What's a great fullsize SHOVEL?

J

JeffOYB

Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
34
I'm finding good shovels to be VERY hard to find these days. The hardware stores only carry crap.

I would think that the high-end craftsman garden tool people would offer a high-end shovel.

It should be LIGHTWEIGHT, good steel, slim tough handle---probably hickory or something like that.

Heck, I'm surprised there isn't a TITANIUM shovel out there!

Weight is the BIG problem for shovels. Ti is a natural. (When you're digging a basement or, well, heavy dirt or gravel, you don't need to be lifting mostly the shovel with every scoop.)

I love working with simple manual labor yard tools. I've had tools handed down from my grampa just like knives. They last just as long.

A pal partly broke the handle of my last good shovel and I haven't found a replacement.

Shovels need to be sharp and cared for. They're as much fun for me as an ax.

Any tips on a great one?

(What are your fave yard tools? I have a great hoe and ax. Passable leaf rake---no class. I have the best push reel mower, 21", but it's still not right---reel mowers should be a natural area for high-end models as well---heavy anvil, lightweight steel/ti everywhere else. Passable snowshovel---light plastic but no class. Passable new push broom---too heavy.)

--JP
 
Maybe County Comm has their shipment of Ti Shovels in already :eek: :rolleyes: :p :D .

I remember seeing a German truck shovel in the Brigade Quartermasters catalogue. Might wanna check their website: www.actiongear.com
 
How is it that you can buy a big ol' titanium shovel for under $50, when everything else made from titanium is so darn expensive?

Scott
 
The English shovels in the Lee Valley link are excellent. My wife bought one years ago and it is well made, and for a wooden handle, it is incredibly tough.

I just bought a larger spade at Home Depot, has some sort of high tech lightweight handle and it works very well when digging, prying up roots and small stumps.
 
I was just joking about the ti shovels! But I do recall seeing these goofy things before. Thanks for mentioning them---I looked them up again. Looks like their shapes are all wrong and way too short. Not for real digging.

Thanks for the Lee Valley link, too. I've seen those. I'm not a retiree yet, though. : ) Way too short. I agree they might be tough but if you use a shovel much that's not your worry: WEIGHT. You want quality steel that stays sharp and because it's a sizeable tool you need LIGHT weight. And you need perfect ergonomics and great user-feel (as quality hickory gives in a handle). Any shovel out there give that?

56" is a good length. I see that one otherwise nice looking ti shovel is 45". Doh!

Maybe this is an ethnic thing? In searching for more ti shovels, I found this Italian site. Very odd looking short shovels. http://www.kapriol.com/sito/DB/inglese/risultato_ricerca.asp?ID_SET=5

Ya know, for me shoveling is something like skiing or canoe paddling. The ergo's and effort is similar. Or maybe a bit like chopping a tree down. It seems like the ergo's are somewhat fixed. That really short or lots different shapes wouldn't work. Basically, high performance canoe paddles and ski poles and felling axes are the same shape the world around. So I'd think shovels would be, too! : ) (I have noticed that Swedish axes are smaller than ours but I haven't seen them recommended to use for felling large trees which ours are designed for.)

Whew!

--JP
 
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