# Wood handles for garden tools, vs fibreglass, metal....



## Mith

Well I broke the wooden brush handle the other day. I don't think we have anything but wooden handles on any of our tools here.
I was just wondering if anyone had any opinions regarding whether other materials for handles were better? I've seen fiberglass, metal, and some plastic ones.
Thanks


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## Ice Queen

Glad to know you are still about, got to worrying that you might be ill as you don't seem to have posted for some time.  Have a decent trailer for transporting the wheelhorse now, so when my hectic life permits I will be doing a delivery!  As to wooden handles, the subject of this post, I still stick to the wooden ones, my Dad, now unfortunately no longer with us, was a passed master at making new wooden handles for things so I never worried about breaking them too much.  Now I have several items with broken handles and ought to do something about them, let us all know if you make any brilliant discoveries!  One thing though, occurs to me, wooden handles would absorb a certain amount of 'shock' ie spade handles and I would think that digging with a metal handle on a spade for example, would be most uncomfortable with no 'give'.


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## elsmitro

I have broken several of the cheaper fiberglass handled tools, and the slimmer wooden handled tools.  I think I am going to stick with heavy wooden handles whenever possible.


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## XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

I've got a nice Fiberglass Shovel that has worked like a charm for ages.  I'm pretty rough on my shovels and they get some real use.  I think you have to spend some money to get a good one though.


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## Doc

Good to see you back Mith.  

I have all wood handles.  I've seen some fiberglass ones that look pretty hefty, but they carry a hefty price tag also ....so I've stuck with wood.
Also, since I have a Front End Loader on my tractor, my shovel is semi retired.  

But, this thread reminds me, I picked up a post hole digger at a garage sale.  Hardly used, still paint on the metal digging parts.  But it has one of the handles broken, which is the reason they sold it so cheap I'm sure.  I need to pick up a handle for it.


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## mla2ofus

All our yard tools have wooden handles EXCEPT for one round nose shovel w/ fiberglas handle. It seems my better half thinks shovel is spelled p-r-y-b-a-r. It has held up well to her.
  For those that don't have good control of sledgehammers and axes, I think the fiberglas is money well spent.
   Mith,that home made vise turned out very well. It should serve you well for years.
                       Mike


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## elsmitro

*Wood!*

One cool thing about wood:  I have my dad’s old post hole digger but when I tried to use it the handles started creaking and popping.  I cleaned them up and practically soaked them in mineral oil and now they make no noise and seem as strong and limber as new.

Q: What’s the hardest kind of wood?
A:  Morning!
(Isn’t that one of Junk’s pick up lines?)


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## Mith

Ice, I've just been very busy, seem to have got away with illness so far this year (touch wood).
I've still got your snowtrac bogie wheel tool here too, if you want I'll run a coat of JCB yellow over it  Let me know when about you will be able to come down, Cheers.
I see what you mean on the shock, I would assume fibreglass wouldn't transfer much more shock than wood?

Mike, thanks. You must be on one of the other sites I visit.
All the axes have wooden handles, I should imagine fibreglass would shatter with the impact from an axe?


Does the lightness of a fibreglass handle offer much advantage over a wooden handled one?

Thanks


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## elsmitro

Mith said:
			
		

> Does the lightness of a fibreglass handle offer much advantage over a wooden handled one?


Only if your a wussy!!!

I never have to carry them that far so I don't notice.


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## Melensdad

I've broken fiberglass, steel and wood handled shovels.  

The shovel I currently like the best is the Fiskars brand shovel.  It is a short handled shovel but comes with some features that I've not found on most other brands.

First, there is a very large "step" on the top of the shovel head, and the step is textured so not only do you have a large place to push with your foot, but its texture makes it slighly less likely that your foot will slip off the shovel when you are pushing down.

They clain the handle is teardrop shaped for more comfort.  Honestly I don't see any useable difference between a round handle and the teardrop shape.  My hand grabs either one.

The next real feature is the large 2 handed "D" grip on the shovel.  Even with gloves on, it is easy to grab the handle with both hands and push down or pry back with the full force of your body.

One other very good feature is one you cannot see in the following photo.  The "D" shape grip is tilted forward.  While this seems odd when you look at the shovel in the store, it is a great feature in the yard.  If you are prying out a plant and push the handle to the ground, you will NOT crush your own fingers on the ground.  A regular "D" handle shovel will cause your hands to impact the ground when push the shovel to the ground.

Good Warranty too.  I did bend the shaft of one of these and it was replaced free of charge.


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## California

Dunno about garden tool handles.

I can tell you that for a framing hammer, a fiberglass handle transmits too much shock back to your forearm. You can feel the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome coming on after a couple of hours.

For all day use, wood transmits the least shock. I found that a tubular steel handle, about the same dimensions as a wood handle, was the best compromise considering fatigue and indestructability.


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## elsmitro

B_Skurka said:
			
		

> Fiskars brand


I haven’t had a lot of luck with my Fiskar stuff.  They do look cool and usually have the most well thought out features but they lack in durability.


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## Melensdad

elsmitro said:
			
		

> I haven’t had a lot of luck with my Fiskar stuff.  They do look cool and usually have the most well thought out features but they lack in durability.


