​The difference between the Spade and Shovel

How should "spade" be distinguished from a "shovel"? I believe that many people will not know the difference between these two words, and many people will think that they are the same thing, just different words. Of course, when I first came into contact with the garden tool industry, I would be confused, and sometimes there would be ambiguity due to this name when we are in the live stream. Later, after learning, we finally understand the difference between the two. Let's talk more about spade and shovel today.

First of all, spades come in many shapes and sizes for a variety of different functions and jobs, and there are many different designs in Spade manufacturing. People often mistakenly use "shovel" and "spades" interchangeably, but "shovel" is a generic term for all kinds of tools, including many broad-bottled tools used to move loose materials, such as "coal shovel", "snow shovel", "grain shovel", etc. While "spades" tend to have sharp edges, curved contours, and sharp heads better suited for digging. Note that the term "garden spade" refers to some tool with a sharp blade but a square end suitable for cutting sod. The most common type of garden spade usually has a long handle, a wide head, and a footstep (with footrests for pushing the spade into the ground).

A spade is a tool used primarily for digging and consists of a long handle and a head that is usually narrower and flatter than a shovel. Early spades were made of split wood or animal bones (usually shoulder blades). After the development of metalworking technology, the tip of the spade became sharper. In most cases, Spades can both shovel soil and break up hard soil, increasing efficiency. Classic spades, with narrow bodies and flat (or nearly flat) heads, are good for digging post holes and are not to be confused with "round point" shovels, which have wide shovels and tapered heads.

But now that technology and design are getting better, many of the traditional tools are incorporating more different elements. Spade and shovel are not so clearly defined today as people continue to innovate. If we have to make a distinction, I think the best way to make a distinction is "spade" which is more square head, also called a square spade. The shovel is more likely to have sharp points, also known as "round points shovels". So how do you distinguish?