Ignoramus8020 wrote:

I recall seeing professional snow shovels, that were I think made of
some nice aluminum, with almost straight blades, that worked
great. Made for large apartment building owners.

I do not mean the crap that they sell in stores these days, either
trashy plastic or very thin aluminum. These do not stand up to a man
shoveling large amount of snow.


Some of the plastic ones are actually pretty good. In fact, I've been
using the same one for a few years now and it's the best I ever had.
This from someone who used to buy new shovels for the blades, removing
them from their cheesy handles and attaching them to my favorite
aluminum handle.

But the plastic one is great: first of all, it's straight; not that
idiotic crooked handle ergonomic type they are foisting on people
nowadays. And it's light as a feather. The plastic blade is pretty
tough too; I'm surprised how little it has worn on the concrete. The
tube is thin wall aluminum, grooved the length and plastic covered:
always a good grip, not like smooth aluminum tubes which get slippery
on a wet glove. I think the grooves make it stronger as well. I've use
this thing on the flat roofs, shoveling four foot drifts in big heavy
chunks for an hour; whump! whump! whump! It's a pleasure to use.

Wish I could get a job shoveling snow somewhere. I dunno, I imagine
them calling me up:

"We need someone over here to shovel this snow. Has to be one guy with
a shovel: no blowers, no plows. Just one guy with a shovel for a few
hours. We pay by the calorie. Can you do it?" Hell, yes!

The fresh cold, the workout, the great apetite afterwards... no BS to
deal with in any way or manner... I guess I am a snow-shoveling fool;
I just love it.

(Mowing the lawn, on the other hand, is something I truly despise for
some reason... When I am mowing I start thinking how nice it would be
to just have a yard full of prairie grass.)

--
Drew

On Sun, 04 Dec, Ignoramus8020 wrote:
If it has to be steel, it is fine with me. I do not think that regular
mild steel is suitable though.

Sounds like a job for titanium!

I'm not sure you can have it all. High performance (light, handles large
load, etc), long lasting, cheap. Pick two. Of course, if cheap don't
matter, then it's definitely a job for titanium! (Though perhaps with an
aluminum tip that you can replace easily.)


--Donnie

--
Donnie Barnes http://www.donniebarnes.com 879. V.

wrote in message
...
Ignoramus8020 wrote:

I recall seeing professional snow shovels, that were I think made of
some nice aluminum, with almost straight blades, that worked
great. Made for large apartment building owners.

I do not mean the crap that they sell in stores these days, either
trashy plastic or very thin aluminum. These do not stand up to a man
shoveling large amount of snow.


Some of the plastic ones are actually pretty good. In fact, I've been
using the same one for a few years now and it's the best I ever had.
This from someone who used to buy new shovels for the blades, removing
them from their cheesy handles and attaching them to my favorite
aluminum handle.

But the plastic one is great: first of all, it's straight; not that
idiotic crooked handle ergonomic type they are foisting on people
nowadays. And it's light as a feather. The plastic blade is pretty
tough too; I'm surprised how little it has worn on the concrete. The
tube is thin wall aluminum, grooved the length and plastic covered:
always a good grip, not like smooth aluminum tubes which get slippery
on a wet glove. I think the grooves make it stronger as well. I've use
this thing on the flat roofs, shoveling four foot drifts in big heavy
chunks for an hour; whump! whump! whump! It's a pleasure to use.

Wish I could get a job shoveling snow somewhere. I dunno, I imagine
them calling me up:

"We need someone over here to shovel this snow. Has to be one guy with
a shovel: no blowers, no plows. Just one guy with a shovel for a few
hours. We pay by the calorie. Can you do it?" Hell, yes!

The fresh cold, the workout, the great apetite afterwards... no BS to
deal with in any way or manner... I guess I am a snow-shoveling fool;
I just love it.

(Mowing the lawn, on the other hand, is something I truly despise for
some reason... When I am mowing I start thinking how nice it would be
to just have a yard full of prairie grass.)

--
Drew


You're Ok, Drew!
To be perfectly honest, moving from Utah was due in part to my burning
desire to get the hell away from snow in general, and snow shoveling
specifically. I've never found a shovel that fit my hands! g

We still get a little (snow, that is) where we live now, but rarely have to
worry about shoveling it. We usually let it go away the same way it got
here. :-)

Harold

Two words...
San Diego

Harold and Susan Vordos wrote:


You're Ok, Drew!
To be perfectly honest, moving from Utah was due in part to my burning
desire to get the hell away from snow in general, and snow shoveling
specifically. I've never found a shovel that fit my hands! g

We still get a little (snow, that is) where we live now, but rarely have to
worry about shoveling it. We usually let it go away the same way it got
here. :-)

Harold



Ah, it's a shame. You just never found the right shovel.

I managed to locate my shovel on the net:
http://www.suncast.com/snowtools/42/

Turns out, it's the bottom of the line SN1000. But check that SNF2150.
Harold, with a shovel like that you would be tempted to move back to
Utah, I bet.

--
Drew