Has anyone used the steel handled shovels by Fiskars? http://www.landscapersstore.com/fiskars-shovels.html
I just ordered the 9667 and 9668. Both came to $52 with free shipping. I saw one in a store and it seemed to be very well built and had a nice big step.
Matt

I broke mine on the first use

They do have a life time warranty, so I took it back and got it replaced, but have not used it for boo digging since

Hi
I have one, all black...
Very tough, light and sharp. Similar price in Poland

...and haven`t any problems with it

Hi Gene, what part did you break?

Thanks Kristoff, glad to know you had good luck.

Matt

Hi!

Nice to work with in the garden ... but not for bamboo. The blade was not strong enough (flipped over) to propagate my vivax.

Matt-
I haven't used that particular shovel, but I've seen its construction and I find that most standard shovels like that don't hold up over the long term (and sometimes the short term). The problem is that one is always tempted to use the shovel to pry with, and sooner or later it gets over-stressed. I use a much heavier gauge, all-steel, and nearly indestructible shovel made by Wolverine. I like the design of the business end and the fact that it's a long-handled shovel (66"). But, even though I can pry with it without much worry, I always bring my steel demolition bar to do the brute force part.
http://www.terratech.net/product.asp?specific=jqoorpg8

Some folks here like one of the all-steel King of Spades shovels:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... el&x=0&y=0

Lastly, if you really want to speed up your digs so that you can take a division in a fraction of the normal time, you finally end up convincing yourself to spend $175 on the ultimate bamboo digging shovel:
http://www.midatlanticbamboo.com/bamboo ... -spade.htm
It weighs about 15 pounds, and works like a slide hammer. The first time I used one, I did a division of a clumper in about 2 minutes, and that was it...I had to buy one.

I'm not trying to be a snob here about shovels. It's just that I've gone through too many in the past, and I finally broke down and spent what I had to to have something that would hold up. If you can resist prying with your new shovels -- perhaps by using a demolition bar, too -- you may get good mileage from them.

Also try the link below for a discussion of steel shovels.


viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4034&start=0

For taking divisions I seriously sharpen an old flat landscaping shovel and hammer it through with a sledge. If you really have a lot to go through and its dry a buddy to hold the shovel will help. I've found nothing (in my younger days) that won't bend - have a 5' pry bar that I bent trying to get a rock from a hole - not quite the gorilla I once was though. Only a solid piece of metal can hold up to that kind of abuse and then it's hard to use for long periods of time. I buy Craftsman and take them back when they break - but even thier new red fiberglass models are a bit heavy, so I'm going to get another ash handle model soon. You can purchase several and have some as back-ups and never buy another again (or as long as Sears is in business).

Matt,

Mine broke right along the weld from the foot pad down....

The handle did not bend, but I think the blade itself is too thin for heavy duty use.

That's good to know Gene. Since you and VanDell had similar failure points I'll know what to watch for and where I might need to weld a stiffening element. Will update after I use (or break) them some.
Thanks .. Matt