The Shovel Discussion Thread!

I bought these two shovels from an independent hardware store years ago. An Ames Pony and an Ames short one I forget the name. I keep the short one in the truck, the pony is for general landscaping around the house. I use cheap shovels for concrete work. They are nice shovels but it's hard to find shovels with this quality anymore. When I bought the Pony there was a higher grade called the Horse. I wish I would have sprung for that now but the Pony should last for what I need these days.

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I thought there was a thread like this around here somewhere. I had to go digging for it...

Anyway, I am getting ready to install some drainage pipe around my property. I have sharpened several shovels/spades recently. Been digging around for semi-decent NOS shovels and other digging tools from the local real hardware stores. Nothing forged but I do what I can. Bought a Kobalt Trenching shovel. I am not as fond of it but it was in hand when I needed it. I finally am starting to get a grasp on draw filing. Except that the teeth on my 12" bastard file are made to cut on the push. I kid you not. That took some figuring out. Most of my shovels are very sharp now. Was splitting newspaper with a garden spade a couple of nights ago.
 
Do you guys count 'spoons' and berthas in this conversation? I use a home made one for digging to my terriers when the hole gets deep and the clay is hard. Here are production models: http://www.peaveymfg.com/products-pole-line-telegraph-spoons

Mine has an octagonal steel handle that was formerly a digging bar welded into a hacked up head.

We could talk poacher's spades too :)

Now to the actual reason for posting: Can anyone suggest online sources for quality replacement reinforced D-handles? I made the mistake of letting someone else use my favorite d-handle Ames Pony last month and, well... need a new handle that has a quality shaft and a solid "D". Hate ordering online if I don't know the product number I want first. I used to be able to get them from AM Leonard, but not any more.
 
Do you mean an all-wood D handle? Where the handle is split and bent?

Edit to add: If the kind described above is what you're looking for, Bulldog Tools in the UK makes some still, and you can find sellers on eBay that do international shipping.
 
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The all wood ones are beautiful, but break faster. I'll check out claringtonforge, and discovered that House Handles has what looks awfully close (heard about them in COTS' Project thread).
 
Does anyone here own or use any deep hole shovels or telegraph pole shovels? I've only used one once - that in recovering a flooded culvert on an old logging road. I recently saw a matched pair, shovel & spoon with 10' handles. I'm thinking of getting them.
 
I have a German nato entrenching tool stamped 1964 with the leather cover , still solid as a rock. Also have an unknown German long shovel ,and a gerber e tool with pick. The handle on the long shovel is quite bent but it still works.
 
Square_peg said:
Does anyone here own or use any deep hole shovels or telegraph pole shovels? I've only used one once - that in recovering a flooded culvert on an old logging road. I recently saw a matched pair, shovel & spoon with 10' handles. I'm thinking of getting them.
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I've used a telegraph "spoon" shovel before. I used to work at UMaine in Facilities Management's safety office doing environmental compliance work with stormwater discharge. That's a fancy way of saying I managed storm drain inspection and cleaning. We'd sometimes find bricks or odd objects down in the catch basins ("storm drains") and we'd use the spoon to fish them out if the vacuum truck couldn't just suck it out.
 
I bought this forged fork head at a flea market back in the spring and hung it on a used shovel handle. It seems to work very well!
 
Nice shovels guys.

Peavey Manufacturing has some differnet shovels for sale. I wonder if House Handle would bust out an Octagon shovel handle? I need some shovel handles--I just don't like to buy new when I can fix up a new handle--its downright wasteful otherwise.

Peace.
 
I have some fun pictures of an Angelo B. pronged hoe/mattock I'll need to post up lately. Helped me eradicate some lakeside overgrowth at the family camp over the weekend.
 
A couple of users. I love the one on the right, the feel and craftsmanship make it a pleasure to use!
 
Those look good.

I like any shovel that has the back closed in so it doesn't fill with mud and weight the tool. I prefer the step or shoulder turned inward and I like longer handles.
 
For actually digging with a shovel, is a straight handle preferred or a D handle? I have always seen people around me digging with a straight handle, but I got to thinkimg the other day, wouldn't a D handle be better for digging?
 
quinton said:
A couple of users. I love the one on the right, the feel and craftsmanship make it a pleasure to use!
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Is the one on the left a Union Fork & Hoe? I have a lovely hay fork by them that has that same split "tongue" running under the ferrule. Those are some mighty nice looking shovels!

Square_peg said:
Those look good.

I like any shovel that has the back closed in so it doesn't fill with mud and weight the tool. I prefer the step or shoulder turned inward and I like longer handles.
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Yup. Closed back, forward-turned step (toward the concave side) and a long handle on a shovel. For transfer scoops, silage forks, etc. I like a short D or T handle.

Squashfan said:
For actually digging with a shovel, is a straight handle preferred or a D handle? I have always seen people around me digging with a straight handle, but I got to thinkimg the other day, wouldn't a D handle be better for digging?
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Spades are preferred with a D or T handle because they are used for breaking or incising the soil, but straight or knob handles are preferred for general shovel use because of their greater ability to pivot in the end of the hand to direct the blade, and when force needs to be applied it is done on the step. Shovels are generally used for dealing with looser soils, and while they can still be used to penetrate, a D or T handle isn't as necessary. Generally any loosening work has already been done with a pick or a hoe, or else the soil is already soft enough that not as much force is required for it to penetrate.
 
I don't have any pictures, but my go to shovel is usually a larger old ufh razorback shovel form my grandpa ( it needs a new handle and the one I bought was too small and I had to put it on an old ames from my grandpa instead ) I don't know how old any of them are, but didn't Ames used to he ufh ?
 
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