I just wire brushed and sharpened (die grinder) a shovel that had probably never even been cleaned in over a decade. Gave it a shot of rust protectant. It does work better! Much like the a saw blade, cleaning the edges that can cause drag helps. Happy shovel, happy digging!
I never did anything like this before. You explained everything so well ! I especially like that you included different options and the reasons, as well as some basic things to be careful about that a novice, like me, wouldn’t think of until too late. Thanks again!
Well Done. I will try your methods. I have a "1930's" Ames Shovel that some one gave me. I'm an Ex Shipyard Welder so I know this shovel is made with good quality steel and worth restoring.
This is a great tutorial. I was taught to sharpen hand tools with a file and that is why all of mine are dull! I have a bench grinder but it is to awkward to use except for lawn mower blades. Now that I see how you use the angle grinder I will go sharpen all of my shovels and hoes. Thanks!
There’s a file called a farmers file. You might have to look a little for one. I seen them online and they said Lowe’s carries them. I sorta remember seeing them at Lowe’s. I know after I looked online they were all over the place with prices ranging between 8 and 12 dollars and many with free shipping.
Thanks for the tutorial! i can now justify the need to buy an angle grinder! yes!!! You may not want to sharpen that far up the shovel though...My friend had done that and I was using his shovel and since the step is pretty narrow, my foot slipped off when the shovel hit a root and the sharp edge actually sliced through the sole of my shoe! Just thought I would share that to spare your sorry soles =]
Doing this for the first time is afternoon. Hopefully it won't feel like I'm digging with a baseball bat anymore. Using a concave flap wheel on a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder is working well at removing the surface rust. Just grappled an 80 grit one and went at it.
Those sparks are at least 2000⁰ Kelvin. They just don't have enough mass to transfer much of that heat to your skin, so they don't feel like they're burning you.
I have seen tips on how to keep shovels free of rust in between grinding and sharpening where you fill a 5 gallon bucket with sand and add motor oil into the sand then you just plunge the shovel into the bucket a few times and this removes the surface rust.
Soaking all your rusted garden tools in a bucket of vinegar takes off the majority of the rust. I have done it and grinder the crevices with a steel brush for a drill. Came out looking brand new.
Hey! I've just watched this video and your video on rustproofing with a bucket full of sand and oil. I have a shovel-related question which has nothing to do with either video. I've found an old shovel with a broken-off handle, about in the rusted condition of the other video. The thing is, I can't figure out how to remove the rest of the handle stuck inside the shank. What should I do? Some people have suggested just putting it in a burn pile, but I don't want to ruin the temper. There were two rivets, both now removed. The old handle bends with the shape of the shovel, and combined with rust and possibly swelling, I can't get the thing to budge. It's a flat shovel, similar to the one in the sand bucket video, in case that makes any difference.
I would first try drilling it out. The handle will be firmly stuck in the socket by the fact that the wood is heavily compressed and that creates quite a bit of friction. If you hog out the majority of the inside of the broken handle with a drill, then that'll relieve a lot of pressure on the socket sidewalls. It might just crumble out, else you could try using a chisel or screwdriver to pry the remaining pieces out.
Awesome! May I suggest using a face shield AND ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES when using a grinder. Sparks are not the concern, its the blade exploding (which does happen). Safety first.
+AeineralusCousin I do always wear safety goggles, but that's a good point about the face shield if the disc explodes. It's funny that you mention the gloves, though, because I've gotten a few comments that it's DANGEROUS to wear gloves with grinders since they can get caught up in them. Hmm. I guess I can see that. It'll be a trade-off of risks.
+granworks Don't listen to anyone who says not to wear gloves. As long as your hands are placed where they should, your gloves shouldn't be in the way and they WILL SAVE YOU. Sparks, exploding disks, or even wires from those wire brushes all suck. Ever seen what a cutting disk can do to flesh? Not pretty. Anyone who would tell you not to wear gloves has never set foot in a metal shop. OSHA would fine them out the ass.
+AeineralusCousin And for the love of god people use a blade that's designed for grinding, like he is, not the thin ones designed for cutting, they'll explode once you put a little pressure on it and they will hurt you bad.
When digging keep the file in your pocket and a stiff putty knife. When digging clay or wet soil take the putty knife and clean the tools face. Every 10-15 minutes run the file over the sharpened edge to keep the shovel cutting edge sharp. A discarded knife block steel will keep the edge dressed. At the end of the day, wipe the shovel with a oiled rag and dress the cutting edge. A sharp shovel will move a unbelievable ammount of soil in a short time. Three workers can dig a three foot wide, three feet deep 20 feet long in a hour if they know how to use a shovel properly and keep them sharp. Sometimes you cant get powered equipment in and knowing how to move dirt manually is invaluable.
