Border Spade
And if you are of slight build it will probably be the first gardening tool you will buy.
You certainly won't be spoilt for choice. There are several different manufactures, with different designs, but they all do essentially the same thing. And that is, mainly digging.
The heads are normally made from forged steel, carbon steel or stainless steel and the blade and shaft socket should be forged in one piece.
Welded blades and shaft sockets do not make very good spade heads so are not recommended.
Avoid the cheap versions where the blade is riveted to the shaft socket, these will not last.
The size of the head is normally about 14cm (5 1/2inches) wide by about 23cm (9inches) high.
You can get them wider but there is no real benefit. In fact it just makes its use more difficult.
The shafts are mainly wooden, fiberglass, plastic coated steel cored or aluminium and are attached to the head at a slight angle.
Shafts range in length from around 71cm (28inches) to around 81cm (32inches). A shaft should be fixed to the head solidly, no matter what materials the head and shaft are made from, by a solid socket insert and fixed securely with pins.
There should be no movement at all at this joint so check this thoroughly before buying. If there is the slightest movement leave it in the display cabinet and try another make of border spade. The importance of this joint can not be stressed enough, it must be solid! in shape and all parts of the handle should be solidly fixed together and to the shaft with no movement between any parts.
What's This Spade Used For?
The border spade is used in confined areas between vegetables and closely planted flowers. I tend to use this tool for digging and transplanting perennials but you can use it for any chore that demands a smaller blade than a regular shovel.
What's Difference Between a Spade and a Shovel?
Just the name and the country you were brought up in for the most part but we sometimes use "spade" for smaller shovels. And sometimes we use "spade" for flat-ended tools reserving "shovel" for round-bladed tools.
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