Bring an old broken spade back to life | Mr Fix it | Gardening Australia

Don’t throw out your old spade or wooden handled tools. Let Mr Fix it show you how to make an old tool as good as new.
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Follow Luke on Insta – @woodstoneragandbone

You will need:

Shovel or tool with broken handle!

Workbench and clamp

Nail punch

Drill with correct-sized bits

Vinegar

Shallow container to use for vinegar bath

Steel wool or wire brush

Metal file to sharpen shovel (optional)

New handle

Sandpaper

Hardening oil such as linseed

Brush and rag to apply oil

Spoke shave or Chisel to shape handle if needed

Galvanized button-head screws

What you do:

Remove the shovel head from the handle by removing the rivets holding it in place. Clamp the handle in a vice or on a bench. Use a nail punch to force the rivet out; if this doesn’t work you might need to drill the rivet out. HINT: if part of the handle is broken and stuck in the metal spade end, Luke says use an electric drill with a wood bit to cut into the wood. “It’s a fiddly job that will take time and may involve stopping and starting again.”

Clean the shovel head by soaking it in a vinegar bath for a few days. Removes any residual rust with steel wool or wire brush.

For old shovels, sharpen blade with a metal file.

Either buy a new handle from a sustainable source or recycle an old handle from a tool that is not repairable. Give the handle a light sanding then apply oil to protect the wood. HINT: Luke keeps an ‘oil brush’ in an air-tight container with a little oil to keep the brush oiled without allowing the oil to cure. It means never having to wash the brush. It’s a good tip as it means he can prime his blades regularly, and uses it for spades, secateurs, etc.

You may need to adjust the tapered head of the timber handle to get a good fit.

* Using Oils – important!

When applying or wiping off oil with a cloth rag, take care to dry out the rag before storing or disposing off. It has the potential to be flammable. As the oil oxidises or cures, it can create heat. Best practice is to plunge the rags in a bucket of water and then separate to dry. Spreads them out on a concrete floor or hang them up to dry.

Maintenance tips for the spade

At the end of every gardening day, spend the time to:

Rinse off mud and dirt from your tools and wipe them down

Hang tools rather than have them standing on an edge, or clanging with each other

Occasionally wipe with oil

You can store tools in a sand bucket to keep them clean and sharp

Filmed on Gadigal Country in Redfern, NSW

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