Customer Reviews for Razor-Back 29 in. D-Handle Post Spade

This is a well-designed, heavy-duty spade. It is sturdily constructed and can handle any digging task. It is a little wider than a traditional spade, and is made of a heavy gauge steel, so it is very strong. The leading edge of the spade is somewhat blunt due to its heavy-duty construction, so if you are digging in very dry or hard soil, it might be beneficial to sharpen it with a file. However, if you are working with moist or loose soil, this spade will cut right through it with ease.

This is a handy shovel for helping out if you are digging post holes. We have lots of post holes as we have lots of chain link and wood fencing around the house, so this can be real handy during maintenance of the fences. So often you use either a dirt drill or post hole digger (manual) to make the initial hole, then put your post and concrete in. Well then the frost heaves it out, and you remove the concrete and have to clean out the hole or make it deeper. This will help as long as the hole is at least 6 inches or bigger. Nice thing to help remove the dirt and loose rocks. It also works nice to do some trenching by hand. It will make at least a 6 inch wide hole or trench so keep that in the back of your mind. Now the only thing I wish was better in this was that the handle is wood. When I hit big rocks, the wood might break, so I am not giving this the highest rating due to that. Otherwise its fine for most hole and trench projects.

I got this shovel to use in dividing thick growths of hostas, black-eyed susans, etc. for replanting in other areas/give away to friends. The long, narrow blade (6 inches wide at both the top and bottom and 16 inches long) and the relatively shallow "curve" of that blade (about an inch and a quarter at the maximum point) allow me to be a bit more "surgical" in my excavations. The D-handle fit my hand comfortably and the 29 inch handle worked well for my height. I can see using this also to dig narrow trenches.

Digging post holes is never fun, but this shovel helps make the job easier. It is well build and well balanced. It has foot pegs to help you dig into the dirt. It is an excellent complement to a standard two handled post hole digger. The 29" D handle lets you get into tight spaces. This tool is another excellent addition to the Ames Razor Back tool line.

My Mom always called this type of a shovel a "sharp shooter." I remember that it was the hardest working tool we had in the shed. Mom used it for everything, from breaking ground for gardens, edging along curds and driveways, weeding, you name it, this style of shovel is more than just for post hole digging as the name suggests. The width of the blade is perfect for getting between rocks and roots, plus, when full of soil or gravel, it's not nearly as heavy as a regular width spade. The length of the handle is perfect for an average height person. Not sure what a person over 6 foot will think about it, but it works for my 5'9" frame. I like the maneuverability and the strength of this shovel. The steel is thick, the shovel is heavy, the handle is oak, and the riveting is durable. I hope to get at least 10 years out of this tool.

Yes, the description says"drain spade", but it's a GREAT spade for gardening use. We have a substantial vegetable garden during the growing season, and start most our seeds early. By the time we transplant outdoors, the plants are 60-75 days old. This spade is perfect for digging openings for transplants! Nice weight, great handle length - so much better than the shorter trenching spade I'd been using.

I've found Razor Back shovels to be great quality tools! They are well made with hardwood handles and quality steel. Edges are sharp and ready to go when received. I needed a drain spade shovel for a variety of uses. I'll use in edging around sidewalks and paths. The size and shape are perfect for this type of chore. Next of course is use for it's original design, digging and or clearing drains. Expect years of use from this tool!

I love this spade. This is really a quality product. Great ergonomic design that is comfortable to grip, hold, and use as a tool can get. What really impressed me was how sturdy this tool is. From the grip to the spade end, this is a strong tool. The handle allows for a tight, firm grip. I had a different drain spade in the past that would bend near the tip. Not with this Razor-back spade. The spade end is a nice thick metal that is strong and durable, and should take a beating for a long time. Great tool for installing drain piping to your gutter, or any other need for a narrow trench.

