FERRETING CRAFT SPADE.

[Guest Frank]

Cheers Mike.

Frank.

[pointer28 1]

I bought one of those folding army type spades once and it was completely useless.

 

Head to B&Q and they have plenty of short, strong garden spades with quite a wide blade that I use all the time and find it fantastic. Think it cost about 20 euro.

 

Never had to dig too deep to a ferret so it was never a problem, but I am looking for a nice round mouth shovel with a short handle just in case.

[Guest Frank]

Cheers Pointer.

B & Q, the nearest one to me is 2 hours drive away .

Ill see what i can do.

Thanks very much.

Frank.

[hawkanddog 0]

Hi Frank,

 

That long handled spade that you show a picture of, is it strong and robust?

 

What I would do is, re-handle it to a 'Tee' handle standard spade length to suit you.

 

Get a mate or if you can do it, half the length of the blade and grind a nice curve on it.

 

If its not a strong robust one, your looking for a trenching spade, or a "spit" as they called them from geordie land, where I'm originally from.

 

Have a look in someone's grannys shed there must be 1000's of these old navvies tools knocking around.

 

You can still buy an ex nato folding spade from a proper navy surplus store, they come in handy for under hedges and in soft digs. There are cheap copies on ebay, stay clear, there shite.

[Guest Frank]

Cheers HD

The one in the photo, is fairly good, but it lacks in getting the soil out after diging and a shovel is needed, which i dont want to carry aswell.

I have a fair idea what i want now.

Cheers.

Frank.

[hawkanddog 0]

Frank,

 

This is where your ferret finder comes into its own, you aint shifting half a ton of soil, just a nice sized hole to retrieve your ferret of trapped bunnies, so you dont need a shovel.

 

Dont get me wrong, if your on your own and digging a deepish hole, step the sides back last thing the farmer wants to find is you buried with your backside in the air. :11:

[Guest Frank]

Point taken HD.

Frank.

[Guest ferret]

ok for light work sand etc,but no good for hard old ground and deep digs,i use a small bull nose which i had off a mate of mine who works for the welsh water board,most councils use them to.they are pretty light and very hard going,great value cause they cost sod all or might be a pint

[Guest Frank]

Any pics of one?

Cheers,

Frank.

[hawkanddog 0]

ok for light work sand etc,but no good for hard old ground and deep digs,i use a small bull nose which i had off a mate of mine who works for the welsh water board,most councils use them to.they are pretty light and very hard going,great value cause they cost sod all or might be a pint

 

Ferret,

 

Its probably the same bit of kit, 'spit', trencher bull nose depends where your from.

 

I used to dig ragworm with an undoctored 'spit', in hard compressed pebbles sand and rocks.

 

Now thats hard digging and work!

[Guest Erin go bragh]

Pointer or Frank theres a fella in Down Patrick i think it is who makes the ferret hutches and delivers them to ur door if yaz know who im on about could one of yaz pm me the number im gonna need another hutch for when it comes into breedin season

[Guest Frank]

I havent heard of him Erin. Prehaps Pointer might know.

Frank.

[pointer28 1]

Hi Erin,

 

Sorry I don't know the guy in Downpatrick who makes the hutches, I made both of mine myself.

[Guest Erin go bragh]

Ah right when it comes in breeding season my 2 hobs are brothers would they still fight with eachother evern though there is no jill?

[Guest Frank]

They most probably would. Best to keep them apart.

Frank.