them, all metal - old as the hills, tough as nails. But I don't think I'm even strong enough to do any serious damage, we'll see when my hubby has to use them to dig holes for trees.