Wood stove tool set that's not crap!

We've been back in northern country for the last three winters now and I have had to buy a new set of wood stove tools (ash shovel, ash broom, poker, log "grabber" thing) because the ash shovel and brooms keep wearing out. The bristles on the brooms burn up over time and the shovel heads keep falling off.

We have a 3" lip just under the front door of our stove - whenever we open the door, a small amount of ash falls out on this lip. But, this lip is also VERY hot. So, if the broom uses plastic or straw bristles, they burn up cleaning the ash off. I haven't found a tool set where you can buy a new set of broom bristles or just the shovel! The set we have now seems like a nice heavy built, twisted steel, set and it is pretty as well.

The ash shovels have all been very lightly tack welded. So after shifting the ashes/embers around on the bottom grates to get the loose ash to fall through, these week welds eventually fail.

I can't see having to throw away the working pieces just to be able to get another matching set with a new broom and shovel.

Is there any bands or particular models out there that you guys have came across that have replaceable bristles and well build parts that don't fail so easily? I hate re-buying these each year. We spent a decent amount on this set last year hoping a more expensive set would fair better, but even after the $80 or $90 or so, we're still in the same boat.

We're getting ready to buy another set now, so your advice/recommendations would be helpful!

Thanks in advance!

Andrew

Our stove is front and top loading. Once winter gets into full swing - the stove never goes cold/cool. It is our only heat source and it can go for a very long time (months at a time) without getting a cool down. So the ash lip is alomost always VERY hot. The stove can take larger pieces of wood from the front, so I sometimes need to use the front door to get pieces of wood in that won't go through the top. To get a full night burn or to have a full day burn while I'm at work, I have to load the stove full to the top. Thus, ash does bank up against the front door. I can go through the top to shift some of the ash away from the front door before I need to open it, but there is a small gap between the stove body and the seal on the door where ash falls, that I cannot access - so when I open the door it falls out. Probably enough to fill a table spoon or two. So, I either leave it there to look like crap, or sweep it off. It's not the ash that burns the bristles as much as the heat of the ash lip itself. By the end of a winter there are no more broom bristles left.

I was wondering about getting the shovel re-welded - better than factory. I might pursue that route further. But then I still have the broom issue. I would have figured some place out there would offer an option to replace bristles instead of whole iron/steel sets of tools. I must say I did just find a small stove broom at Tractor Supply that is sold by itself - but then that kindof turns the broom with the toolset into a thing of beauty instead of usefulness.

Anyway, I appreciate you comments. I think I might look at having a local welder modify my shovel and my broom so the weld is better and I can replace the bristles myself - even if I have to sacrifice a regular sweeper broom for bristles every so often. I can almost replace my bristles as it is but the manufacturer flattened the steel just above a cap that holds the bristles together, so the cap cannot be moved up to handle shaft to allow bristle replacement. I'm sure the welder can remove this flattened spot so I can replace the bristles and then put a screw or other kind of removable stopper above the cap to hold the bristles in place.

Thanks!

Andrew