So far Spades are objects I like but I have carried out almost no research.

Generally Spades are for digging . Digging what?  is a question that immediately comes to mind.

Thinking of spades takes me back to being at a garden centre looking for willow and this retired gardner showed me how to pick a spade of the right height.  An upright spade should be around elbow height  for gardening but shovels are can be shorter

The google search bought me to this  image

IN this case spades are a weapons in a game Ace of SPades. A multiplayer shoot em up were eapons are trowels and spades.