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A Border Spade which will last?

James BucklandJames Buckland Posts: 2
in Tools and techniques

Today I've broken three spades, whilst digging up brambles at the bottom of the garden. I usually buy the DIY store brand ones in the £10 to £15 price range.  Is it better to pay more? I've seen a burgen & ball spade that says it's breaking strain is 90kg. But it costs £38. 

Does anyone have any advice on what are the best border spades out there? Does paying more mean you get a better quality spade which will last?

Thanks

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    you get what you pay for, you've proved that. I'd go to a car boot/sunday market if such things still exist. Many of my tools came from such places and the rest from my granddad. Old is best.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    PS you need a mattock for brambles



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340

    The Bulldog range was recommended to me, I got the spade and border fork about 3-4yrs ago and very pleased with them both. Excellent quality and very solid


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • IamweedyIamweedy Posts: 1,364

    Has anyone tried burning them off with one of those garden flame throwing weed burners?




    'You must have some bread with it me duck!'

  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016

    If you repeatedly break tools you are using them incorrectly.  A spade or fork is not the tool for levering out major roots.  As nutcutlet says, a mattock or pickaxe is far better for breaking the soil away around heavy root growth.

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    I use a slater's hammer thing - I don't know what it's called but it works really well.

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    image This is a bit like it, but mine's more solid-looking

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Hortum-cretaeHortum-cretae Posts: 979

    I'd avoid Burgen and Ball, just not strong enough. Bulldog are pretty tough. All my tools are many years old. The steel is strong (not brittle), I've never broken any of them.  The forks are sharp tined, the spades are light and sharp and all the handles are all wood, which is easy on my hands.  Many of mine have come from disposal sites, or shed clearances and I've re-handled a few.  

    H-C

  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    B3 says:

    image This is a bit like it, but mine's more solid-looking

    See original post

     That flattened head looks like a cross between a pick and a mattock although I suspect considerably lighter to use.

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