Buying a new spade...

Rancid

I want a spade for life, not just for the next 6, 12 or 18 months until the handle breaks when I'm three-quarters the way though whatever garden project I'm obsessed with at the time!

My last spade had a wooden handle and was by no means the cheapest one in Woodies less than 2 years ago, it cost 30something, as far as I can remember.

Should I go for a metal handled one this time?
Roughly what do I need to pay to get a decent lasting spade?

I'd really appreciate recommendations.

I have the typical town garden, medium sized and pretty stony.

johno2

Well you can just buy a new handle, that'll cost a lot less than the original spade. As for breaking it, I doubt there's a spade or shovel in the country that I couldn't break in 2 minutes if I tried. Don't try to use it as a crowbar, that's not what they're for. If you need a crowbar or pickaxe to shift some stubborn rocks then get the right tool for the job. Apart from that, don't leave tools lying around in bad weather, wood rots, metal rusts... Common sense stuff really.

johno

Rancid

johno2 wrote: »

Well you can just buy a new handle, that'll cost a lot less than the original spade. As for breaking it, I doubt there's a spade or shovel in the country that I couldn't break in 2 minutes if I tried. Don't try to use it as a crowbar, that's not what they're for. If you need a crowbar or pickaxe to shift some stubborn rocks then get the right tool for the job. Apart from that, don't leave tools lying around in bad weather, wood rots, metal rusts... Common sense stuff really.

johno

Damn. So now I need a spade AND a crowbar! :rolleyes:
Not sure if I could get a new handle into it securely enough to make it usable but worth a try, anyway, I suppose.

Nonmonotonic

Put the part of the spade that has the broken handle bit, in a fire ( I use my wood burning stove ). This will burn off the stump and allow you to remove the charred remains! Pare the new handle to fit. Buy the longest handle you can get as lever effect is greater ( but you already know that! )

Qwerty?

Rancid wrote: »

I want a spade for life, not just for the next 6, 12 or 18 months until the handle breaks when I'm three-quarters the way though whatever garden project I'm obsessed with at the time!

My last spade had a wooden handle and was by no means the cheapest one in Woodies less than 2 years ago, it cost 30something, as far as I can remember.

Should I go for a metal handled one this time?
Roughly what do I need to pay to get a decent lasting spade?

I'd really appreciate recommendations.

I have the typical town garden, medium sized and pretty stony.

I bought a Stainless steel fork and spade from Lidl a few years ago, and they are fantastic quality. Ash handles and Strong stainless steel blades/prongs. I think Lidl had them again last week at around €14 each. Well worth it IMO

fodda

I never use mine anymore infact the last time i used it was shoveling grit at Xmas for the ice because my shovel broke....metal handle went rusty inside and weakened it, not a great idea maybe?

Throw away your spade and get a chillington hoe you wont look back.

ocokev

As OP suggested a spade should not be used as a leverage tool.
The use of a pick or crowbar for removing large stones is adviseable.
I find fibreglass handle spades are good, but again you must always take care of your tools after you finish in the garden.

fodda

Only thing to do with them stones is get them out but any tool is going to take a bashing doing this job.

Rancid

Ok, people, thanks for the replies, and yes, guilty as charged, I persistently used the spade to lever out stones, rocks, tree roots, builders' rubbish, etc.

I've got the broken spade in the fireplace now and will eventually get around to burning out the handle but will have to get something in the meantime.
I looked at the tools in Lidl and the spade is a short-handled one, I do prefer long handles.
So... maybe I'll get myself a new one, then fix up the old one and have it as a stand-by.

johno2

When you get the new handle pared down to size, slot it into the head. Then grab the head of the spade and smack the end of the handle off of some concrete surface really hard a few times. If you pared it right it should be solid enough to use straight away with no other fixing. Drill a hole and put a bolt in it though because it'll come out after a bit of dampness or drying (or levering ) otherwise.

johno