OT: shovels

junglegal

Esteemed Member
3,135
30/03/08
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Any advice or source for sharp weighted shovels? My old place had great soil. Now when I try to plant, my current shovels stink. I need something to cut through roots. I tried to sharpen mine with the dremmel but they have ridges and don't sharpen well. I'm dealing with old pine roots that wandered after years of no irrigation.
 
I keep beating the same drum, but it really workes for me.
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It's gonna be a long year planting. I do have a sawzall. Maybe I should just dig holes all winter in prep for spring planting. Wish I were 10yrs younger right now!!
 
having just watch Morelli Landscaping transplant 400 odd cycads, all the workers use a shovel that has a blade almost parallel to the handle. I've seen them called 'pony shovels' and a few other names. The few I've seen for sale are expensive in comparison to anything you'd get at a big box store. But the workers were in their 20s and early 30s which makes a big difference....
 
The shovel you want is sold by Bushel Stop. It's $52, heavy, straight blade, and sharp. It's NOT going to cut roots thicker than 2", though, and you'll want a sharp saw for those.
 
Any advice or source for sharp weighted shovels? My old place had great soil. Now when I try to plant, my current shovels stink. I need something to cut through roots. I tried to sharpen mine with the dremmel but they have ridges and don't sharpen well. I'm dealing with old pine roots that wandered after years of no irrigation.
The shovel that landscapers use is very heavy with a flat blade you will know that this is no regular shovel and you can pick one up at any landscape supply store. Buy a grinder to keep the blade sharp, and call for underground utility locations on your property this service is free and well worth the phone call just need your folio #
 
The shovel that landscapers use is very heavy with a flat blade you will know that this is no regular shovel and you can pick one up at any landscape supply store. Buy a grinder to keep the blade sharp, and call for underground utility locations on your property this service is free and well worth the phone call just need your folio #

Call #811 in Florida for free utility line marking.
 
The name of the shovels you are talking about are called Cap Rock/Irrigation shovels. Like all tools, there is a range of qualities of these products. I purchased a heavy, all steel shovel with a very thick walled steel handle. I purchased it from an Ebay seller named The Landscaper Store. He is based somewhere in Florida. The shovel was named "This Little Piggy". Weighing in at least 10 pounds, the sheer weight of the shovel helps to break though stone and roots with less effort. The thick blade can be resharpened for better performance and is extremely durable. This shovel was worth every penny of the $100 it cost, and it would be even at $125 or so. I have had them for years of difficult digging in the Keys. Don't get suckered into buying inferior quality lower cost shovels that are not made with a very heavy gauge steel. I made the mistake of doing that, the product was about $75, and the handle bent with little effort very quickly, making the shovel basically useless. Jim Glock saw my "Little Piggy" a couple of weeks ago and was really impressed. He wanted the info from the seller to get one for himself.
 
Excellent info! Thank you. I've had my property marked twice recently for fencers then landscapers. I had to have this property graded & 50 yds of topsoil brought in. That was after the giant monkey pod tree in back came down. This place was really ugly in march. I have a gas line marked along my back fence.
 
Tim,

Great info your giving. It's obvious because your a landscaper AND you dig many a holes in pure rock down in the lower Keys. LOL! So, a very good quality shovel is well worth it's weight in gold. And one will cost right around $100 each, maybe a little less. We've bought many from Universal Ent. down here in south Florida. The most important thing is to get a shovel with a straight shank. These are made strickly for digging. Many nurseries make their own by welding a pipe to the head of the shevel for a more heavier shovel.
 
My god this thing is a god send. At 9.5#, one good slam in ground and it's like butter. Best $100 I've spent in this yard. Thank you all for recommendations
 

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If you don't have one, get a little wheel grinder (harbor freight $16.) and keep that thing sharp. They are twice as effective, just watch your toes.
 
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