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I am determined to dig out a trench around all my beds over the winter to try to stop the couch grass encroaching. I started this morning  but think my spade could do with sharpening. What is the best tool and the best way to do this?

Unless you have tree or bush roots you shouldn't need to sharpen a spade. In normal use spades are self sharpening.

The best way to sharpen a spade is to dig with it; as Larkshall says, they're self-sharpening.

You could carve the Sunday roast with mine. But it must be nearly forty years old.

some people suggest a bucket with sand and oil in, I think,
I may be wrong  ;D

Guess it's my muscles that need honing, then!

I would just use it more, but there is an article about various methods to sharpen a spade here if it helps.
http://www.teachinggarden.org/sharpening.html

Oh, dear, what utter poppycock!! Spades are NOT self-sharpening. They get chipped & dented - & I'm talking about Stainless Steel . I have posted photos on this before.

Just file off the back edge every year & wipe the front with the file.

You need a sharp spade like a sharp knife. Or Hoe!

I agree with Tim, I use an angle grinder and bevel the back edge, I have watched the paddys on site they treat their shovels like babies and almost polish them and keep them sharp so that they slice through the soil.

ooh, seems like i've starteda debate! ;D Can anyone show me a picture of what kind of file I should get?

Excuse me if I don't check back until Thursday as I'm away in Birmingham on a course tomorrow and Wed.

The sort of file is called and angle grinder - but I've only ever needed to sharpen mine once - when taking out Leylandi roots  >:(

QuoteSpades are NOT self-sharpening. They get chipped & dented - & I'm talking about Stainless Steel

Prooper spades are self sharpening.
Used properly they do not get chipped or dented.
Proper spades are not made of stainless steel.

Going back to the original problem, the best way to deal with both the spade and the weeds is to get rid of the baby beds and dig the whole lot over.

I guess prooper spades differ from the normal ones.  ???

Yep.

Quote from: petengade on October 07, 2008, 09:38:18
I guess prooper spades differ from the normal ones.  ???

More use as a pooper-scooper, then? ::)

Thanks for asking the question, Caroline, and, once more, to BaccyMan for coming up with an excellent link.

I've got the same prob, Caroline - and hey! I've got an 'axe' file, I've just discovered 8)

My Wilkinson Sword spade is about 30yrs old now and has the usual dents and chips from years of hitting rubble when I've dug our various gardens, but I like it, it's the right weight and height and now it seems as though I can get to do the bl**dy job it was designed for, too!

I needed to sharpen my spade fequently in my first year on the plot, when I had massive nettle roots to cut through. I barely use it now, and haven't sharpened it in years.