We need to replace a fork with bent teeth.

Home Depot sells a "Bronco" for $20.00, but I have always found that
spending more money on a good tool is worthwhile.

Are there ways to tell about the quality of the steel?

Have you recommendations for good tools?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight wrote in
link.net:

We need to replace a fork with bent teeth.

Home Depot sells a "Bronco" for $20.00, but I have always
found that spending more money on a good tool is
worthwhile.

Are there ways to tell about the quality of the steel?

well, avoid anything pressed like the plague... look at the
thickness/shape of the tines. you don't want thin & flat.
welds are bad too. my personal preferance for a digging fork
is a D handle, but some people like the long straight handles.

Have you recommendations for good tools?

http://www.leevalley.com/home/Search.aspx?c=2&action=n

not affiliated, but have had good luck with thier tools.
i also buy tools at a local Agway. big box stores tend to go
for low prices, with resultant lower qualtity. Home Depot may
be a step up from Wal-Mart, but i wouldn't bet on it.
lee
--
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
1984-George Orwell

Here's on you will never bend

http://www.histandtools.com/Secure/e...log.asp?prdc=5

"Dwight" wrote in message
link.net...
We need to replace a fork with bent teeth.

Home Depot sells a "Bronco" for $20.00, but I have always found that
spending more money on a good tool is worthwhile.

Are there ways to tell about the quality of the steel?

Have you recommendations for good tools?

Thank you in advance.

On Sun, 02 Apr 2006 03:58:37 GMT, Dwight wrote:
We need to replace a fork with bent teeth.

Home Depot sells a "Bronco" for $20.00, but I have always found that
spending more money on a good tool is worthwhile.

Are there ways to tell about the quality of the steel?

Look for "forged steel head".

Have you recommendations for good tools?

I prefer D-handled fiberglas for the body, forged steel head, with
a metal strap high up onto the handle from the head. If you can find them,
diamond back tines are useful for strength. Rolled steel forks are
for light use only.

Kay

--
NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth

"Newsreader" wrote in message
...
Here's on you will never bend

http://www.histandtools.com/Secure/e...log.asp?prdc=5

"Dwight" wrote in message
link.net...
We need to replace a fork with bent teeth.

Home Depot sells a "Bronco" for $20.00, but I have always found that
spending more money on a good tool is worthwhile.

Are there ways to tell about the quality of the steel?

Have you recommendations for good tools?

Thank you in advance.




That's not a fork.

"Dwight" wrote in message
link.net...
We need to replace a fork with bent teeth.

Home Depot sells a "Bronco" for $20.00, but I have always found that
spending more money on a good tool is worthwhile.

Are there ways to tell about the quality of the steel?

Have you recommendations for good tools?

Thank you in advance.

Even the best fork can be bent if used incorrectly. You're not supposed to
pull backward on the handle if an effort to pry with a fork. I guess we all
do it occasionally, but these tools aren't designed for that purpose.

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Even the best fork can be bent if used incorrectly. You're not supposed to
pull backward on the handle if an effort to pry with a fork. I guess we all
do it occasionally, but these tools aren't designed for that purpose.

And how, pray tell, do you use one then? Of course you can pull
backwards on a fork to pry - buy one that's sturdy enough and you
won't have a problem. I've used one for years in this rocky New
England soil. I own the fork from the link below, it has a lifetime
guarantee:

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/p...rk &item=9433
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Even the best fork can be bent if used incorrectly. You're not supposed to
pull backward on the handle if an effort to pry with a fork. I guess we
all
do it occasionally, but these tools aren't designed for that purpose.

And how, pray tell, do you use one then? Of course you can pull
backwards on a fork to pry - buy one that's sturdy enough and you
won't have a problem. I've used one for years in this rocky New
England soil. I own the fork from the link below, it has a lifetime
guarantee:

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/p...rk &item=9433
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

That's a nice fork. I've got a similar one from Smith & Hawken, from the era
before the company lost its mind and became a boutique for Martha Stewart
shopping clones.

Forks are made to loosen the soil by being moved side to side or in a
circular motion. It's obvious just by looking at the tool that heavy prying
can cause problems. However, you have to qualify that by saying that some
people have a feel for how happy a tool is during use, while others haven't
a clue. This explains why you see so many horribly damaged phillips
screwdrivers in peoples' tool collections - know what I mean?

I live in the Amish region of Pennsylvania and near the coal region. We
have lots of auctions and garage/barn/lawn sales. I try to buy all my
tools at these sales. It accomplishes two things. The sales are a lot
of fun, and second, the tools have withstood the test of time. I got my
digging fork at an auction 40 years ago and it probably had 40 years on
it then. I think mine would break before it bent.

"They don't make things like they used to"
--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhodybooks.html
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA Zone 6

I'll bet that fork did not come off an assembly line. Probably made slowly.

"Stephen Henning" wrote in message
news
I live in the Amish region of Pennsylvania and near the coal region. We
have lots of auctions and garage/barn/lawn sales. I try to buy all my
tools at these sales. It accomplishes two things. The sales are a lot
of fun, and second, the tools have withstood the test of time. I got my
digging fork at an auction 40 years ago and it probably had 40 years on
it then. I think mine would break before it bent.

