i bought a Wilkinson sword stainless steel digging fork and i'm not impressed with the quality, after approx 30 mins of digging the handle has become loose at the base and i also managed to bend on of the prongs back.
the ground is fairly rough, raspberry and blackberry roots and the odd stone, should i just buy another fork....a better one this time or try an azada :)
If you are going to buy another, go for cheap and cheerful.
Stainless steel is not a good medium for gardening tools. It is too brittle.
Woolworths, Wilkos, Poundland, Poundstretchers, are all likely to have bargain tools. Just because you've paid a lot of money for a tool, doesn't mean it's going to be any better.
valmarg
I seem to break every fork I ever use, so I don't feel qualified to advise anything on this matter.
I use an azaeda and a canterbury fork. I love the canterbury fork, rarely use a standard fork anymore.
Got mine from Chillington.
the reason i bought a so called better quality fork is because the wife wouldn't lend me her garden tools as i have a habit of breaking them :)
i bought my spade and fork from B&Q and they are brill :)
£9.99 each
I have a solid steel fork I got for a fiver in the Rag Market years ago. It's so strong it doubles up as a crowbar, and I'd far rather have it than the standard breakable things.
MINE CAME AS A PAIR FORK AND SPADE FROM ARGOS CHEAP AND CHEERFULL ITS DONE A LOT OF MILES WITH NO PROBLEM.
QuoteJust because you've paid a lot of money for a tool, doesn't mean it's going to be any better.
I disagree. Buy cheap, buy twice as they say.
Allotments are no place for Micky Mouse tools, you need the best and the knowledge as to how to use them. If money is lacking buy secondhand.
My fork is a Wilko home brand stainless steel one. Had it for a good 10 years, gets used several times a week, every week of the year, and its still as good as new.
I never leave home without it.
I've been well satisfied with my Wilko stainless steel fork and spade too. They're tough, well made, rust-free and easy to clean. You obviously have to take a bit of care. Any fork will bend if you try lifting huge and obstinate rocks with it.
I dug out a garden for my daughter from stony concrete-like ground with her husband's heavy pickaxe. The ground was very very hard, but the point of the pickaxe could be forced into it, then pushed around to heave up the lumps, and over time, with added manure and compost, it became reasonably good.
well i have two of each will say say though allways go for the one that feels light enough to work with and stong enough to do the job my spear and jackson have been going for a good 8 years old now still going strong still no rattle and roll i surpose they dont make them like they used too
I use an old bulldog fork, the tines & handle are forged out of a single piece of steel which means it's nearly indestructible although it could be a little heavy for some people. It was for sale second hand on a market stall for £1 although I got it free because the stall holder is a friend of mine. All my best tools are second hand old ones I have picked up cheap the modern ones i've bought need to be repaired/replaced regularly.
As Baccy man says, you need a good forged steel fork. You can still get Bulldog tools, although they're not as good as the real old-fashioned hand-forged ones.
Spear and Jackson Neverbend is a decent brand, too. Buy the border fork if the full sized one is too heavy.
Quote from: staris on June 30, 2008, 20:30:34
i bought a Wilkinson sword stainless steel digging fork and i'm not impressed with the quality, after approx 30 mins of digging the handle has become loose at the base and i also managed to bend on of the prongs back.
the ground is fairly rough, raspberry and blackberry roots and the odd stone, should i just buy another fork....a better one this time or try an azada :)
I took back a Wilkinson fork after I snapped it in half after just a few weeks. The shop assistant said it happened all the time and made me swap it for a Spear & Jackson (no additional cost), which is still surviving a year later.
for heavy work, eg removing strong roots, I would personally use a mattock or pick axe.
Quote from: BAK on July 01, 2008, 11:12:04
for heavy work, eg removing strong roots, I would personally use a mattock or pick axe.
To loosen solid or rough terrain - I agree - a mattock every time. Never fails. Breaks it up with little effort, then you just need to separate the weeds. Once the ground is cultivated after the first year then a gripe usually suffices.
