Strong tools anyone?
Can anyone recommend and point me to a supplier or maker of durable basic
garden tools. The shops are full of stainless steel hoes, trowels, forks etc which look nice but unless they are used on stone free fine tilth bend or break. this year I've been through 3 trowels, snapped a stainless dutch hoe and bent a stainless border fork. I am reluctant to keep buying brittle/bendy shoddy tools that look the business but don't really cut it. Has anyone else had the same experience? The garden I work is stony ie natural occurring flints but also some rubble. Personnel recommendations appreciated! |
Strong tools anyone?
"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. The shops are full of stainless steel hoes, trowels, forks etc which look nice but unless they are used on stone free fine tilth bend or break. this year I've been through 3 trowels, snapped a stainless dutch hoe and bent a stainless border fork. I am reluctant to keep buying brittle/bendy shoddy tools that look the business but don't really cut it. Has anyone else had the same experience? The garden I work is stony ie natural occurring flints but also some rubble. Personnel recommendations appreciated! Joe public are not aware that Stainless Steel is SOFT compared to carbon steel. While it looks great, it does not bode well for bending especially considering the diameter at its neck to length of handle. They suffer plenty bending moment. in fact they are only good for commemorative planting of trees/plants where the press are taking pictures of either the Mayor or a celebrity is holding it 1ft from the sod. Good old fashioned carbon steel is the thing...............when you can find it. I find the local amenity tip to be the best place............where folks are throwing away their good stuff for their new stainless steel acquisition. |
Strong tools anyone?
In article , "Lez Pawl" writes: | | Joe public are not aware that Stainless Steel is SOFT compared to carbon | steel. CHEAP stainless steel. There are stainless steels that are strong compared to even quite good carbon steels. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Strong tools anyone?
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... In article , "Lez Pawl" writes: | | Joe public are not aware that Stainless Steel is SOFT compared to carbon | steel. CHEAP stainless steel. There are stainless steels that are strong compared to even quite good carbon steels. I've never had any problems with the stainless steel tools I have. Alan Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Strong tools anyone?
On Sat, 23 Dec 2006 11:16:22 +0000, Lez Pawl wrote:
"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. The shops are full of stainless steel hoes, trowels, forks etc which look nice but unless they are used on stone free fine tilth bend or break. this year I've been through 3 trowels, snapped a stainless dutch hoe and bent a stainless border fork. I am reluctant to keep buying brittle/bendy shoddy tools that look the business but don't really cut it. Has anyone else had the same experience? The garden I work is stony ie natural occurring flints but also some rubble. Personnel recommendations appreciated! Joe public are not aware that Stainless Steel is SOFT compared to carbon steel. While it looks great, it does not bode well for bending especially considering the diameter at its neck to length of handle. They suffer plenty bending moment. in fact they are only good for commemorative planting of trees/plants where the press are taking pictures of either the Mayor or a celebrity is holding it 1ft from the sod. Good old fashioned carbon steel is the thing...............when you can find it. I find the local amenity tip to be the best place............where folks are throwing away their good stuff for their new stainless steel acquisition. ****************************** We've been very lucky or unlucky ...We been left five houses full of things. Amongst the items were various garden tools must be from the Victorian era. I have never bought any shiny new things that do any job except to look smart deceitfully! The best spade has a razor sharp edge and knife through butters every bit of ground. I do get into severe trouble for leaving things out in the rain and the handles break which are wooden...but still they are such old favourites. ************************* |
Strong tools anyone?
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... In article , "Lez Pawl" writes: | | Joe public are not aware that Stainless Steel is SOFT compared to carbon | steel. CHEAP stainless steel. There are stainless steels that are strong compared to even quite good carbon steels. Regards, Nick Maclaren. yep there are BUT they don't make garden tools from them as they are too expensive. |
Strong tools anyone?
I buy all my tools from E bay or Car boot sales as the older tools have a
very good steel. I have had many successes with old tools as most can be bought rusted and old but I have the facilities to restore them and they last for years on end "Welsh Witch" wrote in message ... On Sat, 23 Dec 2006 11:16:22 +0000, Lez Pawl wrote: "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. The shops are full of stainless steel hoes, trowels, forks etc which look nice but unless they are used on stone free fine tilth bend or break. this year I've been through 3 trowels, snapped a stainless dutch hoe and bent a stainless border fork. I am reluctant to keep buying brittle/bendy shoddy tools that look the business but don't really cut it. Has anyone else had the same experience? The garden I work is stony ie natural occurring flints but also some rubble. Personnel recommendations appreciated! Joe public are not aware that Stainless Steel is SOFT compared to carbon steel. While it looks great, it does not bode well for bending especially considering the diameter at its neck to length of handle. They suffer plenty bending moment. in fact they are only good for commemorative planting of trees/plants where the press are taking pictures of either the Mayor or a celebrity is holding it 1ft from the sod. Good old fashioned carbon steel is the thing...............when you can find it. I find the local amenity tip to be the best place............where folks are throwing away their good stuff for their new stainless steel acquisition. ****************************** We've been very lucky or unlucky ...We been left five houses full of things. Amongst the items were various garden tools must be from the Victorian era. I have never bought any shiny new things that do any job except to look smart deceitfully! The best spade has a razor sharp edge and knife through butters every bit of ground. I do get into severe trouble for leaving things out in the rain and the handles break which are wooden...but still they are such old favourites. ************************* |
Strong tools anyone?
"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 :-)) |
Strong tools anyone?
R i c h a r d wrote: Can anyone recommend and point me to a supplier or maker of durable basic garden tools. The shops are full of stainless steel hoes, trowels, forks etc which look nice but unless they are used on stone free fine tilth bend or break. this year I've been through 3 trowels, snapped a stainless dutch hoe and bent a stainless border fork. I am reluctant to keep buying brittle/bendy shoddy tools that look the business but don't really cut it. Has anyone else had the same experience? The garden I work is stony ie natural occurring flints but also some rubble. A shower of shit fell on the garden shop when Chinese and other Asian crapware was proffered. And the first lot sold well to a public unacquainted with such tat. But that was years ago. You aught to know never buy cheap stuff from the local pound shop unless you are looking for a likely source of trace elements to build your soil. There is a certain profile to look for in all tools that makes the most of the physics of the rigidity of shapes. These engineering principles are well known to British tool manufacturers, be guided by their trademark. After that it seems that your soil needs a lot of work. I would make use of what top dressings you can get such as the recent bonus leaf litter. Failing that a pick and shovel would be a good tool start. The builder's pick and shovel market will not have been targeted by the Asian supply system. I am not BTW, a racist, just a realist in this factor of market forces. |
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