The blade is already the size of a teaspoon to start with Andy, really it's a bit too small, and lacks the angle on the head a little (it's a bit too straight!) for lifting a lot of the loose out from deeper digs. (3ft down)
It is a cracking spade for the shallower stuff (by the way it's a bulldog rabbiting spade).
I had a bulldog roundmouth I cut down years ago, it's been re-shafted 3 times, but there's not much left of the head now, this was ideal, a bigger head with more angle, plus a D handle rather than a T handle.
The D handle is ideal for getting a grip when it's cold and your hands