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Friday, 17 April 2015

Pocket Ripper Handle

My mum is an avid carbooter, as was I until I got so there wasn't enough hours in the day! So instead I give my mum a list of things to look out for. 
One of the things was a graft, at least that's what I've been brought up to call them, they have other names like trenching spade, or drain spade. 

My mum picked this one up for a few quid and it works really well, the blade isn't on too much of an angle like many of the new ones they sell and there is some serious weight behind it making digging deep a little easier and breaking through roots. I used it a lot last week and it performed really well digging holes for some rose arches I was installing (not for me unfortunately). 

It does have one feature that my dad affectionately calls a "pocket ripper". I think you either love or hate this style of handle, it's not seen that much on new spades or shovels any more, but it's on lots of older tools. The name comes from when you're using it and you accidentally catch your trouser pocket on it and rip it off with your own momentum! Very funny when it happens to someone else! This type of handle doesn't upset me and I'm quite happy to use it.
What does everyone else call this type of spade? Does anyone else hate this type of handle like my dad?
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16 comments:

  1. Dc17 April 2015 at 08:12

    I don't mind that kind of handle, great for hanging up.

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  2. Jane and Chris17 April 2015 at 13:39

    I've not seen one , but could have used it this week. My back is killing me from trying to pull up roots I couldn't cut through with my regular spade.
    Jane x

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    1. Kev Alviti22 April 2015 at 21:01

      Yeah, this has enough weight behind it to really chop into them.

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  3. Philip17 April 2015 at 14:57

    I cal mine 'the post hole digger'. It's a really effective tool. Mine has two qualities you mention: it is surprisingly heavy and it has a long straight spade. I notice that many on sale are angled as you point out and the spade bit is quite short. I'm very happy with mine and as it happens, where I can, I always go for the T handle for garden tool.

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    1. Kev Alviti22 April 2015 at 21:02

      Yeah the angled bit on the newer type spades really annoy me, no good for digging a narrow hole for a post as you have to go too wide to start.

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  4. davevb17 April 2015 at 15:43

    "Carbooter", Would that be the same as a yard-saler over here? a person who goes around to garage sales/yard sales and "finds" treasures.

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    1. Kev Alviti22 April 2015 at 21:03

      Pretty much the same only we have a kind of second hand market on Sunday mornings where people sell things in a field out of their car boots! I grew up going to them and have many bargains because of them!

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  5. Carolyn17 April 2015 at 21:17

    Found you 'cause you found me so I figured I'd check your blog out, looking forward to reading previous posts. I do, however, have a question, same as davevb; exactly what is a "carbooter"? "Boot" refers to the trunk of a car over there, right? So does that mean your mom fills the boot up with stuff from sales??

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    1. Kev Alviti22 April 2015 at 21:06

      She does fill her car boot with things she's brought but it's called carbooting because the sellers bring all the stuff to sell in the back of the car.

      Delete
  6. Tim18 April 2015 at 00:12

    Kev, it is also called a Schlick Planting Spade...
    and I used one a lot planting seedling trees when I was in forestry...
    and I wish I could still find one now...
    I've got sixty-four metres of willows to plant at three a metre!!
    Two cuts... first one vertically away from you.. second at right angles...
    lean forward on the spade to open the cut up...
    remove bare-rooted tree from bag on back and slip into cut...
    toe pressure to hold it closed onto the plant and withdraw blade....
    keeping the heel of the plant above the level of the soil...
    heel in properly as you step forward to make the next cut....
    30 seconds a tree to earn your money!!

    As for the t-handle... best there is for hard work...
    and if it rips your pockets, they are either too full...
    or your dungarees are too baggy!!
    And it is the only cross-type handle you can get in France..
    all the shovels, forks and spades are straight shaft... like the Irish!

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    1. Kev Alviti22 April 2015 at 21:09

      Good description of planting the trees, I can almost see you doing it. I planted a couple hundred hawthorn last year and planted them in a similar way, just slipped in behind the spade. Although I don;t think I would have made any money that day on your rates!
      No dungarees except on the children around here!

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  7. Texan18 April 2015 at 00:14

    This tool isn't one I use here. I do have a few friends up north that use them for edging their beds. Here we have a hateful type of grass that doesn't "edge" well. They call them spades. I am more intrigued with the term "carbooter" tee hee, obviously that is meaning what we call a garage sale or yard sale :O).

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    1. Kev Alviti22 April 2015 at 21:10

      We have lawn edgers for that, but I have no flower boarders here so don't need it. There are many different type so spades over here and the best way to wind me up is to call a shovel a spade!

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  8. northsider 18 April 2015 at 12:16

    Just back from holiday Kev and catching up on blogs. I call it my 'pointed' shovel. Always known them to be called a 'grafter'. They great for planting and digging narrow drains.

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