What kind of metal would make the highest quality shovel?
Question:
Answers:
For a shovel you want something that is tough, but still hard enough to hold an edge (assuming you are talking about a sand shovel, garden spade, etc. and not a scoop or snow shovel.) Traditionally, a method for making a shovel was to bring to sheets of steel to a near melting temp and then "forge weld" them together (look up forge welding on wikipedia). Once the blade part was joined together, the socket for the handle would be forged to shape. LOTS of work. If you were to make a shovel today, you'd want a sheet of 1/8th steel. Maybe something in the 1040 range. You'd form the shovel to shape, and then would need to heat the edge, harden it, and draw a temper (again these terms can be found elsewhere) on the edge. There are some things that are easier to buy than to make. A shovel is one of them.
Now, if your making a snow shovel or scoop shovel, i'd recomend aluminum with a bolted on steel edge. I have one that is made like this and is probably vintage 1960 or so. Still works as good as new.
P.S. Cast iron is brittle and would crack/break.
what kind of shovel? mean you have snow shovels and dirt shovels and sand shovels and ditch digging shovels and pooper scooper shovels. i think it should be stainless steel so it won't rust. but that might not be strong enough. so iron could be. cast iron is tough enough but it rusts. so then there is steel and those might be too heavy for most people. aluminum is definitely out. i think cast iron and sprayed with rustoleum every so often, that might be ok.
It depends on the use of the shovel. Aluminum or even non-metallics are best for snow. Steel or 6000 aluminum are available for many uses and (again the use) is the thing. The sharpness of the finished blade is sometimes more important than actual material (post hole and other digging shovels).
More Related Questions & Answers...