Está muy interesante tu comentario porque en México se hacen excavaciones para las construcciones de casas y edificios, es muy popular esas excavaciones, sin maquinaria pesada , gracias que Dios te bendiga Saludos desde México
hey mate, never done this before but have seen others saying to grind just the back of the shovel instead. have you tried doing this? I imagine sharpening either side is better than nothing but which side is better I am not sure (although most that state a side seem to prefer the backside to sharpen)
Yeah, I've heard that as well but haven't tried it. Sharpening just one side may well be faster to do and it would essentially give a chisel-like edge. I can't think of a reason why that wouldn't work. Sharpening both edges, to me, feels like a more sure thing as you're getting a knife-like edge with little extra work. Maybe it would go dull faster, though? I will say that I tend to "touch up" the shovels by just grinding/filing on one side...
Honestly, I have no idea. I put a pretty steep angle on it, though, since a shallow angle would bend over (get dull) much too quickly. It may be as steep as a 45.
If in doubt, grind it out. (You learn that while studying for a working man's PhD). For green horns, a flap disk is much safer (unless it's not (aka, running it against the edge, which only results in it detonating into bits of sand paper, so not too dangerous). This isn't my first rodeo and I prefer to use a flap disk, because a cut off wheel or grinder is not meant to have side pressure on the disc... so told to me by a schooled professional welder with several welders worth north of $10k each... A flapper is also smoother and less likely to take metal at a rate higher than you prefer. If you want something sharp... Tobisho SR-2 pruning shears, a hand tool, use some serious steel, and are far superior to Felco, Corona, et al. I'm looking for a digging shovel of that nature, maybe the Russian Ti shovel mentioned in the comments. Cheers.
NEVER sharpen both sides of a shovel blade. It weakens the blade and does nothing to increase usability. Sharpen only the front at a steep angle. Razor sharp is a negative, you need to be able to power through roots and not have rocks nick the blade. Also only sharpen the bottom 1/4th or at most 1/3rd of the blade, its a safety issue.
I had a new shovel. I loaned it to a coworker for about 2 days. He promptly left in out in the rain and in the mud. Then went and bought a NEW shovel...but kept it for himself and gave me a rusty one back. Anyway, all that said...I chuckled at the beginning of this video because my shovel looks about like that and it’s strong and works well. I can do A LOT of work with a shovel like that. I have no idea why you’d even try to say that you couldn’t do much with that shovel. (0:14) It’s going straight into the dirt so all that sharpening won’t last long. Still...interesting video.
The easy way to clean any rusted metal is with 1:9 ratio molasses to water in a vat that will hold the item, let soak 1 - 3 days, wash and light sand paint easy.
I find it interesting in how much of a difference the sharpening makes. As an unrelated question, how come they still use those shovels in the North america that have no handle on the back as you pretty much can't even buy one here without one. I wonder if its a cultural thing.
+Purkkaviritys They do sell the d-handle shovels, as well. Long handle shovels are FAR more popular in the US, though. I guess because it's easier to use while standing upright?
Cardan oil (branch shaft) for farming equipment is what I use and swear by 👍🏻no wd40 that's just for water removal. The oil is a bit thicker and removes any rust remaining, mostly only use it when the tools are in the shed for the winter.
Good tutorial. Thank you for taking the time to film your work.
I just wire brushed and sharpened (die grinder) a shovel that had probably never even been cleaned in over a decade. Gave it a shot of rust protectant. It does work better! Much like the a saw blade, cleaning the edges that can cause drag helps. Happy shovel, happy digging!
I use Ballistol and a rag for mine. It's not just a gun cleaner. You can use on all your tools and it works great.
I never did anything like this before. You explained everything so well ! I especially like that you included different options and the reasons, as well as some basic things to be careful about that a novice, like me, wouldn’t think of until too late. Thanks again!
Well Done. I will try your methods. I have a "1930's" Ames Shovel that some one gave me. I'm an Ex Shipyard Welder so I know this shovel is made with good quality steel and worth restoring.
This is a great tutorial. I was taught to sharpen hand tools with a file and that is why all of mine are dull! I have a bench grinder but it is to awkward to use except for lawn mower blades. Now that I see how you use the angle grinder I will go sharpen all of my shovels and hoes. Thanks!
