Bring an old broken spade back to life | Mr Fix it | Gardening Australia

Don't throw out your old spade or wooden handled tools. Let Mr Fix it show you how to make an old tool as good as new.
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Follow Luke on Insta - @woodstoneragandbone
You will need:
Shovel or tool with broken handle!
Workbench and clamp
Nail punch
Drill with correct-sized bits
Vinegar
Shallow container to use for vinegar bath
Steel wool or wire brush
Metal file to sharpen shovel (optional)
New handle
Sandpaper
Hardening oil such as linseed
Brush and rag to apply oil
Spoke shave or Chisel to shape handle if needed
Galvanized button-head screws
What you do:
Remove the shovel head from the handle by removing the rivets holding it in place. Clamp the handle in a vice or on a bench. Use a nail punch to force the rivet out; if this doesn’t work you might need to drill the rivet out. HINT: if part of the handle is broken and stuck in the metal spade end, Luke says use an electric drill with a wood bit to cut into the wood. “It’s a fiddly job that will take time and may involve stopping and starting again.”
Clean the shovel head by soaking it in a vinegar bath for a few days. Removes any residual rust with steel wool or wire brush.
For old shovels, sharpen blade with a metal file.
Either buy a new handle from a sustainable source or recycle an old handle from a tool that is not repairable. Give the handle a light sanding then apply oil to protect the wood. HINT: Luke keeps an ‘oil brush’ in an air-tight container with a little oil to keep the brush oiled without allowing the oil to cure. It means never having to wash the brush. It’s a good tip as it means he can prime his blades regularly, and uses it for spades, secateurs, etc.
You may need to adjust the tapered head of the timber handle to get a good fit.
* Using Oils - important!
When applying or wiping off oil with a cloth rag, take care to dry out the rag before storing or disposing off. It has the potential to be flammable. As the oil oxidises or cures, it can create heat. Best practice is to plunge the rags in a bucket of water and then separate to dry. Spreads them out on a concrete floor or hang them up to dry.
Maintenance tips for the spade
At the end of every gardening day, spend the time to:
Rinse off mud and dirt from your tools and wipe them down
Hang tools rather than have them standing on an edge, or clanging with each other
Occasionally wipe with oil
You can store tools in a sand bucket to keep them clean and sharp
Filmed on Gadigal Country in Redfern, NSW
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[@ecogarden3622]

Mr Fix it You are amazing! Such a man at home is a real gem. Many thanks to the producers of the program for the new guest presenter. I hope it will stay permanently.

[@mareetorrumbarry5155]

Love watching these tools being revived! Great skills in use!!

[@reecenewton3097]

Good show: one more thing to remember: the grain of the wood in the handle should be straight the length of it, without knots, and the handle oriented so that the straight grain is visible when looking at the shovel head on.

[@samuelpetts1367]

Love this new segment

[@Loogiemistress]

So good, I’m off to fix a shovel!

[@anitakerry3032]

Hope you more shows i absolutely love them 👏👏👏👏

[@thatmushroomguy250]

Can’t believe this actually helped me

[@janehilbery6596]

I need you to teach me how to sharpen chisels! Fab videos

[@Polkadotpup]

Best video on the subject!

[@shorny]

Hello? What happened to this great series? I've been waiting to sharpen my secateurs for months now.

[@chopbeard9216]

Nice one, I am going to try that.

[@moldeszonacreativa]

Excelent advice, thanks!

[@theresapember6402]

Easy to watch ty

[@satishyadav-cp3jj]

👌👌👌

[@joeprinsen1717]

what a peanut. Id be using a grinder to take them rivet heads off, and to sharpen the edge. and id be putting 2 pack paint on the head too. oil is no good, dulux weathermax hbr 2 pack will last an eternity..

[@lorendawes1591]

Sounds like you need to get your own segment. You can be Mr Know It All 😉

[@joeprinsen1717]

@@lorendawes1591 and you can be nancy no friends at the end of my show..

[@lifelongbachelor3651]

yours would end up looking like a chinese tool from bunnings...