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!

"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.

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.

"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.

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.
*************************

"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.

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
news
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.
*************************

"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 :-))

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.