Perhaps every person who has at his disposal even a small area, there is at least one shovel. With its help, you can loosen the ground, dig up beds, plant a tree and perform other important tasks. There are different types of this tool. The publication will tell about the bayonet shovel.
Destination
This shovel used to be called a spade (the emphasis is correctly placed on the first syllable). It has a flat pointed shape. The surface is slightly concave, and the upper edge is almost perpendicular to the handle. This feature makes it easier to press on it with your foot.
The shovel is ideal for various gardening and construction work. With its help, it is easy to cope with digging holes for household needs and transplanting seedlings, mixing the soil, loosening and digging even heavy, abundant clay soils.
Varieties
The spade can be of several types, although they have a single design. Depending on the nature of the work, the following types are distinguished.
Garden bayonet shovel. Already from the name it becomes clear that it is used for work in summer cottages and garden plots. Unlike other species, it has a more wedge-shaped shape, which is convenient for cultivating the land
Military shovel. It has a more elongated handle, which allows you to manipulate for a long time. A sapper shovel can be attributed to a variety of military spade. It is smaller so you can take it with you wherever you go
Tourist shovel. It is often supplemented with a special useful function. For example, the tool may be foldable, have additional attachments, or have serrated edges
Universal. This shovel has a standard shape, so it can be used for any type of work
Insert material
This is the most basic criterion that you should rely on first of all when choosing a shovel. Various metals are used as materials. And each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Titanium. A bayonet shovel made of this material begins to take a leading position in the garden tools market. To be more precise, titanium alloy is used. Such a shovel is quite light, it has a strong canvas that does not bend, and the earth does not stick to it so much. The option is excellent, if not for several shortcomings. A titanium tool costs 5 times more than a steel tool and does not bend at all. Too high a physical impact, the bucket will not endure and will simply break
Steel. This is the best option if you need a simple tool for a summer cottage without special technical characteristics. A bayonet shovel made of steel is suitable for solving any task. It is sold everywhere and is inexpensive. But she has a lot of downsides. This is a rather large weight, high adhesion to the ground and frequent breakdowns when the canvas is bent. Despite all the shortcomings, many prefer this particular look
From high-alloy spring steel. Recently, it has become more and more popular, because it has a number of advantages. It has a high density, low abrasion coefficient and moderate flexibility. The strength of such a plate is many times greater than ordinary iron. At the same time, it weighs only 8% more. Of course, rail steel will not be as light as titanium, but in terms of strength and other characteristics, it is in no way inferior. Of the shortcomings, it can only be noted that it is difficult to sharpen, but at the same time it is practically not erased. In addition, spring steel is 3 times cheaper than titanium alloy and only 2 times more expensive than plain iron
From stainless steel. Perhaps this is the second most popular material that summer residents prefer, if you pay attention to the reviews. Bayonet shovels made of this material are inferior in physical and mechanical characteristics to titanium and rail steel, but surpass ordinary iron. Compared to it, stainless steel is slightly stronger, more resistant to breakage, and only 1.5 times more expensive. In addition, stainless steel shovels are never exposed to the environment, and thereforevery long service life
According to experts, it is better to buy a titanium shovel if it will be used very often. If the tool is needed for "amateur" purposes, then stainless steel or ordinary steel will be the best option.
Plate shape
Traditionally, the bucket of a shovel looks like an oval, slightly narrowed down. But there are alternatives that are designed to be used for specific purposes.
Rectangle. This form of bayonet shovel is suitable for deep loosening of rather soft soil and removal of large amounts of snow
Trapeze. It has a reduced working area, but the blade perimeter remains standard. This is a great option for working heavy soils
Triangle. Blades of this shape are ideal for digging into hard ground. The depth of loosening will be small, but when cultivating the site, you will need to apply a minimum of effort. Moreover, the more the plate looks like a wedge, the easier it is to work with such a shovel
Insert dimensions
Usually, the bayonet shovel bucket has the following dimensions. 32 centimeters long and 23 centimeters wide. This is the generally accepted standard. Of course, there are other options as well. But when choosing, it is better to rely on the recommendations of specialists. If comfortable work with the tool is important, then the length of the plate should not exceed 40 centimeters. The optimal parameter is considered to be 30-32 centimeters. As for the width of the working part, it should not be more than 28 centimeters. So that when working with dense soilthe load was minimal, it is recommended to give preference to a width of 23-25 centimeters.
You can find smaller shoulder blades (18-20 centimeters in length). But they are already classified as sappers. Larger specimens (over 40 centimeters) are very heavy, making the job inefficient.
Pen Features
If the shovel is bayonet with a handle, then you should take a closer look at its "configuration". Modern instruments are often equipped with triangular handles. They prevent the cutting from rotating along the axis, which can occur while digging the earth and throwing it out of the trench. This is a very useful improvement, because thanks to this design, the load on the brush is reduced and the accuracy of capturing a portion of soil is increased. For example, it will be comfortable to make trenches.
On the other hand, the triangular handle adds inconvenience if you work "on two fronts". You will have to constantly keep the brush parallel to the plate and turn it when you dump the ground. This is bad when working in beds, especially when digging up potatoes and other vegetables.
Handle material
If a bayonet shovel has a handle with a handle, then, as the reviews show, let it be better made of wood. This material has an optimal ratio of quality and price. Metal handles are not recommended, as hands “stick” to them in cold weather. As an alternative, you can consider plastic. Such a misfortune will not happen to him. Plus, it's lightweight and inexpensive. But be aware that plastic breaks easily.when falling.
Shank material
In bayonet shovels, the handle is made of steel and wood. The first option is durable, but expensive. The most common are wooden cuttings. They come in many varieties.
Pine. The most common type of tree. Its main advantage is cheapness. Of the minuses, one can note low density and high risk of corrosion
Acacia. This material is 30% more expensive than pine. Acacia wood practically does not absorb moisture and is quite durable
Oak. It surpasses the above materials in strength and lasts a long time with proper processing. But such cuttings are expensive and weigh a lot
Larch. It is considered an elite breed and costs accordingly. Such a cutting weighs even more than oak. But it will also have a long lifespan. In addition, larch is not subject to corrosion, so it can not be covered with varnish or paint
It is not recommended to purchase shovels with cedar, chestnut, plum, aspen, willow or walnut handles. As the reviews show, these woods are very brittle and can fail at the wrong time.
Shank length
This parameter is selected on an individual basis. The handle should be of such length that it reaches the shoulder. If you need to work with heavy soils, then it is better to purchase a shortened bayonet shovel. The length of its handle can be 10-15 centimeters less than the standard one. This reduces the resulting load on the back. In addition, care must be taken to ensure that the handle is securely connected to the plate using bolts or a metal guy ring.
So, the review looked at what spades are, what they are for and what options people prefer. The choice of tool should be approached wisely in order to facilitate your work and save time. A poorly selected bayonet shovel reduces work efficiency and can even be harmful to he alth. Also, do not forget that the tool must be properly looked after. Only in this case it will last as long as possible. It is important to clean the shovel from dirt after each work, wipe it dry and lubricate the plate with machine oil.
