chen.adam•27d ago

Hand digger snapped clean in half on a rocky job in Sacramento yesterday

3 comments

3 Comments

the_stella27d ago

@shane_fisher37, was this a fiberglass or wooden handle?

william_torres16d ago

What nobody talks about is how the metal composition in the head can create a weak spot right where it meets the handle. Had a buddy who worked in a machine shop tell me that some of those cheaper heads get cast with impurities that cause micro-cracks during hardening. Combine that with a wooden handle that's already stressed from seasonal humidity changes, and you've basically got a ticking time bomb waiting for the right swing. Wooden handles at least give you a warning with splintering sounds before they go all the way.

shane_fisher3727d agoMost Upvoted

Oh man, that's brutal. Had a brand new one snap on me last summer up in the Sierra foothills, same kind of deal. Hit one rock wrong and the handle just gave out, splintered right at the head. Left me standing there holding a useless stick while the digging end was buried.