The shovel has two main parts: the blade and the shaft. Both vary in terms of size, shape and material.
The blade (or the scoop)
The head of a shovel consists of the blade and a socket.The blade (sometimes called a scoop) holds the material being moved while the socket fits over the shaft: the part you hold.
At the end of the blade is the cutting edge which does the work of cutting through soil, clay, snow and any other material.
Depending on the job a shovel is designed for, the blade will differ in the following ways:
The shape
The material it is made from
How the blade is attached to the shaft
Its size
Its angle in relation to the shaft
The shaft
At the end of the shaft is the handle, which you use to grip and control the shovel. The shaft also has important features to consider when selecting a shovel. These are:
The material it is made from
Its length
The type of handle grip
The handle of the shovel is usually secured to the shaft by one or sometimes two rivets.If the shaft becomes damaged or snaps off completely, it can generally be replaced. Wood and fibreglass shafts are also available separately.
Shovels may all look the same with a few obvious differences, but there are an assortment of designs to choose from.A shovel is designed to perform a particular task and to perform it well.
Such as cutting through earth…
…or shifting snow, for example.Some shovels are useful for more than just one application. Each design is made from a combination of parts that will facilitate these tasks.
It is how these parts are put together and what they are made from that will determine your choice of shovel.