ezover
Well-known member
i have not been a good care taker of my garden tools. my shovels are rusted and grimy. what is a good method to redress the shovel?
shovel repair
- Thread starter ezover
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driftpin
Well-known member
I don't think you need to do anything other than scrub-off residual dirt. Spraying them after with some-sort of metal preservative (WD-40, CRC 5-56, PB Blaster) might be something to do, if you were really-cheap, you could use a paper towel and wipe them with some used motor oil. I'd pay-attention to the wood handle, a sanding & some varnish or polyurethane to save the wood.
jeffmattero76
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I haven't done it, but I read that, if you want to take good care of your shovels, have a bucket of sand and dump your used motor oil into the sand. Every time you finish with the shovel, plunge it into the oily sand a few times. It cleans off the dirt, sharpens the shovel, and puts a protective coating on the shovel.
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PMD1966
Well-known member
Digging a hole works well.
Bretny
Well-known member
That would be the no maintenance preferred method. Lol
jonesg
Well-known member
Its like polishing a muffler, some mufflers are pricey and dressy.
I'd need to have a serious lack of chores.
I’ve never really considered the actual shovel head as needing anything other than to be kept out of the weather. And that’s a good idea for the handles too. I suppose if I really had some attachment to that particular shovel I’d hose it off and let it dry when I was done using it, then use an old rag and some used motor oil to coat it. But that kind of time and commitment would cut into the beer drinking time at the end of whatever project I was using said shovel for.
bob15
Well-known member
Want to get rid of the rust on the? Use them. Shoveling stone works real well,
JR 42
Well-known member
I've filed dings out of the edge to help with cutting roots, and put BLO on wood handles, not much else needed.
JR
JR
AceofSpad3s
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It's a shovel
I'd be more concerned about the handles, just rub some BLO on them so they don't get dry and splintery and just leave it at that.
I'd be more concerned about the handles, just rub some BLO on them so they don't get dry and splintery and just leave it at that.
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finn
Well-known member
Is a shovel polisher the ultimate tool polisher?
Personally. I find that using the shovel removes the rust that accumulates on the useable part of the shovel, affecting utility.
If it’s a Snapon shovel, some would disagree.
Also, be wary of the quality of the chrome plating inside the handle receptor.
Personally. I find that using the shovel removes the rust that accumulates on the useable part of the shovel, affecting utility.
If it’s a Snapon shovel, some would disagree.
Also, be wary of the quality of the chrome plating inside the handle receptor.
I run a stone-type abrasive disc on the angle grinder to sharpen them, but they should be only sharpened on one side (the underneath side that faces the ground). Sandpaper the wood handle then wipe olive oil on it until it stops absorbing it. If there is a lot of rust on blade use wire cup wheel and remove a good amount off blade tip to restore correct shape. Keep blade tip stored off wet ground and preferably out of sun to look after handle. About once a year I do all my garden tools, a sharp shovel digs and cuts through roots much better. Wear earmuffs when sharpening as things gets real LOUD!
d.mcfarland
Well-known member
Aren't shovels like $8 at the store. I wouldn't waste time with anything related to buying products to polish a shovel.
Unless you have serious sentimental value on the thing, or it's a very rare shovel.
Unless you have serious sentimental value on the thing, or it's a very rare shovel.
I've even seen shovels at the dollar store, but not good ones, only the hollow back types that let you down when you really put them to work.
Here is a garbage find I felt worthy of a restoration......
http://www.instructables.com/id/Shovel-Handle-Repair-1/
Here is a garbage find I felt worthy of a restoration......
http://www.instructables.com/id/Shovel-Handle-Repair-1/
I would never buy an $8 shovel at a store. But then again I am a man who exerts force on things, so my opinion might not apply to your application.
OP, I applaud you for wanting to freshen up your tools. There is nothing wrong with that and you should take pride in practicing one of the three R's (reduce, reuse, recycle).
Get yourself a knotted wire cup brush and go to town on the metal. I have heard about the method of putting shovels into a bucket of sand w/ used motor oil. Treat wood handles with BLO, and store in a dry area.
