First time using a SHARP chop mattock

the-accumulator

the-accumulator

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What a difference sharp makes for the economy Chinese-made chop mattock! My wife and I have been tripping over this walnut stump for a couple years, waiting for me to get inspired to remove it. First, I spent the better part of a halfhalf-hour carefully grinding both edges back to something that resembled what thought looked appropriate. Yes, I cheated and used electric tools. I did it barehanded so I could closely monitor the temperature of the edge. Once I started hacking away at the stump, I had a whole new experience like never before! From now on I will keep a good edge on my "in-the-dirt" choppers, not just axes and hatchets. T-A
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the-accumulator said:
What a difference sharp makes for the economy Chinese-made chop mattock! My wife and I have been tripping over this walnut stump for a couple years, waiting for me to get inspired to remove it. First, I spent the better part of a halfhalf-hour carefully grinding both edges back to something that resembled what thought looked appropriate. Yes, I cheated and used electric tools. I did it barehanded so I could closely monitor the temperature of the edge. Once I started hacking away at the stump, I had a whole new experience like never before! From now on I will keep a good edge on my "in-the-dirt" choppers, not just axes and hatchets. T-A
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I sharpen and oil my shovels.
 
For just a little extra time in maintenance it makes the job orders of magnitude easier to complete. Well worth doing, on all digging tools.
 
... wait...
I'm supposed to sharpen my shovel?
I've been sweating for years working with a dull shovel!
How sharp are we talking, here? shaving sharp?

I'm about to start putting an edge on more things, just assuming they should be sharp.

I found a very aged axe mattock in my garage (thanks Dad/Grandpa), and although I kind of had an idea what it was for I didn't realize it could help me remove a stump. I'm guessing the size of the stump counts?

As most of you know I'm going to have a stump to contend with, after my wife grows tired of trying to burn it, eventually. (she's really excited about that for some reason).
 
Sharp for a shovel is different from sharp for a knife! How sharp you go will depend on the application. In stony ground you will likely want to leave the edge about 0.5mm thick at the apex, or else the edge/point will want to crumple upon striking one, but beveled thin behind it. In general, you will want to bevel the interior edge only, rather than on both sides.
 
Sorry the-accumulator the-accumulator (OP) to go off topic but just want to ask what's the concensus regarding the names Shovel & Spade?
It's probably one of those British/USA English things, I'm a Brit & a Shovel was for "shoveling", due to it's turned up sides it isn't very good for digging but rather shoveling loose soil, sand, gravel etc or using with a sweeping brush.
A Spade is for digging, usually smaller flatter & thicker steel than a Shovel, can be a flat edge, rounded or pointed............ across the pond is this a Shovel?
Not wanting to be pedantic. :rolleyes:

Agree with all that's been said about not overlooking edges on tools. Thanks. ;)
 
I'mSoSharp said:
regarding the names Shovel & Spade?
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Can't say I've ever thought about how I use the two terms. If I were wanting a tool for digging a hole to plant a bush, I would think "spade", but, if my wife asked me where I was going with that shovel, I would know what she was talking about. But, if I was unloading sand out of the back of my pickup truck, I would definitely want a shovel, as in "scoop shovel", not a spade. Interesting topic! T-A
 
A spade has less "lift" (relatively straight handle) and usually are narrow, and are used for ground-breaking. Shovels are typically dual-purpose and have more lift to the handle, but with an emphasis on moving loose material. Scoops are all the way to the material transfer end of the spectrum and are entirely unsuitable for ground-breaking.
 
To my way of thinking, a spade is pretty strait with a short D handle.
A shovel is broader with a crook-neck handle useable for running horizontally to smooth earth under a sidewalk or the bottom of a trench.
A spade is used for digging vertically, a shovel horizontally. How's that sound?
 
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