TOOL MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY
General Care Tips
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Clean your tool with water to remove dirt and debris.
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For heavy cleaning, use steel wool or a brush.
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Remove rust and oxidation with steel wool
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During storage, lightly oil the blade to protect against rust and corrosion.
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Store in a cool dry place, out of the elements
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Avoid storing in a hot area, as this will encourage the handle to dry out.
The Edge
Our blade designs do promote self sharpening of the edge during use. However, as time goes on, it is a good idea to occasionally touch up the blade to maintain a clean, smooth, and relatively sharp edge. Keep the edge sharp while maintaining the original bevel. Use a flat file and sharpening stone to sharpen your edge. Grinders or sanders can be used with extreme caution, as overheating can alter the steel temper.
Our Dual-Sided Sharpening File has a double-cut pattern for rapid material removal when reprofiling, or for removing dings and nicks from the edge. The single-cut teeth are for finer touch ups, finishing, and deburring. Our dual-grit Sharpening Stone features a coarse side of 120 grit to restore dull edges, and a fine side of 320 grit for finer sharpening.
The Handle
Common causes for broken handles, aside from blatant misuse, are hard overstrikes, over leveraging the tool, lateral (side to side) twisting when lodged in the ground, and drying out. When neglected, a handle is more likely to dry out, become brittle, and crack. Proper care will significantly prolong the handle’s life. Maintain and protect your shovel handle with a proper wood finish. Our handles are linseed oil finished, or coated in a clear lacquer finish for long term protection. Over time, as this finish diminishes with use, it may be best to sand it down smooth and apply a new finish. If you prefer an oil finish instead of a lacquer coat, the handle could be smooth sanded, and you can use multiple coats of boiled linseed oil to heavily saturate your handle. For a proper linseed finish, this should be done in stages over a couple weeks, allowing each coat several days to fully cure. Doing this will help to ensure the handle stays healthy, flexible, and retains a proper moisture level.
This will form a strong protective finish that will endure years of service. Use 150 grit sandpaper to smooth out chips and restore a damaged finish as necessary. Oil the tool afterwards.
Rust Protection
Carbon steel is susceptible to rusting over time. Rust can be prevented by keeping the steel head oiled. If rusting does occur, use steel wool or an abrasive to remove the rust, and then wipe down with Axe-Guard™ Head Oil. Axe-Guard is a metal protecting and rust preventative oil, and the residue is safe for contact on leather, wood, or skin.
Storage
Store your tool in a cool, dry place. Excessive exposure to moisture and the elements may cause damage over time. Do not store in direct sunlight, or near a stove, fireplace, or other heat source. This can cause significant damage to handles by lowering humidity levels in the wood. After using your tool, always clean it before storing. For the best care, lightly oil it before storing. ​
Proper Technique & Safety
When digging or shoveling, be sure to stand firm on the ground with both feet, and plant the weight of your body. take care to avoid striking the handle against other objects. Over leveraging your handle is the leading cause of damaging your handle. If your shovel is lodged in the ground rock it back and forth in line with the blade. Never twist side to side, as this may break your handle. Use additional caution when digging in extremely hard or frozen ground, as it can be extremely hard and may damage the tool or cause the blade to bounce off.
Accidental miss swings and flying debris can cause serious injury to the eyes, feet, and body. Eye protection, steel-toed boots, and proper clothing and protective gear should always be worn. Spectators should maintain a safe viewing distance. Never use your garden tools if you are tired, on medication, or intoxicated.
Sharpening & Sharpening Tools
If properly cared for, an Idealspaten spade will last a lifetime. When it comes time to resharpen the blade, always use quality sharpening implements as they are the surest and most effective means of achieving a perfect edge. Sharpening frequency will depend on how often you use your tool, what type of digging you are using it for, weather conditions during use, and any maintenance routines you regularly employ. Eventually, the blade edge will need to be filed in order to correct the blade shape, remove any nicks or dings that have formed on the edge. This is commonly performed with a tool file, and will result in a blade that is functional.
Repairs
Loose Shovel Head
Always ensure that the head is firmly attached to the handle. If your spade or shovel head becomes loose and begins to wiggle on the handle, do not be alarmed. In most cases this is a simple and easy fix. It can be caused by a wide variety of reasons, while the most common being weather acclimation or wood shrinkage. If, for instance, your shovel is transported from a wet or humid climate to a dry climate for extended periods of time, the wood may begin to dry out. As wood dries, it will shrink slightly. If your shovel is not maintained over time with a handle conditioner, such as lacquers, varnishes, or boiled linseed oil, it will begin to dry out and shrink. To retighten a head to a socket, see the diagrams below. In most cases, you will need to tighten screws, resecure rivets, or add additional screws and hardware for additional security to the handle.