I agree, heavy unbroken ground a mattock is the only way to go....an adzada is not heavy enough it will just bounce off, save it to use later.
Quote from: Baccy Man on July 01, 2008, 09:39:07
I use an old bulldog fork, the tines & handle are forged out of a single piece of steel which means it's nearly indestructible although it could be a little heavy for some people. It was for sale second hand on a market stall for £1 although I got it free because the stall holder is a friend of mine. All my best tools are second hand old ones I have picked up cheap the modern ones i've bought need to be repaired/replaced regularly.
I love my old tools, like my ancient hoe which despite being a head of rust is still sharper than anything else I have ever used.
i'm going to get the fork replaced but also get a mattock, thanks :)
What ever you buy, DON'T buy one from asda.
I bought one of their cheap spades £4.99 and never even got to use it.
It broke in the house before I had even got the wrapping off.
The OH took it back the next day, got the money back and was told that was the second one to be returned that day
Quote from: BAK on July 01, 2008, 11:12:04
for heavy work, eg removing strong roots, I would personally use a mattock or pick axe.
For heavy work, I'd use a team of Eastern Europeans.
Quote from: Eristic on July 01, 2008, 01:22:03
QuoteJust because you've paid a lot of money for a tool, doesn't mean it's going to be any better.
I disagree. Buy cheap, buy twice as they say.
Allotments are no place for Micky Mouse tools, you need the best and the knowledge as to how to use them. If money is lacking buy secondhand.
What I meant by the comment was that, in a lot of cases, you can pay a premium price for a 'name'.
We have a border fork that cost £2.99 from Woolworths. We've had it about ten years, and shows no sign of giving up. We also have some very sturdy trowels from Wilkos/Woolworths, which cost £1.99, and a hand fork from Poundland, which we have had for a similar time. If they all packed in tomorrow, they wouldn't owe us anything, so if we had to buy twice, every ten years or so, I wouldn't be too unhappy. ;D
valmarg
Sharpen the cutting edge of the spade - my OH uses an angle grinder - a bit extreme but sees me thro a whole digging season and makes it really easy to slice thro bramble roots and other nasties.
Pick axe every day.
Our new plot is pretty much like a brick with weeds on.
The pick will get into the soil, a spade and fork will not get more than 2" deep. I've been using the pick to break out lumps and roughly break them up. Then, turning the axe on it's side presenting a masive surface area smashing the lumps which is breaking them down in half the time a fork, spade, hoe or anything else can. Additionally you can drag it through the broken soil to remove roots etc.
Finally by laying it on it's side it can be used to "rake" the soil flat.
ALL THIS FOR £12.00 or less!!! ;D
Garden Forks and Spades are made for digging normal garden soils, if you want to dig hardcore you need a Road Breaker Fork (1/2" square tines and steel strap right up the handle) and an eighteen stone navvy to go with it.
I have a 'Azada' among my digging tools and like the post on this site a couple of months ago Why have I not used one before, I will be using it to just break the ground before I run the rotovator over in the spring, it should save a lot of time and effort :)
Mattock, very fast for breaking up compacted ground and moving earth quickly to get to roots. They do them for £10 including handle from Wicks. I payed a little extra at the Builder Centre for a Hickory handle (will probably outlast me!)
My spade and fork are both budget £5 jobs from B&Q (due to a lack cash), seem to be fine so far! :o
Quote from: siandc on August 03, 2008, 20:37:07
Pick axe every day.
Our new plot is pretty much like a brick with weeds on.
The pick will get into the soil, a spade and fork will not get more than 2" deep. I've been using the pick to break out lumps and roughly break them up. Then, turning the axe on it's side presenting a masive surface area smashing the lumps which is breaking them down in half the time a fork, spade, hoe or anything else can. Additionally you can drag it through the broken soil to remove roots etc.
Finally by laying it on it's side it can be used to "rake" the soil flat.
ALL THIS FOR £12.00 or less!!! ;D
wow
id have given up well done you.