# shovel handles?



## hankthespacecowboy (Jun 10, 2004)

So I have a few shovel heads with broken handles, but when i went into the hardware store to look at getting some replacement handles, the handles were nearly twice as much as simply buying a complete shovel! Granted, these were shovels of the the el cheapo variety, but I was looking for stuff to stash at the trail anyways... At $7 for a complete shovel, and $12 for a hickory handle, I am beginning to wonder what the best thing is to do with my broken shovels. Start looking for straight tree limbs?


----------



## swampboy62 (Feb 10, 2009)

The logic of that situation escapes me, but it doesn't surprise me. Cheaper to throw away rather than repair seems to be the norm.

You probably won't find any hickory dowels/rods that size without some serious searching, but you just might have some luck finding oak about the right size. Check it out and see if it's possible to find, then fit.

Good luck.

Steve Z


----------



## NW_Vermont (Mar 24, 2005)

closet rod might work.


----------



## hankthespacecowboy (Jun 10, 2004)

I thought about closet rod, but was concerned it wouldn't be strong enough to hold up to shoveling duties. But I guess if it is cheap enough, it's worth a try.


----------



## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

*Cut your loses*



hankthespacecowboy said:


> So I have a few shovel heads with broken handles, but when i went into the hardware store to look at getting some replacement handles, the handles were nearly twice as much as simply buying a complete shovel! Granted, these were shovels of the the el cheapo variety, but I was looking for stuff to stash at the trail anyways... At $7 for a complete shovel, and $12 for a hickory handle, I am beginning to wonder what the best thing is to do with my broken shovels. Start looking for straight tree limbs?


That's why they make professional grade tools (never had a Zak shovel break on me). It's a myth that cheap tools cost less to use.

No way you can make a handle out of a fat dowel, shovel handles have a bend.

Use those broken shovels for yard art, that's all they're good for, don't throw good money after bad.


----------



## tashi (Apr 17, 2005)

Well, not to be argumentative, but I've got the opposite view actually. Unless the heads are crap as well, which they very well might be, there's no good reason to not repair them. If you spend $7 on a shovel, you've got a $7 (crappy) shovel. If you buy a hickory handle, you've at least got a quality handle, and if your head is at all decent in quality, you've got a quality tool.

End result: $12 got you a quality tool, and you produce less waste.

If your shovel heads are of the $7 shovel variety, than by all means, buy a new shovel. Just spend more than $7 to make it worth while. Low-quality tools are almost worse than no tools if you use them at all.


----------



## hankthespacecowboy (Jun 10, 2004)

The shovel heads are actually in decent shape and I don't dig the idea of just throwing them away because a complete shovel is cheaper. I got the shovel heads because other people were going to simply toss them and figured if I could figure out a cheap handle repalcement, they would be great tools to stash on the trail. I've done it with a few already, and it really accelerates the trail building process when the tools are already there and you don't have to plan a work day of hauling them up and back.


----------



## sick4surf (Feb 4, 2004)

Turn the old broken shovels into art...sell them for much money...then buy some quality long lasting shovels with the money.

Shovel art:

http://greatgreengoods.com/index.php?s=shovel


----------



## Howley (Nov 23, 2005)

*Replace the handles*

Here in Idaho we are in a rural farming community. A local retired guy has a sign in his yard-"I replace shovel handles".

I had all of mine done-(found the heads abandoned at the dirt jump park) at a very reasonable cost. The guy loved doing it.

He buys good quality raw handles in bulk and charges about $7. He did our Ax and shovels for about $25.

Do Not use Pine or anything less than a real shovel handle. You can get real hurt real bad when it brakes. Pine Will Not Work.


----------



## hankthespacecowboy (Jun 10, 2004)

Dang - too bad that dude doesn't live closer to me.


----------



## Moustache rider (Jun 1, 2007)

When my shovel handles break I replace them with a piece of of 2" diameter galvanized steel pipe welded to the blade. Chainlink fence post you can get at home stores. Cheap, won't rust or deteriorate and will never break no matter how hard you pry on them. Only problem is you need a welder.


