Square_peg
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
The Shovel Discussion Thread!
- Thread starter FortyTwoBlades
- Start date
Square_peg
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You'll notice that while they're at least forged and the like there's no distal taper to the tines. I was mostly referring to forks like hay forks, manure forks, potato hooks, etc etc. but it applies to digging forks as well--just to a slightly lesser degree since digging forks are a little less finicky to get right. 
Heck--an even harder fork to find than a good hay fork is a good ensilage fork. Those things are unmanageably heavy and cumbersome if the tines are overbuilt and untapered and too flimsy if built with welded rods. Those puppies get used HARD. I use a vintage one that at some time in its life was welded to a t-handle made from galvanized 1" steel pipe to muck the barn. Works like a charm in spite of its heft because the head is properly done.
Heck--an even harder fork to find than a good hay fork is a good ensilage fork. Those things are unmanageably heavy and cumbersome if the tines are overbuilt and untapered and too flimsy if built with welded rods. Those puppies get used HARD. I use a vintage one that at some time in its life was welded to a t-handle made from galvanized 1" steel pipe to muck the barn. Works like a charm in spite of its heft because the head is properly done.
Square_peg
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I should post up my vintage pitch fork. Grabbed it at a farm estate sale a couple years back. Over 6 feet tall. Nice tapered tines. The number and spacing of tines on a fork varies with the work to be done. This one (5 tines) is awesome for mulch.
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Please do! I use a nice old Union Fork & Hoe 3-tine model. Nice tapered lenticular tines with a capped bolster for extra strength. Beautiful slim handle on it, too.
Put handles on a couple of heads for Camping.
First one is an Osage limb that was all weathered, pic doesn't do it justice, and for the second I used Buckthorn with an Osage T.
anyone know this makers mark? Made in Germany
This is an Ames
That Osage handle should work out pretty good. Can't imagine what it would take to break it. Looks cool also!
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I found another A.M. Leonard nursery spade at a thrift shop. This one needs cleaned up a bit but it is a solid spade with the full metal strap and heavy gage steel.
I put the photo back in. I didn't realize that it was gone.
Square_peg
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Put handles on a couple of heads for Camping.
With a closed back like that is how a shovel should be made. Good save!
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Yeah--every time I see an open-backed shovel with rear-turned steps I die a little inside. 
Here are some pics of the old TrueTemper forged shovel that's down at my family's camp:
The handle is marked every half foot, with a number at every foot:
Here are some pics of the old TrueTemper forged shovel that's down at my family's camp:
The handle is marked every half foot, with a number at every foot:
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I thought I would share a recent pick-up off the bay.
A vintage Railroad coal shovel. Marked BULLDOG R R, and C O R R
What I find interesting is that Clarington Forge is still producing under the Bulldog brand today.
A quote from Clarington:
In England our tools are marketed under the name Bulldog Tools, but we sell them as Clarington brand here in the U.S. As you might imagine with a forge that has been in existence for over 230 years, the forge has had different owners over the years. About five years ago the forge was purchased by the Rollins Group, a family business that was started in 1866. It is still a family owned and operated business today, and the company is proud to be breathing new life into Clarington Forge, and maintaining the tradition of quality garden tools.
Recently, I had purchased a spade from Clarington, so I thought I would show both.
and that the quality I seek is still available in current offerings
A vintage Railroad coal shovel. Marked BULLDOG R R, and C O R R
What I find interesting is that Clarington Forge is still producing under the Bulldog brand today.
A quote from Clarington:
In England our tools are marketed under the name Bulldog Tools, but we sell them as Clarington brand here in the U.S. As you might imagine with a forge that has been in existence for over 230 years, the forge has had different owners over the years. About five years ago the forge was purchased by the Rollins Group, a family business that was started in 1866. It is still a family owned and operated business today, and the company is proud to be breathing new life into Clarington Forge, and maintaining the tradition of quality garden tools.
Recently, I had purchased a spade from Clarington, so I thought I would show both.
and that the quality I seek is still available in current offerings
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I'm going to clean the old Bulldog Coal shovel up a bit and I'll post some after photos soon.
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I wanted to let you guys know you've influenced another purchase. I got a standard bully tools shovel two days ago. I'll admit that I've looked for two years for a used True Temper in good shape, so I didn't have other options, but still.
The quality is amazing, and I love the steel. Heavier and more solid feeling. Gave it a brief sharpening, removed the varnish on the handle, and threw it in my truck box. I'm hoping to put it to good use shortly, which will save me having to rehandle my cheap one.
I will say the trunk shovel is not really worth the money though, IMO. Its basically the size of a USGI shovel on a 2' steel handle with a plastic d grip. No angle to the blade due to the size, or steps. Just an awkward size to use, I'd rather have a d handled spade or the aforementioned USGI shovel. Lighter than either though, if my guess is right.
The quality is amazing, and I love the steel. Heavier and more solid feeling. Gave it a brief sharpening, removed the varnish on the handle, and threw it in my truck box. I'm hoping to put it to good use shortly, which will save me having to rehandle my cheap one.
I will say the trunk shovel is not really worth the money though, IMO. Its basically the size of a USGI shovel on a 2' steel handle with a plastic d grip. No angle to the blade due to the size, or steps. Just an awkward size to use, I'd rather have a d handled spade or the aforementioned USGI shovel. Lighter than either though, if my guess is right.
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Fora modern-made shovel they're pretty nice, aren't they?
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Here's that Seymour American-pattern eye hoe I was talking about. I'm lovin' this thing.
When you hear stories about folks back in the day using a hoe to kill snakes and other critters, they weren't talking about flimsy garden hoes. They meant these babies.
Only American PATTERN, unfortunately, but at least it's a quality forging in good steel and the handle is made in the USA.
Tapered eye with a hole for a set screw, which is included. Tap the head on real tight before installing the screw!
The curvature of the blade is just right.
Bites deep! I stopped just shy of a truly sharpened edge due to the rocks that thoroughly pepper our soil here.
A drainage trench I dug with it in only about 15 minutes. Works really slick! For busting hard-pan subsoil I've got my pick mattock, but for moving the loamy stuff this is absolutely the bomb! Trenching has never been so easy.
When you hear stories about folks back in the day using a hoe to kill snakes and other critters, they weren't talking about flimsy garden hoes. They meant these babies.
Only American PATTERN, unfortunately, but at least it's a quality forging in good steel and the handle is made in the USA.
Tapered eye with a hole for a set screw, which is included. Tap the head on real tight before installing the screw!
The curvature of the blade is just right.
Bites deep! I stopped just shy of a truly sharpened edge due to the rocks that thoroughly pepper our soil here.
A drainage trench I dug with it in only about 15 minutes. Works really slick! For busting hard-pan subsoil I've got my pick mattock, but for moving the loamy stuff this is absolutely the bomb! Trenching has never been so easy.
Square_peg
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Recently, I had purchased a spade from Clarington, so I thought I would show both.
I really like those bent wood handles. I have an old English digging fork made that way. So much nicer than the metal D-handles.
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Predator Black Raven? 
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Predator Black Raven?
Ya, I just wanted to play also.
I don't know a whole lot about hawks and axes, so I'll come on now and then to learn from you fellows. I have found many axe heads while metal detecting, even double headed. I left them for iron junk. I might start keeping them to clean up and see if they are keepers or scrap.