Blade Material
The blade of the spade, also referred to as the head, tend to be made of either stainless steel or carbon steel. So, what’s the difference?
Stainless steel is rust resistant. It contains chromium which doesn’t oxidise. This layer of chromium in stainless steel is therefore what keeps it from rusting or corroding. Spades with a stainless steel blade are unlikely to need any maintenance at all.
Carbon steel, on the other hand, has the ability to rust. Whilst it won’t rust immediately, or especially easily, it still has the potential to do so. Therefore, slightly more maintenance and care is required with a carbon-steel blade. The main benefit of carbon steel is that it’s stronger than stainless steel due to its high carbon content.
Coatings, such as an epoxy coating, can be applied to carbon steel to make it less likely to rust. This not only makes carbon steel more rust resistant, but on a spade blade it will also help the soil slide off more easily.
Shaft Material
The shafts of gardening spades can be made from various materials. The most common materials are wood, polypropylene, fibreglass and aluminium.
There are pros and cons to each material, which we will take a look at in more detail below. However, if you want a quick summary:
- Fibreglass and aluminium are the lightest
- Fibreglass is slightly heavier but much stronger than aluminium
- Wood is more traditional than polypropylene and absorbs shock effectively
- Polypropylene offers a good combination of strength and lightness
Wooden shafts are strong, shock absorbing, and don’t bend; however, they may warp if the wood is not treated, they can rot if exposed to moisture, and are one of the heaviest construction types. Ash wood is one of the stronger materials used for spade shafts, so it’s a good one to look out for. If the wood is FSC certified you can be reassured that it has come from a sustainable source.
Polypropylene shafts are durable, can withstand heavy loads, and don’t require any maintenance; however, they may snap under too much force, can be too hard (sending shockwaves to the hands), and may become brittle over time.
Fibreglass is lightweight, extremely durable and won’t shrink or expand. The downside of fibreglass is that it’s expensive, hard to replace if it does break, and can become brittle in freezing temperatures.
Aluminium shafts are light, and strong enough for lighter gardening tasks; however, it’s not as strong a material others and may bend under pressure.
Handle Material
Certain handles have been designed to be more ergonomic than others. This can help with comfort; however, be careful if the handle is overly moulded – whilst this might look comfortable, if the moulding doesn’t line up well with your hands it could be anything but.
Wooden handles are warmer than metal ones and absorb shock well. They can also be kinder on the hands than hard plastic handles. Keep an eye out for splinters as this can be a downside to wood.
One further note on handles, which is less about the material and more about the shape; make sure that the handle’s D-grip is wide enough for your hands. Some spades have wider handles than others, and if you have to squish your hands into too small a grip, it’s going to be uncomfortable.
Regardless of the handle material you go for, you should wear gardening gloves to avoid blisters.