Shovel Breakers Anonymous

As it turns out the daughters who know  me all to well, purchased an all steel lifetime warrantee shovel (AM11) for father's day surprise. So far it has held up well flipping up some melon sized rocks around the crab apple tree. It weighs about 7 lbs. so keep that in mind if you plan a whole day of digging.  The best part is I now have an alternative to breaking the wife's favorite oak handled shovel, which would present a whole new set of issues for me <grin>. Have a happy day, and try not to break anything important. John

Hello, my name is William and I break things often. Shovels are not my expertise though, so I am more of an onlooker to this SBA group.

I do have a question, but can a shovel handle be replaced?

I'm not just a shovel breaker but a fork, rake and hoe bender and breaker.  Even broke a tine off of the corona hand fork but evidently tapping that brick under the edge of the raised bed wasn't what it was designed for.  

I've lived here for over 30 years and evidently the previous owner just tossed anything with a broken handle over the hill as I seen to find a shovel or rake head every spring.  I'll also admit the broken implements are displayed in my garden waiting on the day when I'll either put handles in them or do something more creative.

I haven't broken a shovel, but forks and rakes quake in fear around me. I have been found in the wild with an old estate sale shovel blade under a big rock with the handle sticking out at about 2 o'clock and me jumping up and down on the handle. Not my wisest moment, but hey, I was frustrated determined.

I do love the idea of saving the unbroken heads and mounting them up on a trophy wall. For future repairs of course!

The latest in the saga of my shovel breaking (well, another fork, actually) was the other day when Mr Ara asked me if I had noticed that the handle on my favourite fork was loose. I hadn't. It's all his fault though, because he left his mattock behind at our last house (he thought we wouldn't need it here as it's just an "ordinary" garden) and I have been using the fork (so has he) to try and remove the roots of some dead roses. I didn't tell him I'd also used it to pry a stone out of the soil too. Should I own up?

If he doesn't ask, then I wouldn't tell!!! (you may not be able to see, but I'm smiling)


Peace

My latest update on shovel breakers: yesterday I found a handleless shovel in the garden. It was another one left behind by the previous owner. She certainly knew how to break her tools.

It is my guess that this shovel breakers anonymous group has many members of the Using Shovels for non-Shovel things group

Ara Murray wrote:The latest in the saga of my shovel breaking (well, another fork, actually) was the other day when Mr Ara asked me if I had noticed that the handle on my favourite fork was loose. Should I own up?

It would be a fun conversation to have, as you said he had been using it for the same brutal task as well.  Hey, you know that fork? Well, we broke it tearing up those roots.  You could tell him that he's at least a half member of the Shovel breakers anonymous now.

Not sure how half membership would work....

William Wallace wrote:It is my guess that this shovel breakers anonymous group has many members of the Using Shovels for non-Shovel things group

Hey now!

Nobody said I COULDN'T use my shovel as a pry bar. They just advised against it. :)

You know too much...

Timothy Norton wrote:

William Wallace wrote:It is my guess that this shovel breakers anonymous group has many members of the Using Shovels for non-Shovel things group

Hey now!

Nobody said I COULDN'T use my shovel as a pry bar. They just advised against it. :)

.........or as a temporary cross-beam for an outbuilding support.

......................forwarding that comment for a friend.


.. :-P