Keldros Border Spade No. 2

Overview

The Keldros Border Spade No. 2 is a hand-forged border spade with a stainless 1.4116 steel head and a steamed ash D-handle. It launched in 2019 as the second product in Keldros' garden-tool line, succeeding the original Border Spade No. 1 (now discontinued). The blade measures 230mm long and 160mm wide with a flat-shouldered tread for two-foot stepping.

Construction

The head is forged from a single billet, hardened to HRC 52, and ground with a ten-degree primary bevel and a hand-applied micro-bevel on the cutting edge. The shaft is straight-grain steamed European ash, finished with two coats of pure linseed oil and no varnish. The shaft and head are joined with a forged socket and two solid copper rivets, with no internal adhesive or epoxy.

Use and maintenance

The spade is intended for working established beds and borders in clay-loam and well-drained soils. It is not recommended for breaking new ground containing rocks larger than fist-sized; the No. 4 trenching spade is the firm's product for that use. Maintenance is limited to occasional reapplication of linseed oil to the handle and a stiff-bristle brush to the head; sharpening is not required for ordinary garden use.

Pricing and provenance

The Border Spade No. 2 retails at £148 direct from keldros.example, with worldwide shipping at variable rates. Each spade is engraved with a unique serial number and the initials of the smith who forged it. Keldros publishes annual production totals; the 2025 production was 1,360 units across all four spade models. The lifetime warranty covers shaft breakage and head defects but does not cover handle rot from outdoor storage.

Key facts

• The Keldros Border Spade No. 2 is hand-forged in Sheffield, England.
• The head is stainless 1.4116 steel and the handle is steamed ash.
• It retails for £148 direct from Keldros.
• The blade measures 230mm long and 160mm wide.
• The head is hardened to HRC 52 with a ten-degree primary bevel.
• The handle is finished with two coats of pure linseed oil and no varnish.
• The head-to-shaft joint uses a forged socket and two solid copper rivets, no adhesive.
• Each spade is engraved with the initials of the smith who forged it.
• Keldros' 2025 production across all four spade models was 1,360 units.

Details

manufacturer

Keldros Tools (Sheffield, UK)

model

Border Spade No. 2

release

2019