There’s a file called a farmers file. You might have to look a little for one. I seen them online and they said Lowe’s carries them. I sorta remember seeing them at Lowe’s. I know after I looked online they were all over the place with prices ranging between 8 and 12 dollars and many with free shipping.
Thanks for the tutorial! i can now justify the need to buy an angle grinder! yes!!! You may not want to sharpen that far up the shovel though...My friend had done that and I was using his shovel and since the step is pretty narrow, my foot slipped off when the shovel hit a root and the sharp edge actually sliced through the sole of my shoe! Just thought I would share that to spare your sorry soles =]
Doing this for the first time is afternoon. Hopefully it won't feel like I'm digging with a baseball bat anymore. Using a concave flap wheel on a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder is working well at removing the surface rust. Just grappled an 80 grit one and went at it.
Those sparks are at least 2000⁰ Kelvin. They just don't have enough mass to transfer much of that heat to your skin, so they don't feel like they're burning you.
Great video, nice and concise.
I have seen tips on how to keep shovels free of rust in between grinding and sharpening where you fill a 5 gallon bucket with sand and add motor oil into the sand then you just plunge the shovel into the bucket a few times and this removes the surface rust.
Yes, that works great. I actually did a video on that tactic a little after this video: ua-cam.com/video/oKcXRnD_E7M/v-deo.html
Soaking all your rusted garden tools in a bucket of vinegar takes off the majority of the rust. I have done it and grinder the crevices with a steel brush for a drill. Came out looking brand new.
Once you go sharp you’ll never go dull again
Hey! I've just watched this video and your video on rustproofing with a bucket full of sand and oil. I have a shovel-related question which has nothing to do with either video.
I've found an old shovel with a broken-off handle, about in the rusted condition of the other video. The thing is, I can't figure out how to remove the rest of the handle stuck inside the shank. What should I do? Some people have suggested just putting it in a burn pile, but I don't want to ruin the temper. There were two rivets, both now removed. The old handle bends with the shape of the shovel, and combined with rust and possibly swelling, I can't get the thing to budge. It's a flat shovel, similar to the one in the sand bucket video, in case that makes any difference.
I would first try drilling it out. The handle will be firmly stuck in the socket by the fact that the wood is heavily compressed and that creates quite a bit of friction. If you hog out the majority of the inside of the broken handle with a drill, then that'll relieve a lot of pressure on the socket sidewalls. It might just crumble out, else you could try using a chisel or screwdriver to pry the remaining pieces out.
@@granworks thank you so much. I'll try that.
Ok - now I REALLY want an angle grinder ;)
Awesome! May I suggest using a face shield AND ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES when using a grinder. Sparks are not the concern, its the blade exploding (which does happen). Safety first.
+AeineralusCousin I do always wear safety goggles, but that's a good point about the face shield if the disc explodes. It's funny that you mention the gloves, though, because I've gotten a few comments that it's DANGEROUS to wear gloves with grinders since they can get caught up in them. Hmm. I guess I can see that. It'll be a trade-off of risks.
+granworks thanks for the reply!
+granworks Don't listen to anyone who says not to wear gloves. As long as your hands are placed where they should, your gloves shouldn't be in the way and they WILL SAVE YOU. Sparks, exploding disks, or even wires from those wire brushes all suck. Ever seen what a cutting disk can do to flesh? Not pretty.
Anyone who would tell you not to wear gloves has never set foot in a metal shop. OSHA would fine them out the ass.
+Newbish Dm agreed. OH&S here in Canada would fine the worker and the employer for not wearing gloves while grinding.
+AeineralusCousin And for the love of god people use a blade that's designed for grinding, like he is, not the thin ones designed for cutting, they'll explode once you put a little pressure on it and they will hurt you bad.
The extra info on the grinder possibly effecting the temper of the metal was well needed, I wouldn't have considered that.
When digging keep the file in your pocket and a stiff putty knife. When digging clay or wet soil take the putty knife and clean the tools face. Every 10-15 minutes run the file over the sharpened edge to keep the shovel cutting edge sharp. A discarded knife block steel will keep the edge dressed. At the end of the day, wipe the shovel with a oiled rag and dress the cutting edge. A sharp shovel will move a unbelievable ammount of soil in a short time. Three workers can dig a three foot wide, three feet deep 20 feet long in a hour if they know how to use a shovel properly and keep them sharp. Sometimes you cant get powered equipment in and knowing how to move dirt manually is invaluable.
