Just because it is stainless steel.....

[Rottcodd]

Can you give us a few ideas re re-shaping spades, Sewin? I’ve been toying with the idea myself with prices of “dedicated” detecting spades being what they are.
Cheers!

[dondo]

I am not sure that a magnetic stainless steel is necessarily poor quality. Here is a posting of mine, from earlier in the year, where I did a bit of research on the subject of magnetic, and non-magnetic, stainless steel:

viewtopic.php?p=1254590#p1254590

The last 8 years before i retired was in the food industry where SS is a must, everything was made in house my job was fabricating and TIG welding, the two most important things is it didn't rust and wasn't magnetic, the rust being obvious, there were large metal detectors over the conveyors to detect any metal that had got into the food, we thought the metal detector on one conveyor was playing up after two new guides had been fitted to the conveyor, it was down all shift until someone went and got a magnet and tested the new guides, we contacted our suppliers and they told us it had come from China and they put anything in it, but it's reflected in the price.

[Joggerdude]

I have read all the old posts about scoops on here and was sad to see that 'Muck the Digger' scoops no longer available.

Yes, they are the 'tonka toy' of the scoop world.
Mine is as I bought it, with hardly any wear.

[Sewin]

Re spades, use an angle grinder to shape and to provide a good cutting edge by putting a bit of a bevel to leading edge.
Re custom scoop, I am having one done for me and even the handle made to fit me.....height restricted haha.
The pictures show a saved image off internet of the Faithfull spade and the other one shows my cut down Faithfull plus my friends spade, but not sure what make it is.
I have another Faithfull that is smaller than the black one and great amongst rocks and gravel on beaches in confined areas.

FAIASDS.JPG

spades.jpg

[Rhoco71]

Hi, Evolution here.
The 360 shaft has massive support from the rear plate and has never failed yet. The tube internal is around 28mm more than big enough. The shafts should be treated as sacrificial and not stronger than the scoop it self.
Any questions just ask

I agree entirely with comments re the flimsy supports; the hardwood hod shaft has outlasted them 100% on original build, first and second repair, so its bin, goodbye scoop, no 3rd repair=scrap bin.
I have had no reply from the manufacturer regarding alternative strengthners.
I was considering the Evolution 360 but did notice not much in the way of support to the tube that holds the shaft. I also noticed the small dimension of the ID of tube; very much smaller in OD than the wood shafts I would like to use. I do not wish to use the Evolution SS shaft.
So it is back to searching. I have a scoop that will do for now for rough ground as its new, but I want a scoop for wet sand conditions, not dry, that will do for very loose sand that collapses quickly plus sand that holds a holes shape for 18" plus for a short while with grey/black firm sand below the 1" to 8" brown.
I wonder if Evolution can put on a larger diameter tube? Suppose not any harm in asking?
Regards,
Rog