What's your shovel?

[bunyip]

Flat bottom shovels are useless for digging unless it’s in sand. They’re useful for scooping material off a hard surface.

And despatching snakes...

 

[bigtiller]

There's a difference between a shovel and a spade. The latter is what I used for pit digging trees. After using one for a while, I very rarely pick up a pointed shovel now.
The attached photo is the cheap one that I have, although it wasn't inexpensive. It's the one that I keep in the truck, and that I grab if I have some work to.

That is what I call a garden spade. It's my first choice for a lot of jobs also. Cant it a little when the digging is tuff.

 

[wngsprd]

I've broken a number of wooden handle shovels, both flat and round point, so a couple of years ago bought the red fiberglas handled round point shovel from Ace. Been real happy with it, so bought another this summer to keep down at the bridge, where I "play" in the sand and gravel in the creek.

 

[Deere Dude]

I bought a steel handled spade 45 years ago and is still my go to shovel. Sturdy and easy to use. I also have 3-4 wood handled spades and 1 fiberglass spade but when I do to the garage to get one, the steel one is generally my choice because it is easiest to use as far as less deforming and bending of the handle or spade portion when cranking on it. I understand it is not unbreakable but will still outlast my others even with much harder use.

 

[drssg]

I've got a few rogue tools and like them a lot. Recently my goto shovel had an unfortunate incident between a tree and my tractor It wasn't anything great, just the best I could judge the big box store had.

Looking for some quality shovels, recommendations? USFS shovel worth it or the way to go?

Most of my shovels came from my dad's garage after he passed away. To my memory, he had them for all of my life. One of them had an unfortunate incident with my front-end loader, and I broke the handle. It made me kind of sad to think about all the time that shovel lasted before I got a hold of it. At the same time, I don't want to lock them away as keepsakes. I want to use them like he did.

I try to be more patient and deliberate in my actions. Even as an obnoxious teenager, I was secretly impressed by the quantity of work Dad could get done by slowly and persistently plugging away at something.

 

[ultrarunner]

My Grandfather was like this into his 80's on the dairy farm...

He long ago turned over operation to my uncle but he worked each and every day... except Sunday after morning milking...

Always fixing things... head out with his shovel with hickory handles he had honed to maintain the water bars, mend fences, gates, keep the boundary markers in good repair...

It was not until after he was gone did the full impact sink in at just how much he got done each day...

 

[Fuddy1952]

My grandfather next door used a steel grain scoop for a shovel. Dad and I would be shoveling gravel or dirt with shovels, grandad using that scoop. Dad would always say he was killing himself!

 

[k0ua]

I try to use this one when ever possible. It is really a back saver. Hydraulics are a wonderful thing.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I like my square shovel with a long fiberglass handle. Recently Princess Auto had a sale and I thought I got a great deal, same shovel with a long wooden handle. Thick and heavy! Also bought a ten tine bedding fork, same handle. Also too thick and heavy over the D handle one I had (and my lady friend used to dig potatoes!). My old one cost seventy bucks and was hard to find. I kind of flew off the (D) handle when I saw what she had done to it!