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Shovels
ytb8ta7  
Posted : Saturday, 11 February 2012 8:58:46 AM(UTC)
ytb8ta7

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hi all.can anybody tell me if theres a super strong brand of shovel out there? Ive just stuffed my 3rd in 12mths.I know there not surposed to be used as levers but they do get a bit of abuse. Do they make stainless ones?if so would they be stronger?
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mineforgold.co.nz  
Posted : Saturday, 11 February 2012 10:01:25 AM(UTC)
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Might be time to invest in a crow bar?
The best tool I have is one I was given that has a pick head with one end inserted into a long pipe and welded in place. The only draw back is that it is not a backpacking tool - you don't want to carry it for days through the jungle.
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Lammerlaw  
Posted : Saturday, 11 February 2012 10:15:14 AM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: ytb8ta7 Go to Quoted Post
hi all.can anybody tell me if theres a super strong brand of shovel out there? Ive just stuffed my 3rd in 12mths.I know there not surposed to be used as levers but they do get a bit of abuse. Do they make stainless ones?if so would they be stronger?


I really dont think modern shovels are made to last after all they are all made now form one flat piece of steel which is pressed into shape and the haft rolled to accommodate the handle - if it is the blade that begins to split then maybe you are levering it just a little too much and the steel cracks and breaks at a point where the bottom of the handle is inside the blade then you are levering it just too much - shovels are shovels and n ot supposed to be levers.

If its the handle that breaks then you are putting too much pressure on it as a lever once again or a poor quality handle.

Remember though that you get what you pay for!
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diggerjoe  
Posted : Saturday, 11 February 2012 1:19:58 PM(UTC)
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You could also try one of those better quality garden mattock.They have a hardened pick like head

with a wide blade at one end and a thin one at the other.The Aussies use those rock picks which are similar

for their concrete like soils as a shovel would never penetrate thru.
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kiwikeith  
Posted : Saturday, 11 February 2012 1:34:13 PM(UTC)
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have you tried welding a pipe to the head
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goldfinger  
Posted : Wednesday, 7 March 2012 8:12:26 PM(UTC)
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You need to back in time to the NZ made Atlas ,sometimes they can be found on Trademe or secondhand shops etc I got one of trademe you wont tear it like the chinese ones... If thats what you are meaning the blade is tearing being used as a crowbar.

Edited by user Wednesday, 7 March 2012 8:19:10 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified
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ytb8ta7  
Posted : Thursday, 8 March 2012 8:53:45 AM(UTC)
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hi. all is good. i happened to find an old steel shovel head under some old macrocarpa trees.theres gold in the area so maybe its experienced in finding the stuff to. stamped into the blade is. ALL STEEL A & F PARKES & CO DARTMOUTH ST BIRMINGHAM is solid and heavy and i wont be usin it as a crowbar. just need to get out and use it.
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Lammerlaw  
Posted : Sunday, 25 March 2012 11:16:03 AM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: ytb8ta7 Go to Quoted Post
hi. all is good. i happened to find an old steel shovel head under some old macrocarpa trees.theres gold in the area so maybe its experienced in finding the stuff to. stamped into the blade is. ALL STEEL A & F PARKES & CO DARTMOUTH ST BIRMINGHAM is solid and heavy and i wont be usin it as a crowbar. just need to get out and use it.


Sounds a good shovel and an oldie.

They were absorbed into this company ; -

Administrative history:
This firm of forgemasters started as the Wigan Slitting Mill, founded by William Parks in 1787. There were a number of changes of name before the firm became William Park and Company in 1824. It merged with Joseph Webb and Sons Limited of Bury in 1968, becoming Park Webb Limited. As such it became a member of the Dobson Park Industries group in 1969 but was wound up in 1979, with John Folkes Hefo Limited of Stourbridge in the West Midlands taking over the outstanding orders.
The works were originally situated at School Common, Wigan, but were moved to Clarington Forge in 1889. Further expansion took place in 1944 with the purchase of the Ince Forge Company. With the company coming to an end in 1979, this site was taken over by Gullick Dobson, which is also part of the Dobson Park group.
The company has long been involved in the manufacture of edge tools and in 1930 it formed a separate company, English Tools Limited. Other edge tool companies were absorbed, for example, A. and F. Parkes of Birmingham (see D/DY PW/F2) and in 1979 the title of the company was changed to Bulldog Tools Limited, which continues to trade under the Dobson Park umbrella.
The company also acted as steel stockholders. The first warehouse was in Millgate, Wigan; this was later moved to the Wiend in Wigan and again to Clarington Forge in 1950. This side of the business was transferred to Bulldog Tools Limited in 1979.
For further historical details, see D/DY PW/E3-4. As regards the Ince Forge Company, this was established in 1856 by the Melling family who were originally involved in the Haigh Foundry. For records of the Haigh Foundry, see the place-name index under "Haigh".

