Topic: What Spade??

[spudsmummy]

hi there
its is my dads 60th at the end of the month and he has asked for a good digging spade  :)

i would like to get him one that will last for years but have no idea where to start, i just use one i picked up from the car boot.

what would you recomend???

thanks Paula  ;D

[davyw1]

An Auto Spade

[spudsmummy]

he he he, yeah i know we would love one that dose all the digging on its own  ;)

[Baccy Man]

There is an autospade in good condition complete with the fork attachment & instruction book on ebay at the moment. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130296937471
They rarely come cheap but they do last forever & spares are available from.
http://www.backsavergardentools.co.uk/spade.htm

Personally I would keep an eye out at the boot sales for an old Bulldog spade they are far better quality than most of new ones available & you can often pick them up for a couple of quid.

[Eristic]

i just use one i picked up from the car boot.

what would you recomend???

Your spade.

[spudsmummy]

ha ha i can see what your all saying but i cant really give him a drity second hand spade that cost me a few quid for a birthday present, lol

[Twoflower]

No but you could as part of the present. Maybe get him that and a new fleece or wellys. It doesn't take long to wash the mud off a good spade and put some oil on the wooden parts and you will have a better spade for you money, mostly, than a brand new one :)

[gardentg44]

[ha ha i can see what your all saying but i cant really give him a drity second hand spade that cost me a few quid for a birthday present, lol]

buy him a spear & jackson stainless one .

i belive B&Q do them for around £30

[rbull]

I have used a stainless steel one for years.  Excellent because you don't have to oil it to keep it rust-free.  Our local Robert Dyas has one on special offer for I think £16.

[Old bird]

I would go for a stainless steel one.  But make sure that it is sharp as I have found that both forks and spades sometimes are too dull ended to get through some stuff!

Incidentally the fork and spade shown on that ebay advert did you see the size of the fork tines?  Those are really difficult to dig with as they are far too thick and old forks at least have thin tines.

Old Bird ;D

[Baccy Man]

If it has to be a new spade then I would avoid stainless steel, pressed steel, welded spades & anything with plastic handles.
Instead I would look for a solid forged steel spade with an ash handle something along these lines.
http://www.bulldogtools.co.uk/index.php?mod=3&id=3&rid=7&PHPSESSID=8504673d6f0888d9a7f6c95ab9a597f4
You would probably be looking at £30+ for a good quality spade.

[tomatoada]

I bought my stainless steel spade from Wilcos 3 years ago for £10.  I am  very pleased with it.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I bought mine from Tesco's five years ar so ago for £3. I'm quite pleased with it, but then I barely use it. It's only for digging the occasional hole, a bit of shovelling now and then, and lifting roots like parsnips and big docks. Otherwise I use a fork or a digging hoe. If I had heavy clay soil, say, and needed it for routine digging, then I'd get a bulldog.

[powerspade]

Bulldog everytime