I recently used this tool to dig a narrow/shallow trench to extend irrigation pipe. It was a terrific solution for my project. Features I like most: Sturdy medium-duty construction Well fabricated of steel and solid wood materials. At 23” long the blade and socket are a single metal section that is secured to the wood shaft of the shovel with a single metal rivet (see picture). Seldom do I see a shovel with such a long metal socket, but it inspires confidence that this shovel will survive a long period of rough use. The spade surface, at 5” wide, 14” long was perfect for trenching, minimizing excessive digging of narrow trenches when laying irrigation pipe or underground conduits. The rounded tip is well-suited to digging rounded holes for planting. These are the best features of this tool. The shovel measures 45” from tip-to-tip, and weighs about 4-1/2 lbs. The weight of the shovel is quite reasonable for a small tool with this heft. The wide turned-over shoulder at the top of the blade is a nice feature and I was able to place my full weight on the shovel by stepping onto the shoulder. The shovel length was perfect for my height (5’8”), and I found it comfortable to grab and lift the shovel without having to bend over as much, or as far as I would with a shorter shovel. However, the medium length does sacrifice some ability to leverage the spade to move heavier objects, such as large stones/small boulders. The cutting edge of the blade is relatively sharp (when new), and did a commendable job using modest foot pressure on the shoulder of the blade to pierce through some tree roots. The blade has a modest contour allowing it to carry a reasonable amount of dirt, soil, etc. It is not intended to convey significant volumes of material and would not be a tool of choice to unload a trailer full of fill. The D-Handle was a moderate size, easy to grip and to use for hanging the tool on a wall. The handle is secured to the shaft with a single steel rivet and another rivet holds the end-piece together. One possible concern: Are the rivets securing the steel spade and the handle to the shaft the weak links here? Will they survive over time without rusting out? Perhaps a galvanized bolt/nut or other solid fastener would be a better choice to fasten these components? Only time will tell for sure. Bottom Line: This is a nice tool, with a tare weight and modest load capacity that eases the effort to dig long narrow trenches or small shallow holes for small-to-medium plantings. A good, quality product – I would recommend it to a friend.

Ideal for planting! The narrow and curved blade of this space makes it ideal for digging holes for transplanting things. The handle and shaft are made from solid wood. Sides of the handle are also metal. The back of the steel spade is welded shut, giving additional strength. There are places (though small of course) for pushing it in with your foot. Altogether, a solid space and an excellent shape for planting and transplanting small to medium sized plants. Made in China

Really impressed that this has a weld over the open socket handle to blade area. It keeps it much cleaner when you are digging. The handle felt great while working. There is a good sized plate for putting your foot on. The product brags about it being good for older people and we are at that age in which those features make a big difference in the ease of using tools. The weight was easy to manage.

As an avid gardener, I love this shovel. It's heavy duty and the D handle is strong and comfortable. The weight is good but this shovel is substantial. The closed back is a great feature so dirt does not get in there. I've just started using this and can see that it has many uses -- it's a great edger as well as narrow trench digger, good digging holes for new plants, and being able to separate and plant perennials.

This shovel is the perfect size for me. I use it for many applications. The handle is about 30 inches long and is made of nice sealed hardwood. It had a comfortable handle for easy maneuvering while digging and scraping. The spade is 14 inches tall and about 6 inches wide. I have used this shovel for clearing my swale when it is clogged and for digging trenches for irrigation pipes. Also works for planting small bushes.

Razor-Back 14 in. D-Handle Drain Spade This is a very well made spade shovel. I have used it to move soil around trees and plants and to assist in digging a trench for drain pipes. The heavy duty construction of this item should give you years of use. The handle has a smooth finish to minimize blisters on your hands. Rinse it off when you’re done then wipe it down and hang it up for the next time you’ll need it. I’m very impressed with this item and I would recommend it to anyone who has a need for it.

This is a mighty tough spade for all your general digging. It's solidly built to handle hard soil and precision dig. I use it in my garden to dig holes for planting tree. The spade comes with a 14 inches blade crafted from heavy duty steel. The blade is slightly tapper from top to bottom. The tip of the blade is shaped like an arrow to deliver better penetration through the hard soil. The handle is a bright red "D" shape, also made from steel. The shaft is made from a solid wood. Put in all together and you have a pretty rugged spade.

True Temper/Razorback Tools and The Home Depot offer the perfect narrow blade shovel ! The blade has a welded back plate over handle to add strength (see photos)! At 4 pounds this is great for ladies in the garden to plant the spring shrubs or men to dig a trench ! At 45 inches long it won't break your back. The D-handle is of a great size. Shaft is good strong oak ! A great idea is the foot rests. They are bent forward for good leverage ! A great shovel all around !!

Quality drain spade. It has a very sturdy hardwood handle and a D grip. The blade is long enough to handle most any trench you will be attempting with a spade. It is much heavier metal than most common spades you see in homeowner type stores. I have an older one that I included in the pictures for comparison. The main difference in the new one is the thickness of the blade Plus, the new one has a closed back and a slightly longer handle. These features help to ease the workload. If you are a homeowner or a professional who uses tools to make a living, this one should meet your needs.