 I agree that anything made by Fiskars that has moveable parts is often lacking in durability.  

I have a couple of their shovels (_shovels have no moving parts_), a couple of their pruners (_bypass and anvil and they have moving parts_) and a small hand axe.  I love the shovel.  The axe is no better or worse than other brands of compact hand axes.  The pruners are OK, but not up to commercial quality.


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## elsmitro

B_Skurka said:
			
		

> moveable parts


Yeah, that’s what I was getting at, pruners, pole saw (with the cutty thing)…


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## Mith

Bob, something I have noticed, is that the shovels you have are pointed, whereas the ones I have are all flat on the end. Are you using that for general digging, or moving sand etc?
You didn't say in your post what material it was? I assume its metal as you said you bent one.


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## humor_me

B_Skurka said:
			
		

> I agree that anything made by Fiskars that has moveable parts is often lacking in durability.
> 
> I have a couple of their shovels (_shovels have no moving parts_), a couple of their pruners (_bypass and anvil and they have moving parts_) and a small hand axe. I love the shovel. The axe is no better or worse than other brands of compact hand axes. The pruners are OK, but not up to commercial quality.


 
I've often wondered about the Fiskars post hole digger - sort of a unique animal the way it digs.
Has anyone used one before?

As for any other handles, it depends on how it fits the hand whether it is metal, fiberglass, plastic etc. For sledges or any impacting-type tool, make mine wood - much less shock tramsmitted back to you.
Also, I do like the Fiskars-type of oval handle material - doesn't seem to flex as much.


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## bczoom

Garden tools?

I thought post hole diggers, shovels, rakes, log splitters, trimmers all came with an engine or are an implement attached to a tractor...  

I was helping my sister move last weekend and I had a whole shed full of stuff offered to me.  I think they're called garden tools but required manual intervention.  I recall that from the old days but said "no thanks" as it would collect dust at my house.  I need one snow shovel to do trim next to the doors (since I gave my mom my snowblower which used to do that area).


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## Melensdad

Mith said:
			
		

> Bob, something I have noticed, is that the shovels you have are pointed, whereas the ones I have are all flat on the end. Are you using that for general digging, or moving sand etc?
> You didn't say in your post what material it was? I assume its metal as you said you bent one.


Mith, here in the US a shovel is a generic term but usually applied to a pointy shaped cutting blade.  A spade has a flat/straight cutting edge.  I have both types, but my spade is not a Fiskars brand (its a Craftsman brand from Sears).  Because I have very hard clay soil I find almost no use for spade.  The spade is almost impossible to use in the clay, but works great for dividing perennial plants like Hostas and Daylillies.

Humor Me . . . no clue about the Fiskars PHD, I have a power auger for the tractors with 9 and 12 inch bits.


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## mla2ofus

Mith said:
			
		

> Mike, thanks. You must be on one of the other sites I visit.
> All the axes have wooden handles, I should imagine fibreglass would shatter with the impact from an axe?



  Mith, what I meant was when someone "overshoots" w/ axe or sledge,the handle hits whatever they missed just below the head which usually cracks/breaks wood handle. Fiberglass will take this better,but will eventually crack also.Best cure for either is rubber tube that fits handle just below head to give it a cushion from such impact.
    YES, I frequent other forums,just use the same username. Don't mean to step on toes,but I wonder if folks that use multiple usernames have a personality for each one?LOL!!!
                                          Mike


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## Mith

Bob, shovel here refers to a spade with the sides bent up a little to hold material more. Same as you here, digging is done with a pickaxe and fork in summer, and a boat and dredger in winter 


Mike, I was confusing the brittleness of carbon-fiber with fiberglass. I've never come across a rubber tube to fit over the handle, that sounds like a good idea to prevent that damage near the head from 'overshooting'


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## ghautz

bczoom said:
			
		

> Garden tools?
> 
> I thought post hole diggers, shovels, rakes, log splitters, trimmers all came with an engine or are an implement attached to a tractor...
> 
> I was helping my sister move last weekend and I had a whole shed full of stuff offered to me.  I think they're called garden tools but required manual intervention.



BC, you are partially right.  I am waiting for my wife to return from a shopping trip for her input, since that manual intervention with garden tools is her bailiwick.


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## humor_me

mla2ofus said:
			
		

> ...but I wonder if folks that use multiple usernames have a personality for each one?LOL!!!
> Mike


 
Now THAT'S funny


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## Dargo

I haven't read this entire thread, but my "best" quality shovel I purchased at Home Depot broke the other night when I was trying to chop a small root by jamming the drop point spade into the ground with force while digging a hole.  The handle didn't break, but the actual metal spade part of the shovel folded up!  

I do have more time operating a shovel than I care to admit, and I always use a up and down chopping motion to loosen hard soil as well as chop through small roots.  I could understand this if I were using a hammer to drive the shovel into the earth, or even if I were jumping on the shovel (although I still think that is necessary at times).  As it was, I was just using my arms to chop down with the drop point spade and the metal spade portion folded up against the root.    If this is the "best" spade...

So, what's the verdict on what spade I need to buy to replace this one?  I have plenty of short handled tile spades, this is the full sized spade.  I really don't care if it's a wood or fiberglass handle; I've broken each with similar ease.


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