what kind of spade

[joel222 65]

This maybe a stupid question but as im new to ferreting im in the middle of buying all the equiptment ready for the season starting and the next thing on my list is a spade. Which is the best to use, a digging spade with a pointed tip or a general purpose square spade, or does it not matter?

[scothunter 12,609]

i ues a graf (rutting spade)the ones that are used for digging holes for posts.if ur passing a building site get a hold of a labourer and slip him a tenner he wil get you one,there always lying about on site.ive collected 3 over the years lol

[comanche 3,038]

This maybe a stupid question but as im new to ferreting im in the middle of buying all the equiptment ready for the season starting and the next thing on my list is a spade. Which is the best to use, a digging spade with a pointed tip or a general purpose square spade, or does it not matter?

Not a stupid question as there are lots of different spades available and just as many ideas on which is the best one . Small spades make neat litle holes but are hard work when you really need to shift some heavy soil to make deep wide hole in order to reach the ferret . All I can say is that I prefer a decent old fashioned garden spade with a split wooden handle -a classic Spear & Jackson No 1 type of thing that is probably a lot older than I am - simply because I've had it a good few years and I've got used to using it. Sadly the handle had to be replaced last season with an inferior one and It just does'nt feel the same .My ferreting partner prefers a dinky little ladies "rose spade" and hates using my man-sised allotment special yet we are working the same ground.

The moral is choose the spade that you feel happiest using but don't shirk on quality and keep it sharp . I think that's the best answer I can give

[albert64 1,882]

used to use grafts but always found the blade to be to long on a deep dig, you'd always end up enlarging the hole half way through the dig,either cut the blade down or use the bulldog rabbiting spade which i find is great

[The one 8,483]

Ive got a few spades ladies garden spade for gardens etc a small round mouth bulldog for nearly everywhere else and a huge round mouth bulldog for ferreting in the sand

[chimp 299]

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROUGHNECK-SPADE-METAL-DETECTING-SIMPLY-BEST-/250661108320?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Gadgets&hash=item3a5c90fa60

[Jamie m 668]

Hopefully mate you won't need one but nice to have it on standby , used it once last season when a rabitt shot back down the hole to a waiting ferret if it's new you could always use it for a fry up

Edited July 6, 2010 by Jamie m

[neil r 1,860]

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROUGHNECK-SPADE-METAL-DETECTING-SIMPLY-BEST-/250661108320?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Gadgets&hash=item3a5c90fa60

Thats expensive for one of them . Screwfix do them a lot cheaper than that , i paid £12.75 for mine. They are not bad though if your not digging to deep

[chimp 299]

if your going deep i use one of them , life time warranty , think i paid £18 for mine

[TOMO 26,272]

the best type of spade, is the one thats in someone else's hands

 

i have quite a selction built up over the years, including trenching grafts, roundmouth terrier digging shovels , the smaller army type, but i like the bulldog rabbiting one best

[IanB 0]

the best type of spade, is the one thats in someone else's hands

 

i have quite a selction built up over the years, including trenching grafts, roundmouth terrier digging shovels , the smaller army type, but i like the bulldog rabbiting one best

 

Me too Tomo...

[Malt 379]

I've been eyeing up a few little border spades at the garden centres. I reckon you could make a fantastic little rabbiting spade out of one with a few modifications.

[Hob&Jill 258]

The bulldogs are ideal for small holes but arent worth a wank when you have to go deep as you cant remove the loose quick enough imo I think your best of with a trench type spade/shovel with a decent angle on the head. Around here anyway as alot is sand so digging small narrow holes is worthless.

[dso88 15]

ive got one of those roughneck micro shovels ideal for ferreting and i only paid 9 quid in b&q for it