----------



## WaveDude (Jan 14, 2004)

Moustache rider said:


> When my shovel handles break I replace them with a piece of of 2" diameter galvanized steel pipe welded to the blade. Chainlink fence post you can get at home stores. Cheap, won't rust or deteriorate and will never break no matter how hard you pry on them. Only problem is you need a welder.


Ditto--sort of. I don't have a welder and I think I use a smaller diameter post. I put 4 slits in the end of the "fence post" about 4" long (use a sawzall or hacksaw). This allows the new handle to fit the taper of the shovel head. Jam the shovel head on as far as you can. Then ram about an 8" long piece of 3/4" PVC down inside to spread the "fingers" apart inside the shovel head (use a broom handle or another length of 3/4" PVC as a ram). Cross drill it and install a bolt and a couple of nuts. These sit out "hidden" at the dirt jumps getting soaked in the rain--one of 'em finally broke again after about 3 years.


----------



## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

*That's all fine, but*

I guess you have to put some serious time in with a shovel before you appreciate the difference between a 7 dollar shovel (think dept store bike) and a professional shovel (think sweet ride of choice).

A professional shovel costs about $35 and will last forever or until you wear the blade out.

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/p...ssic_industrial_shovel_hollow_back_round_pt_/

You might have to do a mindset adjustment about disposable tools to click on that, but ask yourself would you really rather ride a bike you could leave out in the weather leaned up against the back of the garage and replace every year, or a bike you take in the house and hang on it's own rack and enjoy for a lifetime?

If you have to ask you might as well ride the Huffy and deal with how to fix all those broken bikes you got laying around.


----------



## hankthespacecowboy (Jun 10, 2004)

I'm fully on board the philosophy of good quality tools. But my key criteria for these tools is cheap, so I can leave them stashed at the trail. I'm not gonna buy a $35 shovel and leave it out in the elements. I'm much more interested in the low-budget fixes for this particular purpose. Moustache Rider and WaveDude are much more the department of ideas I am looking for. Thanks for the leads, guys!


----------



## ~martini~ (Dec 20, 2003)

I've recently become a high quality tool snob. Bought a Rouge hoe and a DeWit rake. Oh my, the difference! I'm waiting till my shovels bite the dust and will then be buying better. 

My biggest issue with cheap tools is the handle length. They're all waaay to short for my 6'5". The dewit has a 60" handle, and the Rouge is at least 55" tall. after using them all day yesterday, my back doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did with 'normal' tools.


----------



## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

*Exactly, what it's about*



...after using them all day yesterday said:


> Cheap shovel blades are stamped out sheet metal, while good shovel blades are forged out of high quality steel, then ground and tapered to be light, strong, well balanced, and ergonomically fitting for a human being. Same for all types of tools, the good ones make the work easier, and enable you to do better work more efficiently. You gotta be a tool user to appreciate that... most folks have never used a good tool and assume they're just more expensive versions of cheap imitation tools, like the folks who buy cheap toy bikes.
> 
> I realize this is peripheral to the OP's original question, but cheap disposable tools are no joy anywhere.


----------



## Sapporo Tom (Nov 28, 2008)

*Rouge Hoe ?*

Was just looking at tools at the local franchise/chain hardware place dreaming of trails to come when the snow finally clears next month sometime and funny you dudes should digress. Cuz all I pretty much saw was overpriced stuff I would call shite for the money. Now MARTINI mentioned Rouge Hoe, so I checked some out at forestry supply. Price seemed good at $35 (round a drinks). MARTINI or any other buddy out there, do you recommend a straight blade or a curved blade ? and 40 inch vs. 60 inch on the handle, I'm just guessing choked up grip for serious dirt hacking is the deal on the 40 but any advice on that?


----------



## ~martini~ (Dec 20, 2003)

I'm tall, so I went with the 60. Works well for me. I also have the curved blade. Works really, really well for chopping out pricker bushes/bramble patches and root stumps. Also works well for carving out bench cuts. The best thing about it? The weight of the head really works to lighten your work load. You swing up, and let the head do most of the work on the way down.


----------



## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

I have the 40" handle and wish I had the 60". I can slip the 40 in a backpack but after a couple of hours digging, my old back gets tired with the short handle.


----------

