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Does this have a practical use?

RM98RM98 Posts: 43
in Tools and techniques
Evening all,

I spotted this fork along with another one in an antique shop today and ended up buying both. The other is more ‘conventional’ in that it’s the type of shape you typically see in the GC (but I suspect these are hand made and made to last a long time).

The metal work on this one below though is different in that there are 4 prongs and they’re much thinner - I’m new to gardening so it might be that it’s common and I just haven’t spotted them anywhere before but I’d like to use both forks in the garden if I can so wondered if these was actually a practical use for this one or it’s best to just hang up in the potting shed as a display item!

Any insight into what this type of fork is called and what it’s typically used for would be greatly appreciated!


Posts

  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    I haven’t seen one like that before @RM98 but thought it could be useful for creating four parallel seed drills.  Alternatively good for spearing a steak for the BBQ!
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • Songbird-2Songbird-2 Posts: 2,349
    I have have one exactly the same @RM98. I bought it ( second hand) many years ago from an agricultural antique shop. Mine has a long handle and I use it as a hoe.
  • RM98RM98 Posts: 43
    Plantminded said:
    I haven’t seen one like that before @RM98 but thought it could be useful for creating four parallel seed drills.  Alternatively good for spearing a steak for the BBQ!
    Ha, well a BBQ area is an addition we’ll definitely be putting in so it might well end up being used for that  :D
  • RM98RM98 Posts: 43
    Songbird-2 said:
    I have have one exactly the same @RM98. I bought it ( second hand) many years ago from an agricultural antique shop. Mine has a long handle and I use it as a hoe.

    Ah interesting, I did wonder if it was something more closely related to agriculture with it being almost like a miniature pitch fork!
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    How big is it? Thinner forked tines tend to be for removing stones and root veg from soil or for pitchforks as you suggested.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • RM98RM98 Posts: 43
    wild edges said:
    How big is it? Thinner forked tines tend to be for removing stones and root veg from soil or for pitchforks as you suggested.

    It’s a similar size to a bog standard hand fork, maybe a slightly longer handle. I’ve been searching around the internet and the equivalent modern day version seems to be called a tapered twisted tine fork - DeWit do one that RHS Plants sell.

    The tapered and 90 degree twisted tines apparently reduce resistance and make it good for loosening hard ground and mixing in compost and fertiliser. It also says it’s good for removing stones as you say.

    So I think I basically have a very old version of the same style of fork  :)
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