It was just time....

[Mr Eddie]

I thought I would treat myself and buy a new one a couple of years ago and give my old one to my youngest daughter.  Every one I looked at was junk and had those 'D' shaped handles.  I decided to keep the one I had and just put air in the tire whenever I use it.  It amazes me how much abuse they can take!

Lonnie

PS  I bought mine when we bought the house in 1985. It has always lived outside.

[EatenByLimestone]

Mine will get replaced this year. 10-15 years here. It doesn't owe me a penny.

[SawDat]

So explain to a suburbanite without a quality W.B.   Why are the handles in two pieces rather than one long continuous piece of lumber?

My mind tells me one piece is stronger, but perhaps I'm missing some hidden reason.

[justdraftn]

How you gonna be able to find the d-mn thing now that it's camoed???

I gon'a have to keep the lawn knocked down or
I'll lose it for sure.  

[justdraftn]

I find it interesting that most leave this tool to the weather.
Mine has always had a dry place to life.  Probably why is has the original
handles.  The only reason I replaced them was years ago I loaned it to my
BIL and he broke the end off of one.  Used it like that ever since.  ......also just wanted
it to be brand new.  It feels totally different w/two equal length handles.  A fun little
fix up.  Got some new ideas on how to do the camo........nothing will be safe.
 Now, don't want to get it dirty...but, hauling top soil fill for garden and new rock garden
 in the front.      Chop...chop.....

[R Clark]

So explain to a suburbanite without a quality W.B.   Why are the handles in two pieces rather than one long continuous piece of lumber?

My mind tells me one piece is stronger, but perhaps I'm missing some hidden reason.

I don't know (for certain) the reason that the handles come in two pieces, but my bet is on ease of packaging and shipping the unit.  IIRC, I had to assemble mine when I bought it in 1985.  Think it came all bundled up in a box.  Two long handles would not have fit in that box.

When I replaced the handles, I made them just like the originals.  In fact, I used one of the handle sets as a template for laying out the bolt holes and such.  Could have made one long handle for each side, but I was using available lengths of oak 2X2 in my wood storage rack; available stock wasn't long enough for single piece handles.

As for justdraftn's comments about storing the barrow inside versus outside, I've done both.  We moved a lot with the military over the years, and my ability to store the barrow inside or outside was very dependent on the place we were renting at the time.  In a couple places, I turned the barrow over and used it as a cover for the lawnmower which also had no indoor place for storage.

[rfd8w5]

So explain to a suburbanite without a quality W.B.   Why are the handles in two pieces rather than one long continuous piece of lumber?

My mind tells me one piece is stronger, but perhaps I'm missing some hidden reason.

Packaging.  Two piece handles fit in a smaller box.