Nice Old S&J Spade

[Rhyolith]

I usually get spade and shovel mixed up... think this is a spade!

Got this at the car boot. Was cheaper than these usual are and the D-Handle was in decent condition since the first time in forever! Alls it needed was a oil up with some 3 in 1 and linseed (on the metal and wood respectively) and was good to go... the blade was even sharp!

Spear & Jackson "Neverbend" No.1 by Rhyolith, on Flickr

I like these old spades for their handsomeness and strong blades, but don't know anything more about them really. Any idea about age? I literally have no idea.

Spear & Jackson "Neverbend" No.1 by Rhyolith, on Flickr

Anyone else got a nice digging old implement like this?

 

[bugbear]

That's a little surprising - long hollow shaft from the blade (almost a "plated" handle) and (as you say) a nice 'D@ handle.

But no treads on the blade to save yer' boots from damage, which I'd expect on a high quality spade.

BTW, a spade is for digging, and a shovel is for scooping. You dig soil, you scoop sand e.g. in a cement mixer.

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

Linseed oil the metal too. Lasts longer than 3 in1.

 

[ED65]

Gosh that is in good nick all things considered. User or a wall-hanger?

As to a possible age, 40s-60s?

 

[Racers]

I have a few nice old gardening tools from the carboot sales, I couple of S&J spades a very nice border fork, I am still looking for a border spade.

Pete

 

[Rhyolith]

Linseed oil the metal too. Lasts longer than 3 in1.

Will try that! I oil the blade after every other use at the moment.

Gosh that is in good nick all things considered. User or a wall-hanger?

As to a possible age, 40s-60s?

Its my working spade, so a user through and through!

 

[bugbear]

You could use linseed on the tubular steel handle section, but in the working
blade, friction with the soil will remove anything, even a two pack epoxy, so
stick with your oil regime.

One traditional gardener's trick from the days of carbon steel tools
is a bucket of sand with old engine oil. Stabbing the tool in and out
(after you've got most of the soil off) does a final clean and oil in
one go (a bit like the old carborundum lined pin cushions)

BugBear

 

[Bm101]

It's a spade. I used to be a be landscape gardener although tbf I was always a hard landscaper not a plantsman. BLO? Using it keeps it clean and shiny. Knock the dirt off. Keep it dry. My favourite shovel for mixing up was cut down to 1/3 length because it was faster to load the mixer. I still have the bad back.
Having said that.
It's a nice spade.

 

[Bm101]

Dear God. I have become Jacob. :shock:

 

[Jacob]

Dear God. I have become Jacob. :shock:

Don't worry about it -how do you think I feel! :lol:
Linseed oil is a lot more permanent than 3 in1, on the bits which don't get abraded by use.
Basically I splash it on everything. My old dad did but he wasn't very clear about the reasoning, except that his old dad used to do it too.
It's taken me some time to realise that they were both right!

 

[Jacob]

...
Will try that! I oil the blade after every other use at the moment....!

Once a year will do.
Once every two years is fine.
Never is OK if you bring it in from the weather and keep it dry.

 

[Orraloon]

What about coal shovels?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYpsz2eAKOs

Regards
John

 

[AndyT]

Late to the party, but just in case anyone was hoping for some catalogue information...

Spear and Jackson have used their trademark "Neverbend" for quite a long time. I've found it featured in detail in a 1923 catalogue, and to the same extent in a later 1930s one. The IPO register doesn't record the original registration, but does have two entries for the mark when it transferred to James Neill Holdings in 1952 - https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/1/UK00000706871 . It looks to me that the script was slightly modernised at that time - it's not quite the same as the older catalogues or your spade.
The mark is still in use.

I can't find when the mark was first introduced, but I'd guess from the amount of copy about it in the catalogue, it was still quite new in the 20s. So I would put your spade somewhere between then and 1952

Here, from a 1923 catalogue is some introductory copy about how good Neverbend spades are:

And here is the page which, I think, lists your spade. I reckon the tapered shape means it's a Norfolk pattern, though it's hard to be sure when there are so many small variations - did you find it in Norfolk or Aberystwyth? The "No1" is the size - we're back in the days when a spade needed to fit the user just like his favourite boots did.

The catalogue these images come from is available on the Internet Archive here - https://archive.org/details/SpearAndJac ... atalogueT2 - it's one of many excellent catalogues scanned and uploaded by public-spirited tool collector, Mark Stansbury - thanks Mark. (Other S&J catalogues can be found alongside this one.)

The number of regional variations is impressive - all with their range of sizes and options. I particularly like the note in the 1930s catalogue saying that "special Well Bent Patterns for South and West of England" could be supplied at the same prices as the ordinary spades!

In contrast, the 1961 catalogue has a couple of pages saying how many local varieties had been dropped from the range, making it easier for the retailer to stock them all. Happy days!

 

[Rhyolith]

Thanks Andy, thats a good load of information! On a sidenote I really enjoyed looking through all Marks catalogs, can't beleive I have not found that resource before (probably have and forgotten!). The quality of the scans is fantastic.

I got the spade in a Norwich bootsale so I think there is a high probability its a Norfolk pattern, I am very pleased about this! I thought the flat-tapered shape was very good for thick clay soil, which is what we have here! I had not thought there were local variants of spades like for billhooks and axes. Seeing how many people struggle with this claggy soil, bringing back this pattern my be a wise investment!

I have been linseeding the metal parts of this too now. This does actually make sense for more reasons than durability now I think about it. As linseed is organic it does not pollute the soil (though I doubt its that significant, 3 in 1 is probably not something you want in the soil!) and is cheaper because I buy it in bulk. Good suggestion!

 

[bugbear]

Seeing how many people struggle with this claggy soil, bringing back this pattern my be a wise investment!

Historically there were clay spades, based on a similar design principle to modern cheese knives.

BugBear

 

[nabs]

In my experience the best spade for digging in clay is not a spade at all, it is a fork

 

[Bm101]

Bucket of water. :wink:

 

[bugbear]

In my experience the best spade for digging in clay is not a spade at all, it is a fork

But have you had a chance to compare a fork with a proper (not made any more, obvs!!!) "clay spade" as opposed
to an ordinary spade?

(if you have, where on earth did you find it?! )

BugBear

 

[nabs]

that's a fair point BB, I have never set eyes on a 'clay spade' let alone used one. The pointed end makes a lot of sense, but what is the purpose of the removing the two sections of metal from the blade?

 

[Cheshirechappie]

The best tool for digging clay is a JCB. I speak from bitter experience - Cheshire has a lot of clay. That said, once the top layers are well broken up and a lot of 'good stuff' incorporated over several years, it makes a very fertile, water-retentive soil. A bit too water retentive in wet years; but there you go - can't have everything!

They used to make special forks for digging clay soils, having extra-wide tines. My dad had one when I was a nipper. Clay is tough stuff - he managed to permanently bend one of the tines by quite a bit, and no amount of persuasion managed to bend it straight again. I don't think it was the soil, though - it was the buried kerb stone that did it. He managed to excavate about a skip-full of builder's compost from the garden over a couple of years, including a full-length scaffold plank, which turned out to be quite useful. The rest wasn't useful at all, though. That was in the sixties, but I don't think builders are any tidier now.