In our last post in the “how to remove railroad ties without really trying” series, we looked at a pair of work gloves to help lighten the burden on your hands.  Now we’ll examine the other item on our checklist: the flat-headed shovel.

First, it’s important to note that you don’t want to use a digging shovel - the shovel’s blade is slightly curved and it will not provide you with the straight line you need for the job.  (However, if you wanted to use a standard digging shovel after you dug out the railroad tie, I’d recommend something with a nice, long handle for extra torque.)

I was searching Pricegrabber for a square shovel and ended up purchasing the Fiskars D-Handle Square Shovel and couldn’t be happier.  For starters, the shovel is pre-sharpened and ready to use right away.  I’ve purchased shovels in the past that just don’t have anywhere close to a sharp edge and are practically useless.  In my opinion, ALL shovels should be pre-sharpened.  But that’s besides the point…

The sturdy steel construction makes easy, light work out of the job.  The Fiskars D-Handle Square Shovel has a comfortable step for that initial push into the ground, which you’ll find is very important for a job like removing railroad ties.  The Fiskars D-Handle Square Shovel has a poly coating for easier clean-up and nice rust protection - not that you’d leave your tools sitting outside overnight or anything!