I am still using the fork, spade, rake etc I bought when I first started gardening in the early 70s. Spear and Jackson. My tools are never left out, always cleaned of soil and put away every time. Every garden I have had (seven in total) have all been new gardens so my tools have had a lot of work. Only thing I renew is my trowels, perhaps every 5-10 years I have had to buy a new trowel. Or a new pair of secateurs. And yes, the right tool for the job goes a long way............
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
It's interesting to see this old thread dug up again Fishy. Being 6'3" and as strong as an ox is not the only consideration. Your body automatically uses its muscles, sinews, balance and weight to achieve all sorts of things, but the tool is what it is - it can't make adjustments, so if you overload it the tool just snaps or bends. It really is pointless to blame the tool; it's like expecting a 2CV to win the Formula 1 championship. So I wouldn't alter my post of 21/8/14.
"I think garden tools should be built to cope with things you might find in a garden."
Victoria Sponge, decent tools are built to cope with things you find in the garden, but it's the appropriateness of the tool and the mindset of the gardener that's the problem. You would no more think of digging up a tree with a border trowel than you would choose to use a JCB for bedding out pansies.
I've broken a couple of tools over the years - the ash handle of Dad's old spade (circa 1950) finally rotted through at the rivets about five years ago and the blade of a Wolf trowel which I was trying out a few years ago bent rather quickly. Apart from that, tools have always given me the service I expected, and I've done some big, awkward, heavy jobs over many years. (I'm 5'10", slim, not getting any younger, but I work out the best way to do the job and the customers are happy.)
Victoria - change your methods and care for your tools! Dig out smaller clumps of clay instead of one big one - better for your tools and your back. Use an appropriate weapon.
I used to garden on deep clay in Harrow and used a stainless steel Spear and Jackson ladies fork with an ash handle to great effect. I still have it 30 years on. I use Wolf trowels and toolheads for other weeding, hoeing, raking etc and a stainless steel round tined hand fork for tricky bits. They get cleaned after use and oiled for their winter rest.
I have friends with a seriously heavy clay garden. They have dug out all new beds just one spit deep using a fork and then applied lorry loads - literally - of local council compost over the years. The only other digging is for planting holes for trees and shrubs. No broken tools.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
It looks like you and I are up before the committee Victoria
Joe the gardener - giving lectures regarding tools and their correct employment to me is similar to selling ice to Eskimos. Having spent a good few years as a qualified bricklayer before becoming a carer for Mrs F, I know a good tool when I see one and know very well how to use them.
I'm also well aware you get what you pay for. I used the same leather handled bricklaying trowel for many years, often using it to cut bricks in half which is technically 'abusing' it because you should use a brick hammer for that. And still it lasted. Fast forward to the present and a Spear and Jackson mid-range gardening trowel snaps where handle joins blade after less than three months.
Was I abusing the gardening trowel? Well if digging small holes in soil counts as abuse, I'm guilty as charged. I wasn't trying to dig through 6" of concrete, nor was I belting said trowel with a 14lb sledgehammer. Likewise a S&J ash handled garden fork snapped in June after less than one hour of digging, yet my old digging shovel (all metal) keeps going and going despite my constant abuse
Posts
I am still using the fork, spade, rake etc I bought when I first started gardening in the early 70s. Spear and Jackson. My tools are never left out, always cleaned of soil and put away every time. Every garden I have had (seven in total) have all been new gardens so my tools have had a lot of work. Only thing I renew is my trowels, perhaps every 5-10 years I have had to buy a new trowel. Or a new pair of secateurs. And yes, the right tool for the job goes a long way............
It's interesting to see this old thread dug up again Fishy. Being 6'3" and as strong as an ox is not the only consideration. Your body automatically uses its muscles, sinews, balance and weight to achieve all sorts of things, but the tool is what it is - it can't make adjustments, so if you overload it the tool just snaps or bends. It really is pointless to blame the tool; it's like expecting a 2CV to win the Formula 1 championship. So I wouldn't alter my post of 21/8/14.
"I think garden tools should be built to cope with things you might find in a garden."
Victoria Sponge, decent tools are built to cope with things you find in the garden, but it's the appropriateness of the tool and the mindset of the gardener that's the problem. You would no more think of digging up a tree with a border trowel than you would choose to use a JCB for bedding out pansies.
I've broken a couple of tools over the years - the ash handle of Dad's old spade (circa 1950) finally rotted through at the rivets about five years ago and the blade of a Wolf trowel which I was trying out a few years ago bent rather quickly. Apart from that, tools have always given me the service I expected, and I've done some big, awkward, heavy jobs over many years. (I'm 5'10", slim, not getting any younger, but I work out the best way to do the job and the customers are happy.)
Last edited: 12 September 2016 09:57:06
All my forks look like a posh person drinking tea.
And however hard I try to keep secateurs sharp and oiled. the little springs always either break or 'sag'.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Victoria - change your methods and care for your tools! Dig out smaller clumps of clay instead of one big one - better for your tools and your back. Use an appropriate weapon.
I used to garden on deep clay in Harrow and used a stainless steel Spear and Jackson ladies fork with an ash handle to great effect. I still have it 30 years on. I use Wolf trowels and toolheads for other weeding, hoeing, raking etc and a stainless steel round tined hand fork for tricky bits. They get cleaned after use and oiled for their winter rest.
I have friends with a seriously heavy clay garden. They have dug out all new beds just one spit deep using a fork and then applied lorry loads - literally - of local council compost over the years. The only other digging is for planting holes for trees and shrubs. No broken tools.
It looks like you and I are up before the committee Victoria
Joe the gardener - giving lectures regarding tools and their correct employment to me is similar to selling ice to Eskimos. Having spent a good few years as a qualified bricklayer before becoming a carer for Mrs F, I know a good tool when I see one and know very well how to use them.
I'm also well aware you get what you pay for. I used the same leather handled bricklaying trowel for many years, often using it to cut bricks in half which is technically 'abusing' it because you should use a brick hammer for that. And still it lasted. Fast forward to the present and a Spear and Jackson mid-range gardening trowel snaps where handle joins blade after less than three months.
Was I abusing the gardening trowel? Well if digging small holes in soil counts as abuse, I'm guilty as charged. I wasn't trying to dig through 6" of concrete, nor was I belting said trowel with a 14lb sledgehammer. Likewise a S&J ash handled garden fork snapped in June after less than one hour of digging, yet my old digging shovel (all metal) keeps going and going despite my constant abuse
I plead not guilty to accusing you of abuse Fishy. Take them back and get a refund, then we can all have a drink.
Sounds good to me Joe