Cheap spades, and I'm not talking about cheap in price. We've been using the solid steel tile spades for many years. They cost around $75 each. In the past 6 months three have split right up the center of the blade from the bottom. The seller won't take them back anymore because he called the importer and he said that because we are using them on gravel roads we are misuing them because they are made for dirt. The spades are now being made in India. Looking for a new seller. Don't waste your money on spades made in India.
I've been buying wooden handles for about 5 that we have from the early 80's. The handles give up, but the steel doesn't.
Look for some at garage sales and then $10 handles at Lowes or your local hardware store.
I was sooooo afraid this was going to be a thead qualifying as politically incorrect. Make sure never to wop someone with a spade.
> Don't waste your money on spades made in India.
Yeah - that sounds like P&R to me 😉
Or maybe the punchline to some lame racist joke.
If I remember right, Sears has a lifetime guarantee on their Craftsman tools for this type of problem.
We have had a couple split up the middle also. I've done it prying on stuff with the top of the spade. I think the ones we have been getting have a plastic or fiberglass handle, and they seem O.K.
Cheap Spades & Picks
A couple yrs ago I broke the tip off of my then 3 yr old pick whilst chopping through some pretty hard road base, encountering a couple rocks in the process. Boy was I ever PO'ed, knowing I still had to dig the corner out (about 2 ft deep). Picks are a PIA anyway, but they sure aren't supposed to succumb to a rock.
Never really thought of blaming India, but did blame cheap a$$ products - because I knew it was not the fault of my so called brut force putting too much pressure on said pick vs said rock. grrrr Perhaps some operator error regarding the angle of impact and underestimating the tenacity of said rock, but still...
But I have had a few shovels split on me over the years too. Never fun, I'd just go buy a new one.
Jerry-
Have a go at this one maybe
Cheers
Derek
PS The battery operated ones are for wusses 😉
Here Ya Go
http://madeinusaforever.com/drspsuheduco.html
They have the long handled trenching spades, too.
I knocked a quarter sized hole out of the tip of a brand new one about a month or so ago. I wasn't happy with it. I wish I hadn't misplaced my older, fiberglass/resin handled handled sharpshooter, it was great. Cut a few asphalt holes by hand with that one. Now I'm going to have to go look and see where the new POS was made. I'm guessing India.
I bought a Rigid shovel last year and paid something like $35 for it. It lasted less than a year(the wood handle snapped off just about the metal). I'm back to buying the $6 ones at Ocean State Job Lot.
I don't break them that often, but when I do, Sears just hands me another.
Get a diogging bar.
DJJ
> Get a diogging bar.
> DJJ
Bingo! Sounds like a lot of folks are using the wrong tool for the job. Not to add to the controversy, but we call them "bull pricks."
> Get a digging bar.
I second that. Cheaper than a good shovel. Save yourself some work, too. Works better on hard gravel. Much better on asphalt.