"H Ryder" wrote in message
...
Can anyone recommend a really strong fork - I've just snapped my second
one.
This one was stainless steel and the steel snapped (it was a Senator) - is
SS softer than the black stuff (can't remember it's name)? My previous one
snapped through teh handle so an not having much luck

Also is there any standard way of digging up large shrubs without snapping
forks?

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)



Stainless steel is only what it says just stain less...........it is a
relatively soft material which when stressed (bent) once becomes weaker. You
are better off with a high strength carbon steel fork end.

You are experiencing a typical scenario, stainless forks are nice but bend
easy and break...... hard steel forks are tough but the shaft and handle
suffer.

I found a hard carbon fork end on a refuse tip (broken wood shaft) and then
welded a galvanised pipe shaft and handle to it...........bloody lovely
instrument but you know you have got hold of it............it weighs about
10 pounds.