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Spades with pointed end instead of straight end

Last post 22-05-2010 6:17 AM by bogweevil. 6 replies.

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  • 16/03/2010 04:33 PM
    • petrofinn
    • Milford Haven, Wales
    • 01 Mar 2010
    • 6
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    I garden on terribly stony ground although quite productive when you get things planted. The "normal" spade has a straight cutting edge which mens that one stone anywhere along its edge is enough to stop the spade penetrating the ground. There are spades which have a rounded end leading to a point in the middle of the "business" end. This should be ideal because the spade should slide sideways away from a stone. That's the theory! Does it work in practice, has anyone tried or owned one? There are many on the market but I need some reassurance before I buy one. Any comment will be much appreciated.

  • 16/03/2010 08:42 PM
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    Pointed spades will penetrate hard ground best - I use a long handled one sold in Focus for about £25 and find it highly satisfactory in every way - back pain free, ease of use, speed of work, with the slight exception that the finish in terms of levelness and crumb structure is not quite as good as an ordinary spade, but only a tedious pedant would even notice. Boggy

    Beware the bat-eared bogweevil
  • 16/03/2010 10:39 PM
    In reply to
    • AlexS
    • Reading
    • 06 Sep 2009
    • 519
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    I have had a Sneeboer pointy spade for about 10 years. It's one of my favourite tools. It is indeed better on stony soil than a straight-edge spade, and is really robust. However, for the toughest jobs I use a fencing spade, which is made for digging postholes presumably. I got mine from a fencing contractor for about £40. It has a narrow steel blade and a long steel shaft. Not only is it very strong, you can get great leverage too. It's heavy which means its own weight helps it to penetrate. I use it in stony ground, for getting out tree stumps, and for breaking up concrete.

    Alex
  • 27/04/2010 11:50 AM
    In reply to
    • JamesA
    • Peterborough
    • 24 Aug 2006
    • 215
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    I also tend to use my fencing tool on hard ground.
    It's heavy and forces it's way through. It was a well spent £16.99.

    When removing an old fence post concrete it was strong enough to break up the concrete a bit.

    http://www.wickes.co.uk/Newcastle-Draining-Tool/invt/169112
  • 21/05/2010 10:06 AM
    In reply to
    • Onei
    • London
    • 21 May 2010
    • 2
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    Hi Have you ever thought about investing in a Mattock? Incredibly useful tool that will help cut through any stoney or hard ground and old tree roots etc. and because it is like a pick axe has great leverage too!

    Children love gardening, particularly with miniaturised tools
  • 21/05/2010 10:49 PM
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    • AlexS
    • Reading
    • 06 Sep 2009
    • 519
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    Since I got my Excaquick fencing shovel, my mattock has been made redundant. I've found the fencing shovel better every time, particularly in confined spaces where swinging a mattock is awkward. Different strokes for different folks again?

    Alex
  • 22/05/2010 06:17 AM
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    There are builders mattocks and gardeners mattocks - the latter is not too good for stony soil but is much less laborious than a spade in light soils. I bought the largest Chillington hoe twenty yeas ago - it is on its second handle, but I am much less able to wield it now...http://www.chillingtontoolsonline.co.uk/heavy-duty-hoe-head-only-p5 Perhaps the pointed hoe will do for heavy soil http://www.chillingtontoolsonline.co.uk/ridging-hoe-head-only-p6 Boggy

    Beware the bat-eared bogweevil