Hi All

I was reading his garden book, and in it, he says that his favorite spade is
one made of stainless steel forged from a company called Bulldog. He paid £
90 for it in late 80s, and it is perfectly balanced and feel right, so he
uses it all the time although he has 6 or 7 spades. He thinks that this £ 90
spade was worth every penny.

Would you pay £ 90 for a spade? I paid £ 20 for a Wilkinson Sword spade this
weekend at B&Q, and felt that was too expensive for spade. Is it the case of
BBC paying him much, or like other things in life, you get what you pay for?

cheers

Dan

My personal thoughts on this are that if I could afford £90:00 for a spade,
I'd probably employ a gardner.

Graham

The message
from "DLee" contains these words:

Hi All

I was reading his garden book, and in it, he says that his favorite spade is
one made of stainless steel forged from a company called Bulldog. He paid £
90 for it in late 80s, and it is perfectly balanced and feel right, so he
uses it all the time although he has 6 or 7 spades. He thinks that this £ 90
spade was worth every penny.

Would you pay £ 90 for a spade? I paid £ 20 for a Wilkinson Sword spade this
weekend at B&Q, and felt that was too expensive for spade. Is it the case of
BBC paying him much, or like other things in life, you get what you pay for?

I'd agree with MD. Especially if he claims tools as "professional
expenses" on his tax return :-)

Using a tool that fits your hands, height etc enables hours of use
without strains and blisters, so it seems pretty reasonable to me that
any professional would use the most comfortable, efficient, reliable
tools he could find and afford. That's why tradesmen use better
designed, longer lasting tools than the cheapo DIY version available in
B and Q. The same is often true of amateur enthusiasts who spend a lot
of time on their hobby.

I've got a narrow-blade planting spade made by Chieftain Forge for the
forestry trade, which cost £35 about 16 years ago. I chose it for the
perfect fit, light weight and unbreakable handle ( we've broken many
cheap spade and fork handles). It's been heavily used, still in perfect
condition and looks set to last a lifetime.

That was a better investment imho than the second-hand digging spade
(stainless steel blade, wooden handle) I acquired for £10 about 15 years
ago, currently on its third replacement handle :-(. I'm a great fan of
its stainless steel blade, which is very easy to use in wet or heavy
soil, but if I was investing in a new one, would cough up for a
stainless steel blade on a strongly engineered unbreakable handle.

Janet.

"DLee wrote in message
I was reading his garden book, and in it, he says that his favorite spade
is
one made of stainless steel forged from a company called Bulldog. He paid
£
90 for it in late 80s, and it is perfectly balanced and feel right, so he
uses it all the time although he has 6 or 7 spades. He thinks that this £
90
spade was worth every penny.

Would you pay £ 90 for a spade? I paid £ 20 for a Wilkinson Sword spade
this
weekend at B&Q, and felt that was too expensive for spade. Is it the case
of
BBC paying him much, or like other things in life, you get what you pay
for?


Well a few years ago Sue and friends bought me the Bulldog stainless steel
spade and matching fork for Christmas, it cost them £100 for each I
understand, and they were a special order.
When I thought I had lost the fork a couple of years ago I enquired about a
replacement and found out that Bulldog no longer make these British made
tools as they were too expensive for the market even though they are,
simply, the best. Shame.

Oh, and no, I don't leave them down the allotments. :-)
--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars, there's bugger all down here.

What justifies £ 100 for a spade? Better material? Better design?? This is a
genuine question out of curiosity.


"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...
Well a few years ago Sue and friends bought me the Bulldog stainless steel
spade and matching fork for Christmas, it cost them £100 for each I
understand, and they were a special order.
When I thought I had lost the fork a couple of years ago I enquired about
a
replacement and found out that Bulldog no longer make these British made
tools as they were too expensive for the market even though they are,
simply, the best. Shame.

Oh, and no, I don't leave them down the allotments. :-)
--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars, there's bugger all down here.

I don't know how much spades cost in say the 1950's, but I'd guess that if
you worked out how much that was as a percentage of your pay now compared to
£90, that the £90 spade wouild seem cheap.

We're all so used to massed produced cheap (though not necessarily good
quality products.

Just my 10 pennorth

Trevor
East Yorkshire


BTW 3 days of absolutely gorgeous weather. Able ot work or sit in the
sunshine without having to head for the shade to cool off.



"DLee" wrote in message
...
Hi All

I was reading his garden book, and in it, he says that his favorite spade
is
one made of stainless steel forged from a company called Bulldog. He paid
£
90 for it in late 80s, and it is perfectly balanced and feel right, so he
uses it all the time although he has 6 or 7 spades. He thinks that this £
90
spade was worth every penny.

Would you pay £ 90 for a spade? I paid £ 20 for a Wilkinson Sword spade
this
weekend at B&Q, and felt that was too expensive for spade. Is it the case
of
BBC paying him much, or like other things in life, you get what you pay
for?

cheers

Dan




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.516 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/03




-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

BTW

I would like to know where I could get a spade/fork (also a border fork) to
suit a 6ft 5 ins chap?

Trevor



"DLee" wrote in message
...
Hi All

I was reading his garden book, and in it, he says that his favorite spade
is
one made of stainless steel forged from a company called Bulldog. He paid
£
90 for it in late 80s, and it is perfectly balanced and feel right, so he
uses it all the time although he has 6 or 7 spades. He thinks that this £
90
spade was worth every penny.

