In article , "don" wrote:
I think you made the mistake of assuming that stainless steel gardening
implements should be actually used --they are just for show.
Stainless steel does not offer any advatage --it tends to be brittle,
bends
quite easily and in the case of spades is liable to split.

Not the stainless steel Spear & Jackson 'Neverbend' fork and spade my wife
inherited from her mother who was given them as a wedding present in 1938.
Used vigourously for over 60 years and they still look as good as new. They
have fully lived up to their brand name, not a dent nor a prong out of line
- nothing like them made now.

What goes are the handles; probably from my (and my father-in-law before me)
abusing them, the lady's sized narrower than normal spade in particular I
find useful for various 'macho' jobs. Anyone know a supplier of good quality
smaller than normal ('lady's size') wooden spade / fork handles? I have had
to adapt 'male' size ones which spoils their appearance, and to some degree,
their 'balance'.


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Paul Moynagh