I was surprised how much more Amazon wanted for the same lopper… and this source provides free shipping. Just ordered two and it’s the same outfit I ordered from last time. This tool is very good (so much better than Felco models). It forces the wood into the fulcrum and I can use all my strength without breaking it. Not saying you can, but it is amazingly strong for such a light tool.
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Nice, my cheap ones are about worn out…
FYI though, it’s not Amazon who wants so much. Amazon sells many things themselves, but they’re also a (kind of) consignment shop. One of the $110 ones listed on there, is actually sold by someone else. They’re just using Amazon to advertise the product for them more or less…
The point is that when I went to Amazon, that is the source that came up. I’m aware that there are independent suppliers that sell through their system but their system brought up that supplier first. I also found other suppliers that were even more expensive. Pruners Warehouse seems to sell arboricultural tools for less than most others, but if you have a source as good or better please share it. Too late for me if you find a cheaper price but I’m sure others will benefit.
Probably not fair to derail this thread about lopper sources into a rant about Amazon, but if it goes that way I’m in.
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I’m looking for a new long shovel (not sure what the actual term for this kind of shovel is). I had one and one of my kids broke the handle and threw it away before informing me.
Anyone recommend a better source for something like this?
Scott
I’m not saying this is the best source, but I like this shovel a lot. It’s not a big scooper, but big enough and it cuts into hard soil exceptionally well and lasts for years without being too heavy.
Seems to me this is the one I’ve been trying to wear out for about 40 years:
Nothing fancy and not too pricey. I think I got mine at Ace but they don’t seem to list it now. Ames does sell direct though, I think.
Yeah, 40 years ago less expensive American tools had much more durable handles. Of that ilk I like Razorback more than True Temper as a digging tool- but I’ve never tried them side by side.
We don’t know how much digging you’ve done in 40 years or how you stored your shovel. Mine are left outdoors all year, but my wooden handles get boiled linseed oil treatment once or twice a year.
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I’ve bought several of these shovels off the Canadian Amazon store:
Fiberglass handles may be a little heavier, but broken handles are now a thing of the past. I really like those shovels, (price is in CDN dollar/pesos).
I have been more than happy with the quality of the AM Leonard line of hand tools (Large pruners, shovels, rakes). Lifetime guarantee as well. They usually do a “free” shipping on orders over $99 as well. Not as good as when it used to be no minimum free shipping.
Best shovel hands down is the Ames pony. irrigation shovel. It and the AM Leonard caprock are the only ones I know without a ridiculous angle at the head. If you try one you will never go back.
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My “lifetime” craftsman shovel was a great tool but it didn’t hold up, and the replacement stocked is significantly lower quality than it’s predecessor (along with a shorter handle). We’ll see how long it lasts but I’ll keep your recommendations saved!
Just a bunch of post holes in rocky soil, and digging the garden beds, and turning them every year, and setting up concrete forms for the sidewalk repairs, and doing foundation repair on the house, and moving gravel and concrete and the like, but not steady, industrial use.
Boiled linseed from time to time.
Is that the case now with Craftsman in general? Time was their tools were a consistently good value and held up.
Their lifetime guarantee is pure horsepoop. It is against defects in manufacturing and they don’t honor it as a comprehensive lifetime warrantee like Craftsman or LLBean. (I don’t think Craftsman does that anymore since Sears went under). What your really get is a one-year guarantee against breakage, but that is for anything you buy from them. In my entire 50 year career I’ve never had a tool break because of a “manufacturing defect” that I could cash in on with a guarantee like AMLEO
As a professional who has bought many of AM Leonard titled products (they put their labels on companies they have deals with) I’ve found that quality is inconsistent and they do a poor job of testing their products. Their loppers are mediocre, I bought one of their wheel barrows whose plastic of the “barrow” cracked after one season. I have a Brentwood I use constantly with plastic that has lasted 20 years while exposed to sun and rain… the handles, which I oil, have also. It did cost twice as much as a similar but much much less durable products. I bought a top of the line fertilizer spreader with all stainless steel frame whose spreading mechanism failed after a couple of seasons.
All that said, I still believe they are a good company with fair and competitive pricing, but far from perfect, and their products with their name tend towards mediocrity, including their loppers which I have tried when estates I work on purchased them for in-house help and I wanted to see how they work. Try a Bahco and compare.
I have the sharpshooter shovel listed here… one of my buddies works for the water company and they use steel shanked shovels to do their jobs so i got some of his old shovels… I dig most of my holes with it… seems to be nearly unbreakable.
If you want to see some industrial loppers used by forestry services they have them as well.
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I recently purchased these anvil pruners as my 40 year old set finally gave up the ghost. I find anvil loppers work very well on large branches that bypass pruners would choke on.
I purchased this brand because of its unbelievablely good ratings from over 4000 purchasers. Well that and the fact it’s not made in China. 
Again, the price is in Canadian dollars.
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The most useful shovel I have is the root slayer, but I have more rock and root than soil. Great for prying up boulders.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/radius-garden-root-slayer-22011?cm_vc=-10005
Boiled linseed for wooden handles- that is a fantastic idea. My axes, spades and hoes will appreciate that very much.
Love my Corona 36" orchard loppers, had 2 sets in the past 40 some years. They’re so good they get stolen, they don’t wear out (replaceable blade, bypass and rubber bumpers). 
Perhaps you need to make them less appealing.
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