Would you pay £ 90 for a spade? I paid £ 20 for a Wilkinson Sword spade
this
weekend at B&Q, and felt that was too expensive for spade. Is it the case
of
BBC paying him much, or like other things in life, you get what you pay
for?

cheers

Dan




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.516 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/03




-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

[snip]

Well a few years ago Sue and friends bought me the Bulldog stainless steel
spade and matching fork for Christmas, it cost them £100 for each I
understand, and they were a special order.
When I thought I had lost the fork a couple of years ago I enquired about
a
replacement and found out that Bulldog no longer make these British made
tools as they were too expensive for the market even though they are,
simply, the best. Shame.

Oh, and no, I don't leave them down the allotments. :-)

What is it which makes a £100 spade any better than my spade which I bought
for £5?

Franz

"DLee" wrote in message after

"Bob wrote in message
Well a few years ago Sue and friends bought me the Bulldog stainless
steel
spade and matching fork for Christmas, it cost them £100 for each I
understand, and they were a special order.
When I thought I had lost the fork a couple of years ago I enquired
about
a
replacement and found out that Bulldog no longer make these British made
tools as they were too expensive for the market even though they are,
simply, the best. Shame.


What justifies £ 100 for a spade? Better material? Better design?? This is
a
genuine question out of curiosity

Quality of materials, design, and workmanship, they are forged solid
stainless steel and were made in the UK with proper wooden handles. They
will last a lifetime.

Some stainless steel tools aren't solid stainless so I'm told.

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars, there's bugger all down here.

"Franz wrote in message
"Bob wrote in message
[snip]

Well a few years ago Sue and friends bought me the Bulldog stainless
steel
spade and matching fork for Christmas, it cost them £100 for each I
understand, and they were a special order.
When I thought I had lost the fork a couple of years ago I enquired
about
a
replacement and found out that Bulldog no longer make these British made
tools as they were too expensive for the market even though they are,
simply, the best. Shame.


What is it which makes a £100 spade any better than my spade which I
bought
for £5?

Quality, workmanship, materials, ease of using, pleasure of
using............

To me your question is rather like saying, why is a "S" Class any better
than a Trabant?

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars, there's bugger all down here.

"DLee" wrote in message after

"Bob wrote in message
Well a few years ago Sue and friends bought me the Bulldog stainless
steel
spade and matching fork for Christmas, it cost them £100 for each I
understand, and they were a special order.
When I thought I had lost the fork a couple of years ago I enquired
about
a
replacement and found out that Bulldog no longer make these British made
tools as they were too expensive for the market even though they are,
simply, the best. Shame.


What justifies £ 100 for a spade? Better material? Better design?? This is
a
genuine question out of curiosity

Quality of materials, design, and workmanship, they are forged solid
stainless steel and were made in the UK with proper wooden handles. They
will last a lifetime.

Some stainless steel tools aren't solid stainless so I'm told.

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars, there's bugger all down here.

"Franz wrote in message
"Bob wrote in message
[snip]

Well a few years ago Sue and friends bought me the Bulldog stainless
steel
spade and matching fork for Christmas, it cost them £100 for each I
understand, and they were a special order.
When I thought I had lost the fork a couple of years ago I enquired
about
a
replacement and found out that Bulldog no longer make these British made
tools as they were too expensive for the market even though they are,
simply, the best. Shame.


What is it which makes a £100 spade any better than my spade which I
bought
for £5?

Quality, workmanship, materials, ease of using, pleasure of
using............

To me your question is rather like saying, why is a "S" Class any better
than a Trabant?

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars, there's bugger all down here.

bulldogtools.co.uk still has stainless steel forks and spades in their
catalogue, premier range, price under £40.00

AndyP

--
"Wisest are they that know they do not know." Socrates



"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Franz wrote in message
"Bob wrote in message
[snip]

Well a few years ago Sue and friends bought me the Bulldog stainless
steel
spade and matching fork for Christmas, it cost them £100 for each I
understand, and they were a special order.
When I thought I had lost the fork a couple of years ago I enquired
about
a
replacement and found out that Bulldog no longer make these British
made
tools as they were too expensive for the market even though they are,
simply, the best. Shame.


What is it which makes a £100 spade any better than my spade which I
bought
for £5?

Quality, workmanship, materials, ease of using, pleasure of
using............

To me your question is rather like saying, why is a "S" Class any better
than a Trabant?

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars, there's bugger all down here.

"Dee" wrote in message ...
bulldogtools.co.uk still has stainless steel forks and spades in their
catalogue, premier range, price under £40.00

Yep, foreign made (China I think) to a price and imported.
--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars, there's bugger all down here.

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Franz wrote in message
"Bob wrote in message
[snip]

Well a few years ago Sue and friends bought me the Bulldog stainless
steel
spade and matching fork for Christmas, it cost them £100 for each I
understand, and they were a special order.
When I thought I had lost the fork a couple of years ago I enquired
about
a
replacement and found out that Bulldog no longer make these British
made
tools as they were too expensive for the market even though they are,
simply, the best. Shame.


What is it which makes a £100 spade any better than my spade which I
bought
for £5?

Quality, workmanship, materials, ease of using, pleasure of
using............

To me your question is rather like saying, why is a "S" Class any better
than a Trabant?

What a pile of codswallop!
My neighbour fell for the idea of a £100 spade. I have a cheapo, about 40
years old. We swapped spades for trials. Both say there is nothing in it,
except that his looks like a £100 spade and mine looks like a well-used
common or garden spade.

Franz