I bought the shovel on the left in 1981. It didn’t have a lot of a point then. I’ve been digging with it for 40 years now. By the rate of wear (and the age of the old miner in Hedley I bought it from), I figure it must have first seen the light when he came back from World War I. I’ve replaced the handle at least 5 times. I think it will go for another 100, but it’s not as strong at the tip as it used to be, and look at that, I found a new one, a real forged shovel, just like it’s great grand dad!

So, who is going to get this pair in a 100 years? What stories they can tell! But first, I have a garlic bed to prepare!