Está muy interesante tu comentario porque en México se hacen excavaciones para las construcciones de casas y edificios, es muy popular esas excavaciones, sin maquinaria pesada , gracias que Dios te bendiga Saludos desde México
I know I'm old now, because I'm looking at that shovel like a video game.
Very helpful thank u!
hey mate, never done this before but have seen others saying to grind just the back of the shovel instead. have you tried doing this? I imagine sharpening either side is better than nothing but which side is better I am not sure (although most that state a side seem to prefer the backside to sharpen)
Yeah, I've heard that as well but haven't tried it. Sharpening just one side may well be faster to do and it would essentially give a chisel-like edge. I can't think of a reason why that wouldn't work. Sharpening both edges, to me, feels like a more sure thing as you're getting a knife-like edge with little extra work. Maybe it would go dull faster, though? I will say that I tend to "touch up" the shovels by just grinding/filing on one side...
Is that like a 25° bevel?
Honestly, I have no idea. I put a pretty steep angle on it, though, since a shallow angle would bend over (get dull) much too quickly. It may be as steep as a 45.
If in doubt, grind it out. (You learn that while studying for a working man's PhD). For green horns, a flap disk is much safer (unless it's not (aka, running it against the edge, which only results in it detonating into bits of sand paper, so not too dangerous). This isn't my first rodeo and I prefer to use a flap disk, because a cut off wheel or grinder is not meant to have side pressure on the disc... so told to me by a schooled professional welder with several welders worth north of $10k each... A flapper is also smoother and less likely to take metal at a rate higher than you prefer. If you want something sharp... Tobisho SR-2 pruning shears, a hand tool, use some serious steel, and are far superior to Felco, Corona, et al. I'm looking for a digging shovel of that nature, maybe the Russian Ti shovel mentioned in the comments. Cheers.
Thanks great vid Ill be using your technique thanks
NEVER sharpen both sides of a shovel blade. It weakens the blade and does nothing to increase usability. Sharpen only the front at a steep angle. Razor sharp is a negative, you need to be able to power through roots and not have rocks nick the blade. Also only sharpen the bottom 1/4th or at most 1/3rd of the blade, its a safety issue.
i also use mine as an axe, so I sharpen good. mine is titanium shovel axe from mother russia!
Gracias a los dos comentarios no sabía eso soy de México Saludos a la madre Rusia y a la madre España
but what if you are using the shovel as a weapon?
@@silveriogarcia8203 jajajajajajajajajajajaj
@@JohnnyVincent14724 valid point
I had a new shovel. I loaned it to a coworker for about 2 days. He promptly left in out in the rain and in the mud. Then went and bought a NEW shovel...but kept it for himself and gave me a rusty one back.
Anyway, all that said...I chuckled at the beginning of this video because my shovel looks about like that and it’s strong and works well. I can do A LOT of work with a shovel like that. I have no idea why you’d even try to say that you couldn’t do much with that shovel. (0:14) It’s going straight into the dirt so all that sharpening won’t last long. Still...interesting video.
The easy way to clean any rusted metal is with 1:9 ratio molasses to water in a vat that will hold the item, let soak 1 - 3 days, wash and light sand paint easy.
I find it interesting in how much of a difference the sharpening makes. As an unrelated question, how come they still use those shovels in the North america that have no handle on the back as you pretty much can't even buy one here without one. I wonder if its a cultural thing.
+Purkkaviritys They do sell the d-handle shovels, as well. Long handle shovels are FAR more popular in the US, though. I guess because it's easier to use while standing upright?
The Death Korps of Krieg find this video most useful.
Cardan oil (branch shaft) for farming equipment is what I use and swear by 👍🏻no wd40 that's just for water removal.
The oil is a bit thicker and removes any rust remaining, mostly only use it when the tools are in the shed for the winter.
camelia oil is what the japanese use on their hard steel, also good. will check the cardan oil out
I don't even own a shovel. Why am I watching this?!
Do you use a spade instead?
And your hearing protection
Where do you live? I would like to bring my tools over for you to sharpen.........
Louie C.K.'s Canadian cousin, eh?
Bruh just ruined my right wrist tendon and I now know why..
Good video - just one thing. There is no 'k' sound in 'especially.' "Ek-specially" is a common mistake, though. Cheers!
Linux World sweater + John Deere hat. 🤔
Got the sweater when I was a speaker at a Linux World Conference. Got the hat for free for being a big John Deere fan. 😄
Looked almost no different, how about show us how to strengthen a spade, I snap them regularly and no I'm not gonna just lift less.
FAR CRY 5 any1?
HERO OF ALL MONSTERS optimism shovel