This short D handle Drain spade is perfect for some hand trenching for running of course drain pipe. But it has many other uses. I had to get a second one as my wife was always "borrowing" the one we had for working in her flower beds. Its narrow profile is easy to manipulate in and around flowers as well as digging them out to be moved around in the flowerbed or transplanted elsewhere. Now I wont have to hunt mine down as she will have her own to keep in her garden tool area. It makes clean cuts when trenching and had an adequate length blade to cut to a normal depth of corrugated or solid landscape piping installation. This is my 4th Razorback tool, great product. Its handle is a smooth solid wood and the blade is tempered and it comes with a full lifetime warranty.

The Razor-Back 14” drain spade (shovel) is well made and possess a lifetime warranty. The back of the shovel is enclosed where the handle inserts into the metal shovel. This is a smart and simple design that keeps out material and allows for quicker cleaning. By keeping dirt and material out of the shovel with this enclosure, the workload can be lightened. The red handles allow for good visibility. I have another drain spade shovel that is wider at the foot points and I wanted this spade shovel as it is narrower at the foot points. Being narrower, allows for easier digging of deeper 6” wide footer holes. I like this spade shovel.

I like the narrow long blade for transplanting small shrubs and trees. They call it a ‘trench shovel' - perhaps a another use for it... All steel and wood construction. Got this one this on to replace a similar shovel that my daughter 'borrowed'. I'll be using this to replace broken sprinkler heads in the spring. The narrow and long blade (compared to a standard spade / shovel) is a lot easier to use in clay or hard packed soil. This shovel is about 4 1/2" wide at the digging end, and 6" at wide at the top, 14' up. Overall length is ~ 45". The handle "D shaped", and the foot step are easy to use. Just used hard soled boots... Hint: Keep the blade clean and sharp. Lubricant on the blade keeps mud/dirt from sticking, WD40 or cooking spray helps.

Razor-Back 14 in. D-Handle Drain Spade Perfect size for digging holes for shrubs or flowers. The D-Handle makes control easy when working in tight areas. The forward turned-step gives you good control when using right or left foot. The closed back construction will make cleaning out holes nice in that it will not fill up with dirt when pulling the shovel out of the hole. Although the shovel is light at 4.1 lbs. it is heavy duty enough to do the job. I took off 1 star as the blade is not sharp when you get it and you will need to sharpen it. Also you will want to rub the wooden handle with some 220 grit sand paper to smooth it out so it is not rough when gripping.

If you need to dig a trench for drainage then this is your friend. It is a razor back and a long time ago I bought a tamper from them and the quality was outstanding well nothing has changed. Razor back gives a lifetime warranty with there tools so peace of mind there. The head of the spade is 14 inches by 5 inches and the wood is a hardwood. The spade is 14 inches long so that"s all you need to go to dig a trench for drainage. 4 inch pipe with 6 inches of drainage rock and fill the hole back over with dirt.What I like is that because the width is 5 inches you will not dig past 5 inches which means you will save on drainage rock. Anyway , I like it.

This is a very nicely constructed spade. The D handle is a must after having used a straight handle shovel. The D handle offers better handling support contributing to an overall better usage. The handle itself is a heavy and solid wood providing ample weight that makes digging easier. The D handle and steel blade connects to the wood handle using pins. It should hold up well over time. This is the first spade I have used with a closed back and makes a difference when digging in muddy ground. Open back gathers mud easily and difficult to remove. With the closed back it can scrape off more easily. This spade is a great addition to anyone’s tool collection.

I hate to give bad reviews, so I will first say that I own other Razor Back shovels that have lasted for years without problems and other Razor-Back reviews are overwhelmingly positive. This one snapped in half the first time I used it, and I can only assume there must have been an invisible defect inside the wood handle. I wasn't putting much weight on the shovel, I wasn't trying to pry up a 300 pound boulder - it was simply two hands on the handle, one foot on top of the blade, digging a hole to put a previously potted plant in the ground. The obstacle that caused the handle to break was a small root (see photo below). After the shovel broke I grabbed another shovel (which had no problem handling the root) and finished the job.

A great shovel (spade) for narrow work. In my case mostly digging holes for plants or digging up plants to move and/or divide. It's very sturdy and well constructed. I prefer the D handle for better control while digging. The back of the shovel blade is covered with a plate, which makes for clean holes and less likelihood of pulling up unwanted material from the back catching. The tip is lightly angled to create a cutting blade but not sharp enough to be dangerous (In a prior shovel, I had a "shark tooth" design that could be very dangerous if mishandled). A great add for the home or professional gardener!

The spade is rounder then the post spade that I have order in the past. Not satisfied with this spade!!!!

Heavy duty. 2" shorter blade really makes little difference.