"R i c h a r d" wrote in message
...
Can anyone recommend and point me to a supplier or maker of durable
basic
garden tools. (snip) and bent a stainless border fork.

I'd agree with Colin's advice on buying old tools. I have an ancient
fork which belonged to my father (I'm in my mid 50s) and it is the
BEST fork. It was made in Britain when British steel was still the
best in the world (ah those were the days) - I think it might be a
Spears and Jackson but I'm not going to plod out to the tool shed to
check.

The same applies to woodworker's chisels. I used to do the odd bit of
fine furniture making until health made me drop it and all the most
sought after chisels (and good prices paid for) were the old ones
about 50 years old and made of Sheffield steel. I have some of these
and they keep a good edge and sharpen beuautifully.

I do know that I've seen old gardening tools advertised in one of my
British mags and thought that if I lived in the UK, I'd not buy them
as they were really antique ornaments but in the background of the
pics there were some real tools - over 50 years old and just what I'd
want. Handles weren't in good condition but they are easily replaced.

If you want to bent the tine on your fook back into position and
haven't yet done so, then the way to do that is to hammer a longish
piece of old steel pipe intot he ground with a sledge hammer and to
put the bent tine in and bent it back. I think I'd also leave the
pipe there permanently given your ground as you may need it again :-))