It is likely that your shovel dates from the 1930s so depression era as it might appear that A & F Parkes was operating at that time.

Great find but methinks if it is in good order I might be keeping it as is as it could have value to a tool collector.

Edited by user Wednesday, 9 May 2012 2:00:38 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified
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creamer  
Posted : Monday, 14 May 2012 10:05:52 AM(UTC)
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After using my 40 buck foldable shovel for around 8 months it finally packed it in. Wore itself out then snapped.The blade needed bending back in shape all the time and the handle tightening system stopped working after a short time. In saying this i dug some seroius amounts of holes etc with it. Somewhere between a 1000-2000, even more, not sure.
The green handled shovel is a 15 bucker from the fuddy wuddies garden section. I wouldnt leaver it but its light, quite strong and a nice size for down on the ground type digging. A heaps better shovel all round.

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DrunkBrother  
Posted : Monday, 14 May 2012 10:13:47 AM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: creamer Go to Quoted Post
After using my 40 buck foldable shovel for around 8 months it finally packed it in. Wore itself out then snapped.The blade needed bending back in shape all the time and the handle tightening system stopped working after a short time. In saying this i dug some seroius amounts of holes etc with it. Somewhere between a 1000-2000, even more, not sure.
The green handled shovel is a 15 bucker from the fuddy wuddies garden section. I wouldnt leaver it but its light, quite strong and a nice size for down on the ground type digging. A heaps better shovel all round.

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Yap, 15$ one and works well. Light and fit in the back pack :-)
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jafa  
Posted : Friday, 18 May 2012 9:44:25 PM(UTC)
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Iv had a few of those cheepy $15 jobs there not bad except the crap shaft i usually replace that with some nice hard manuka dosnt take long all you need is a grinder to shape the manuka to get the shaft to go well down inside the spade head .
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simon  
Posted : Friday, 18 May 2012 10:42:44 PM(UTC)
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my first spade was one of those foldable ones. always caught my bloody hand in between the wooden handle and the metal prong bit that opened parallel to the handle.

i just upgraded from one of those green warehouse spades. they last ok as long as you don't lever off the tip.

little spades are not all created equal tho. one i touched broke straight off as it hadn't been tempered.

my green one levered one too many boulders and the metal split where the shaft meets the blade.

got my $13 worth i'm sure.

you sure get a sore back off such a short handled spade but it has so much more control than a full length handle.

great for cleaning out between boulders above and below water line.

we need a rate an implement section here, complete with photos & prices and where to purchase.

i'm sure that would answer a lot of people's questions on what to buy, prices of gear etc.
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gingerbreadman  
Posted : Saturday, 19 May 2012 9:17:36 PM(UTC)
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Plus those short spade,s arnt much fun this time of year with the water getting rather cold i like the long handle,s you get more reach with them though they are not as easy to cart around in your pack if your getting off the beaten track.
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creamer  
Posted : Sunday, 20 May 2012 11:10:48 AM(UTC)
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I would have too say that the short shovel and the continuous crouching down aint doin my knees any good.
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Guardian  
Posted : Monday, 28 May 2012 10:15:16 PM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: creamer Go to Quoted Post
I would have too say that the short shovel and the continuous crouching down aint doin my knees any good.


Might be time to invest in some knee pads there Sir!
Also a good way to stop the knee of ya pants getting muddy too.

I don't do very much bending down as that makes the old back pretty stiff pretty quick
When I do use a spade I find that little greenie from the Warehouse brilliant for the price and it weighs next to nothing.

Edited by user Monday, 28 May 2012 10:20:21 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified
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