Just put some oil on a rag and wipe the blades down to clean any rust and protect from new rust. I oil my shovel blades after each use to clean and protect them. Boiled Linseed Oil (BLO stated earlier) on the wooden handle would be great, but I usually just use the same oil I put on the blade. Maybe once a year or so, I sharpen the cutting edge with a hand file.
Cheap shovels **** and, in my rocky soil, last maybe for one pretty good sized hole. I've had the handles on them break and leave a very sharp point sticking up out of the hole. Not such a good thing if the handle gives way suddenly and you fall on top of the point, for sure.
A good properly heat treated shovel lasts a really long time, especially if you combine it with a digging bar to do the heavy prying. Every new shovel I've used, even the good ones, is really soft compared to the older ones. I've bent blades pretty badly on newer shovels, and that never would have happened years ago, so the steel and heat treatment is quite different now.
Cheap shovels **** and, in my rocky soil, last maybe for one pretty good sized hole. I've had the handles on them break and leave a very sharp point sticking up out of the hole. Not such a good thing if the handle gives way suddenly and you fall on top of the point, for sure.
A good properly heat treated shovel lasts a really long time, especially if you combine it with a digging bar to do the heavy prying. Every new shovel I've used, even the good ones, is really soft compared to the older ones. I've bent blades pretty badly on newer shovels, and that never would have happened years ago, so the steel and heat treatment is quite different now.
If you actually use a shovel to do work often, you realise in short order the difference in quality between cheap $8 ones & more expensive or even vintage ones. An $8 shovel to me would be a waste of $8 unless of coarse it was an old forged Plumb bought from a yard sale or something in which then I'd happily spend 2 hours with a draw knife, spoke shave & rasp making a handle for it.
orangeblood
Well-known member
Give this man a cigar.
d.mcfarland
Well-known member
You guys ... the OP hasn't used shovels in so long they are "rusty and grimey". Then everyone screams full restoration!! Some people just don't use their noggin when it comes to actively listening and analyzing.
I used the google and it looks like Walmart has them for $6 actually (Jackson brand). The AMES brand are closers to ~$15.
I used the google and it looks like Walmart has them for $6 actually (Jackson brand). The AMES brand are closers to ~$15.
We have some sticky soil on this farm. When I have to use a shovel it is worth my time to sharpen it, polish it, and apply a coat of wax. If one trys to shovel this soil with a rough, rusty shovel the dirt will stick to it ahd soon your just moving a lump of soil around stuck to the shovel. With a polish and a bit of wax the soil will not stick to it and it falls off where I put it. I would no more dig with a dull shovel than I would try to cut with a dull knife.
Now if your going at a pile of sand or rock then it is not so important, but then your not using a digging shovel, or spade. For loose material one would be using a square ended shovel or a scoop shovel. Shovels (and pitchforks for that matter) come in a variety of shapes and sizes for different jobs. Having the correct one for the job makes life a lot easier.
I can judge from some of the comments above that some people think a couple of adjustable wrenches will handle all the fasteners they use, just as one ole' rusty shovel will be all that is needed.
lg
no neat sig line
Now if your going at a pile of sand or rock then it is not so important, but then your not using a digging shovel, or spade. For loose material one would be using a square ended shovel or a scoop shovel. Shovels (and pitchforks for that matter) come in a variety of shapes and sizes for different jobs. Having the correct one for the job makes life a lot easier.
I can judge from some of the comments above that some people think a couple of adjustable wrenches will handle all the fasteners they use, just as one ole' rusty shovel will be all that is needed.
lg
no neat sig line
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rlitman
Well-known member
We don't all have the same soil. My gravel ridden top soil is on top of hard packed sand. Neither is sticky, and both clean and sharpen digging spaces nicely. For transferring loose material from a pile, yes a square ended shovel is the way to go, but that won't get you into the ground.Still, I completely agree that digging with a dull spade is a waste of energy.
However, when I first saw this thread, this is what came to mind:
