Ash and carbon steel for me
Take my advice with spades and forks, says Peter
THE two excellent Tried & Tested articles by Tim Rumball last month, about digging spades and forks, set me thinking in several different directions about subjects worthy of debate. I could not agree more about using a fork rather than a spade to dig out the stringy roots of couch grass.
A spade is always my tool of choice for digging and soil preparation, except on stony soil where the tines pierce more easily between the hard obstructions. A forged carbon steel spade would have scored more than 12 out of 15 for me, and once well worn in it is a joy to use.
It is stronger than stainless steel because of the forging – hammering a cube of steel into the shaft and blade develops strength akin to the grain in wood. Stainless steel, on the other hand, without this grain is more brittle and under leverage can snap.
Once well used, carbon steel will be almost as smooth and shiny as stainless, but it does need cleaning immediately after use and wiping over with an oily rag to prevent it rusting. The more it is used, the thinner and lighter it becomes, until the bottom edge and sides are so worn down it becomes more the size of a border spade.
Worn-down tools become useful for somewhat different purposes. A thin, small-bladed carbon steel digging spade is perfect to chip over a hard soil surface, to slice off weeds and prepare a tilth. A favourite tool of mine to ‘tickle’ (lightly fork up) the surface soil between plants in flower borders is a very worn border fork inherited from my mother.
While stainless steel and plastic handles are weather-proof, allowing them to be left out, I prefer ash handles worn smooth by repeated use and polished with the oil from our hands.
“I prefer ash handles worn smooth by use”