Snow-shovel; snow sticks to it: how to make slippery?

Here I am 10 miles north of NYC, and we're in the middle of (so they say) one heck of a snowstorm.

I've been out shoveling.

Problem: Snow sticks to the shovel, maybe 2 (3?) inches of it.

Sticks so securely that you can't "jerk" it off by thrusting the shovel out horizontally and jerking it back, with (hopefully) the snow left hanging in the air before THUMP hitting the ground.

Rather, have to turn it sideways, and then (not too hard; don't want to break it!) hitting its left or right edge against something hard (eg sidewalk, street).

QUESTION: what can I do to make it slippery enough that the snow doesn't stick?

I've thought of ski-wax, but neither I nor my neighbors have any.

Good ole wd-40? (Works for EVERYTHING ELSE (except maybe for drinking))

Ideas?

(Nope, can't drive to home depot til maybe Monday (too much snow))

Thanks!

David

Reply to
David Combs
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snipped-for-privacy@panix.com (David Combs) wrote in news:hgkn9c$kri$ snipped-for-privacy@panix2.panix.com:

Try some things from the kitchen: Cooking spray (Pam), cooking oil from a bottle rubbed on with a paper towel. Try some candle wax. I don't mean to burn it and drip it on, but use as you would ski wax. How about small machine oil, like you might use for a sewing machine. Perhaps auto/engine oil and rub it on the shovel with a rag. Do all this prep in a protected area so the stuff doesn't freeze before it hits the shovels. Then set the shovel outside to cool before you begin to use it. The snow will stick less than when it's warm.

Good luck! And now you know what we deal with a lot on upstate WNY. Great Lakes and Finger Lakes area.

Look at the thing I just googled. Looks like fun. Maybe the kids will want to "play" and they can do all the shoveling. lol.

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Reply to
RobertPatrick

Try some spray silicone. Works for me.

Reply to
Sanity

RobertPatrick wrote in news:0173c2c1$0$31461$ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:

Maybe try car wax or furniture polish.

Reply to
Marina

Pam cooking spray. Seriously.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Had similar problem with a roof rake. Solved it by spraying Heavy Duty Silicone on it when it's dry. Another thing that works is Plexus plastic cleaner, protectant and polish. It's for plastic windshields like on motorcycles but works good in this application too. Good for eye glasses too.

Reply to
Van Chocstraw

I tried that (silicone, that is) yesterday on my snow shovel; it was worn off after a couple hours of shoveling. Of course, around here, that's usually a full season, but we got over 20" of snow within 36 hours here, and I'm still digging out. (want to get the driveway and walk to the front door clear before the sun hits it, so I don't have to put any salt down)

I remember living places that regularly got this much snow, but if I still did, I'd have a snowblower! (when I *did* live there, I was not so well off, so I didn't - and I always managed to rent the house on a large corner lot, too. Poor planning, etc...)

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Silicone spray

shoe polish (the paste wax type) might work????

I remember from a couple decades ago, my Dad really loved Pam brand cooking spray, it's vegetable oil in a spray can. If it releases stuff from a frypan, maybe snow off your shovel. I'd try the cooking oil spray, first. Oh, some Crisco on a paper towel, and rub it in. Works for cakes and muffins.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I read this after my post. Honest! I hadn't thought of the candle wax, though.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

  1. Ask your spouse to do the shoveling.

  1. That didn't fly over here either. I paint a thick layer of floor wax on both sides of the shovel every couple of winters. More durable than spray-on solutions.

Reply to
Bryce

Metal or plastic shovel? I would not use petroleum based oil on plastic. Since you can't get out I would go for candle wax used like ski wax. It will last longer than oils will.

Reply to
Michael Dobony

I just finished plowing my 250' driveway (for the fourth time). I spray the plow with cheap cooking spray, front and back. It works very well. I forgot to do it once yesterday and had large lumps of snow collected on the front of he blade. I did NOT forget this morning. :-) __________________ Bill Waller New Eagle, PA

snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net

Reply to
Bill Waller

Buy shovel that is Teflon coated

Reply to
Grumpy

I was going to say it but it's been said. After waxing/oiling/... let it sit outside until it gets below freezing. Snow will melt and stick to a warm shovel.

Reply to
Tony

What if it doesn't get below freezing outside? A lot of snow falls when the temps are in the 30's. It can be wet and heavy. My snow clearing tools (shovels, ice breakers, and car brooms) stay outside all winter.

Reply to
willshak

car wax

jimmie

Reply to
JIMMIE

Smitty Two wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@newsfarm.iad.highwinds-media.com:

WNY has you beat hands down for snowfall with population over 50k. We get about 2 times the snowfall. (not that we like it mind you :) I keep the plow on the truck into April.

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You guys have a tad bit lower temps with pop. over 50k:
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All in all the NE is darned cold (with the higher pop. than other places). Such as the west with a lower pop. in general and higher elevations.

At least we don't get hurricanes and wildfires which are very bad, IMHO.

Reply to
rochacha

de quoted text -

Gee whiz. It's been raining half the day here 'up north' in most easterly Canada at almost 48 degrees North! Snowed before Christmas now all gone, but gets icy some days. Now some

10 days past the shortest day of the year. F.Cast says it will be above freezing (32F or 0 Celsius) for most of the week.

Our deck/patio is completely clear of snow, last trace in front yard went today. Neighbours yards completely clear. Chilly but out there filling bird seed feeders in my slipper yesterday; fewer birds this year so far, weather seems milder than say

50 years ago when one dug one's way out to go to work and dug your way back in each evening.

Maybe the weather is more screwed up? Of course we are alongside the North Atlantic and that may be warmer than in the past. And more full of carbon dioxide (carbonic acid)? Also the rian here is more acid than say 100 years ago.

Fewer icebergs coming down from up north in last few years and/or they melt more quickly before arriving off shore. Oil rigs now at risk instead of the Titanic!

Anyway. Only used the new snow-blower (November 2009) twice so far. Looks like a couple more weeks, at least, sans snow.

Reply to
terry

Global warming! We need to buy carbon offsets from Al Gore, or we'll all die.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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