Perhaps every person who has at his disposal even a small area, there is at least one shovel. With its help, you can loosen the earth, dig the beds, plant a tree and perform other important tasks. There are various types of this tool. The publication will tell about the bayonet shovel.
Appointment
This shovel used to be called a spade (stress should be placed on the first syllable). It has a flat, pointed shape. The surface is slightly concave, and the upper edge is almost perpendicular to the handle. This feature makes it easier to press on it with the foot.
The shovel is ideal for a variety of gardening and construction work. With its help, it is easy to cope with digging holes for household needs and replanting seedlings, with mixing the soil, loosening and digging even heavy abundant clay soils.
Varieties
There are several types of attacks, although they have a single design. Depending on the nature of the work, the following types are distinguished.
- Garden bayonet shovel. Already from the name it becomes clear that it is used for work in summer cottages and garden plots. Unlike other species, it has a more wedge-shaped shape, which is convenient for cultivating the land.
- Military shovel. It has a more elongated handle, which allows you to manipulate for a long time. A variety of military spade include sapper shovel. It is smaller in size, so you can take it with you wherever you go.
- Tourist shovel. It is often complemented by a special useful feature. For example, a tool can be folding, have additional nozzles or jagged edges.
- Universal. Such a shovel has a standard shape, so it can be used for any type of work.
Plate material
This is the most basic criterion that you should rely on first of all when choosing a shovel. As a material, various metals act. And each of them has its advantages and disadvantages.
- Titanium. The bayonet shovel from this material begins to occupy a leading position in the market of garden tools. To be more precise, a titanium alloy is used. Such a shovel is quite light, it has a strong canvas that does not bend, and the earth does not adhere so much to it. The option is excellent, if not for a few shortcomings. A titanium tool costs 5 times more than a steel tool and does not bend at all. The bucket will not tolerate too high physical impact and will simply break.
- Steel. This is the best option if you need a simple tool for a summer cottage without special technical characteristics. A bayonet shovel made of steel is suitable for any task. It is sold everywhere and is inexpensive. But she has many disadvantages. This is quite a lot of weight, high adhesion to the ground and frequent breakdowns when the canvas is bent. Despite all the shortcomings, many prefer this particular type.
- From spring high alloy steel. Recently, it is becoming more popular because it has a number of advantages. It has increased density, low attrition rate and moderate flexibility. The strength of such a plate is many times greater than ordinary iron. At the same time, it weighs only 8% more. Of course, rail steel will not be as light as titanium, but it is not inferior in strength and other characteristics. Of the shortcomings, it can only be noted that it is difficult to sharpen, but it is practically not erased. In addition, spring steel is 3 times cheaper than titanium alloy and only 2 times more expensive than simple iron.
- From stainless steel. Perhaps this is the second most popular material, which is preferred by summer residents, if you pay attention to the reviews. Bayonet shovels of this material are inferior in physical and mechanical characteristics to titanium and rail steel, but surpass conventional iron. Compared with it, stainless steel is slightly stronger, more resistant to kinks, and only 1.5 times more expensive. In addition, stainless steel shovels are never exposed to the environment, and therefore serve for a very long time.
According to expert reviews, it is better to purchase a titanium shovel if it will be used very often. If the tool is needed for "amateur" purposes, then the best option would be stainless steel or ordinary steel.
Plate shape
Traditionally, the bucket at the shovel looks like an oval, slightly narrowed down. But there are alternative options that are designed to be used for certain purposes.
- Rectangle. This shape of a bayonet shovel is suitable for deep loosening of rather soft soil and for harvesting a large amount of snow.
- Trapezoid. She has reduced working area, but the perimeter of the blade remains standard. This is a great option for handling heavy soils.
- Triangle. Blades of this shape are ideal for digging up solid ground. The depth of cultivation will be small, but when cultivating the site will need to apply a minimum of effort. Moreover, the more the plate looks like a wedge, the easier it is to work with such a shovel.
Plate dimensions
Typically, a bayonet shovel bucket has the following dimensions. 32 centimeters long and 23 centimeters wide. This is a generally accepted standard. Of course, you can meet other options. But when choosing it is better to rely on the recommendations of specialists. If comfortable work with the tool is important, then the length of the plate should not exceed 40 centimeters. The optimal parameter is considered to be 30-32 centimeters. As for the width of the working part, it should not be more than 28 centimeters. So that when working with dense soil the load is minimal, it is recommended to give preference to a width of 23-25 centimeters.
You can find smaller blades (18-20 centimeters in length). But they are already classified as sapper. Larger specimens (over 40 centimeters) are very heavy, so they make work ineffective.
Handle Features
If a shovel is a bayonet with a handle, then it is worth taking a closer look at its “configuration”. Modern tools are often equipped with triangular handles. They prevent the rotation of the handle along the axis, which can occur while digging the ground and throwing it out of the trench. This is a very useful improvement, because thanks to this design, the load on the brush is reduced and the accuracy of gripping a portion of the soil increases. For example, it will be comfortable to make trenches.
On the other hand, the triangular handle adds inconvenience if you work "on two fronts." You will have to constantly hold the brush parallel to the plate and rotate it when dumping the earth. This is bad when processing beds, especially when digging potatoes and other vegetables.
Handle material
If a bayonet spade has a handle with a handle, then, as reviews show, let it be better wooden. This material has an optimal ratio of quality and price. Metal pens are not recommended because hands “stick” to them in the cold. Alternatively, consider plastic. Such a disaster will not happen to him. In addition, it is lightweight and inexpensive. But it is worthwhile to understand that plastic easily breaks when dropped.
Shank Material
With bayonet shovels, the stalk is made of steel and wood. The first option is durable, but expensive. The most common are wooden cuttings. They come in various forms.
- Pine. The most common tree species. Its main advantage is low cost. Of the minuses, low density and a high risk of corrosion can be noted.
- Acacia. This material is 30% more expensive than pine. Acacia wood practically does not absorb moisture and is quite durable.
- Oak. It is superior in strength to the above materials and lasts a long time with proper processing. But such cuttings are expensive and weigh a lot.
- Larch. It is considered an elite breed and is worth it accordingly. Such a stalk weighs even more than oak. But his service life will be huge. In addition, larch is not subject to corrosion, so it can not be varnished or painted.
It is not recommended to purchase shovels, the handle of which is made of cedar, chestnut, plum, aspen, willow or walnut. According to reviews, these woods are very brittle and can fail at the wrong time.
Shank Length
This parameter is selected individually. The handle should be so long that it reaches the shoulder. If you need to work with heavy soils, then it is better to purchase a shortened bayonet shovel. The length of its stalk can be less by 10-15 centimeters standard. This reduces the received load on the back. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention that the handle is securely connected to the plate using bolts or a metal ring-guy.
So, in the review it was considered what kind of spans are, what they are intended for and what options people prefer. The choice of tool should be approached wisely in order to facilitate your work and save time. A poorly selected bayonet shovel reduces work efficiency and can even be harmful to health. Also, do not forget that the tool must be properly looked after. Only in this case will it last as long as possible. It is important after each work to clean the shovel of dirt, wipe it dry and lubricate the plate with machine oil.