In article ,
Jake wrote:
On Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:59:10 +0000, wrote:

I bought a pair of cheapish plastic ( fibreglass tube AFAICT) and
stainless steel jobs. The steel bits are fine. The plastic bits cannot
cope with levering out roots. Four Candles anyone ?

Get one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Faithfull-Ch.../dp/B0001IWJ4Q

Gets roots in a jiffy as you get some really long leverage. Great for
levering out metpost spikes, lumps of concrete around fence posts,
anything heavy. Also makes mincemeat of heavy clay/stone sub-soil.

A reasonable facsimile can be obtained from Wickes for about £16.

Mine fell, indirectly, off the back of a fire engine (well it was a
clearout of the garage of a recently deceased fireman). The Amazon
link was the first I came across. However, make sure if you buy one
"cheap" that it is hardened and tempered carbon steel. I've seen one,
made of simple galvanised low quality steel, shatter and spring into
the air.

Mine was left in the garden when we moved in. It is slightly
bent - and, no, I did not do that :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.