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Square Shovels |
Square Shovel
Edge Angle
Sharpening the top edge enables the shovel's back to lie flat on the surface, getting all the material into it (e.g., mulch sitting on a concrete drive, or gravel in the bed of your truck).
A 6" smooth cut machinist’s hand file is useful to carry in your gardening tools box. Use it to resharpen the shovel as needed throughout the tool's usage for the day.
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There is no gardening without humility. Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder. Alfred Austin |
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General Guidelines |
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| α |
Notes |
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| 45° | |
New shovels I have purchased have an angle (α) of 90°. Therefore, initial shaping of the edge is to be expected.
A machinist’s hand file such as a 12-14" bastard file is often sufficient for this task.
If you use an angle grinder, consider using a 120 grit flap disc. A metal grinding wheel may be needed for large-scale shaping. In either case, be sure to not overheat the metal too much: it weakens the metal.
Use a machinist’s hand file.