On Mon, 19 Nov 2012 18:43:42 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

About 20 years ago I bought a full-size stainless steel spade (made by
Griffin). It hasn't had a great amount of use.

Today I was trying to dig up an old variegated Euonymus. Its roots were
somewhat entangled with those of a 30-years old Chamaecyparis lawsoniana
'Ellwoodii' (which was cut down on Friday). I got half the Euonymus
roots cut through, then using one of the Ellwoodii roots as a lever
point, pushed down as hard as I could on the spade. There was a loud
crack, and something gave. I thought the plastic handle of the spade
had broken, but it was fine. The Euonymus was still in the ground.
Pulling out the spade, I was amazed to find that the blade had split
horizontally about 3/4 of the way across, an inch or two below where it
became the shaft.

How could this happen? Stainless steel isn't brittle, and having
split, why didn't it split all the way across?

Anyone had a similar experience?

When I first moved here, 21ish years ago, a friend bought me a set of
stainless steel spade and fork as a housewarming present. Cannot
remember the brand now save that it was a quality one. The spade blade
snapped like yours within a few months and the fork tines buckled even
more quickly. The friend returned them and got a refund (bought me
something else). I went out and bought a cheap set from somewhere;
paid little more than a fiver for the pair. I still have them though
the fork tines are a little bent.

Conversely, I've gone through 3 sets of stainless steel spades and
forks - spades snap, fork tines bend too easily.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East End of Swansea Bay where sometimes
it's raining and sometimes it's not.