We must have 5 shovels of various shapes and age so occasionally we have to replace a broken handle. One of our oldest is a flat blade shovel that I use to edge my flower beds and edge along the concrete curb. It is a great shovel because you can file a nice sharp edge on the blade so it can cut through the hardest soil.
But I broke the handle and rather than toss it I headed to Ace Hardware for a new handle.
Here is a diagram of the parts of a shovel to help you understand the directions for replacing a broken handle.
Before you back out of the driveway, you will need to remove the broken handle from the blade of the shovel. I drilled out the pin/rivet but you could also use a grinder to grind off the head of the pin/rivet.
You are going to think that you can remember what the old handle looks like but when you find yourself standing in front of a display of all different shapes and sizes of handles, you will have wished that you brought the blade or the old handle with you. So don't leave home without one or the other. I took the blade with me to Ace Hardware.
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Here is the one that I needed. So off to the cash register.
But first.... I got out my Ace Rewards coupon for 15 bucks.
But the handle was only $14.99 so I had to buy a 15 cent mini York candy to bring my purchase over $15.00. In the end the shovel handle cost me 14 cents. Gotta love a bargain.
Oh by the way, before you leave the store with your new handle, make sure it has the pin/rivet taped to the handle. You will need this pin/rivet to secure the blade to the handle. You can use a bolt and nut but using the pin is a more secure method.
Insert the handle until it is all the way into the socket. Turn the shovel upside down and tap the end of the shovel handle against the driveway or any hard surface. It always surprises me that this method works. Once the handle is all the way into the shovel socket you will need to drill a hole through the handle using a drill bit that is the same diameter as the pin/rivet.
Drive the pin/rivet all the way through the handle until the head of the pin/rivet is resting against the socket.
Place something hard, like the head of a hammer, under the pin/rivet head so that when you start peening the pin/rivet, it will stay in place.
You can then either use a pin punch, nail set, or the rounded end of a ball peen hammer to peen the pin/rivet. The pin/rivet will start to spread out and flatten.
Keep hitting the head until it is completely flattened out and tight against the shovel socket. Flip the shovel over and make sure the head of the pin/rivet is still tight against the shovel socket before you pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
Don't throw away your tools because they have a broken handle. It is a cheap and easy fix to replace the handle.
Easy Peasy.
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