"They don't make things like they used to"
--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhodybooks.html
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA Zone 6

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Forks are made to loosen the soil by being moved side to side or in a
circular motion. It's obvious just by looking at the tool that heavy prying
can cause problems. However, you have to qualify that by saying that some
people have a feel for how happy a tool is during use, while others haven't
a clue. This explains why you see so many horribly damaged phillips
screwdrivers in peoples' tool collections - know what I mean?

LOL - yes, I know exactly what you mean!
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Even the best fork can be bent if used incorrectly. You're not supposed
to
pull backward on the handle if an effort to pry with a fork. I guess we
all
do it occasionally, but these tools aren't designed for that purpose.

And how, pray tell, do you use one then? Of course you can pull
backwards on a fork to pry - buy one that's sturdy enough and you
won't have a problem. I've used one for years in this rocky New
England soil. I own the fork from the link below, it has a lifetime
guarantee:


http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/p...rk &item=9433
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

That's a nice fork. I've got a similar one from Smith & Hawken, from the
era
before the company lost its mind and became a boutique for Martha Stewart
shopping clones.

Forks are made to loosen the soil by being moved side to side or in a
circular motion.

also good for levering up bricks, roots or big lumps of concrete Doug.

rob

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Forks are made to loosen the soil by being moved side to side or in a
circular motion. It's obvious just by looking at the tool that heavy
prying can cause problems.

Fiskars doesn't say to use a circular motion. They claim to have the
strength to get the job done. With the Ames Fork, I would be more
careful. Here are a number of good digging forks:

Fiskars Power-Booster Digging Fork
http://www.gardeners.com/D-Handle-Di...ult/35-724.prd

Structron Spading Fork
http://www.hooverfence.com/tools/str...-fork-sp30.htm

Rittenhouse Stainless Steel Garden Forks (Canadian) (note 22" fork is
40" long)
http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/product.asp?PG=1662

Kodiak Forged Spading Fork
http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS...jsp?BV_Session
@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccgha ddhhfgdfklcgelceffdfgid
gin.0&CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc/searchResults.jsp&MID=9876&N=2984+552
1&pos=n18

Truper Spading Fork
http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...881&cp=1254884
..1255108.1260256&parentPage=family&searchId=12602 56

Ames 30" Spading Fork
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...Id=90630-302-1
8-940&lpage=none

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

In article ,
Stephen Henning wrote:

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Forks are made to loosen the soil by being moved side to side or in a
circular motion. It's obvious just by looking at the tool that heavy
prying can cause problems.

Fiskars doesn't say to use a circular motion. They claim to have the
strength to get the job done. With the Ames Fork, I would be more
careful. Here are a number of good digging forks:

Fiskars Power-Booster Digging Fork
http://www.gardeners.com/D-Handle-Di...ult/35-724.prd

Structron Spading Fork
http://www.hooverfence.com/tools/str...-fork-sp30.htm

Rittenhouse Stainless Steel Garden Forks (Canadian) (note 22" fork is
40" long)
http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/product.asp?PG=1662

Kodiak Forged Spading Fork
http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS...jsp?BV_Session
@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccgha ddhhfgdfklcgelceffdfgid
gin.0&CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc/searchResults.jsp&MID=9876&N=2984+552
1&pos=n18

Truper Spading Fork
http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...881&cp=1254884
.1255108.1260256&parentPage=family&searchId=126025 6

Ames 30" Spading Fork
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...Id=90630-302-1
8-940&lpage=none

Here's yet another. From aging hippies Smith and Hawken )

Pricey but mine are like new after 35 years. I stick mine in a bucket of
sand containing motor oil every winter. Sharpen some tools now.

Bill

http://smithandhawken.resultspage.co...+&Submit.x=0&S
ubmit.y=0&Submit=Submit&p=Q&ts=custom&_DARGS=%2Fjh tml%2Fnewsite%2Ftopnav.
jhtml.8

Or

http://tinyurl.com/ld7x3

--
S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
This article is posted under fair use rules in accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and is strictly for the educational
and informative purposes. This material is distributed without profit.

"William Wagner" wrote in message
...

Here's yet another. From aging hippies Smith and Hawken )

Pricey but mine are like new after 35 years. I stick mine in a bucket of
sand containing motor oil every winter. Sharpen some tools now.

Bill

http://smithandhawken.resultspage.co...+&Submit.x=0&S
ubmit.y=0&Submit=Submit&p=Q&ts=custom&_DARGS=%2Fjh tml%2Fnewsite%2Ftopnav.
jhtml.8

Or

http://tinyurl.com/ld7x3


I agree, but that company has gotten very strange. Two weeks ago, I
suggested that a friend check out their forks. She was unable to find any on
the site. I checked to be sure she wasn't just being absent-minded. No
forks. She called the company and was told they were no longer selling them.
Today....they're back.