Best gardening tools?

mumf

I have a set of Ellwell tools that belonged to my grandad,and he died forty years ago! Spade,for,rake,hoe and hedge slasher.
I would go with the second hand tools too.

unrecordings

Davesnave wrote: »

I have a S&J bill hook that's probably at least 50 years old. It's so special it has its own bag and fluorescent tape on the handle. :A


Sadly, since I was lured into buying one of Mr Stihl's battery chain saws, (now that was expensive!) the bill hook has become largely redundant.

I confessed all last summer to the guy who gave me basic training in traditional hedge laying about 9 years ago. He looked around first and then replied, "Yes, they're great, I have one too!" :rotfl::rotfl:

I think I had a similar conversation once in the context of carpentry, the gist being - why not just use these cheap power tools

unrecordings

mumf wrote: »

I have a set of Ellwell tools that belonged to my grandad,and he died forty years ago! Spade,for,rake,hoe and hedge slasher.
I would go with the second hand tools too.

Yup probably got a couple myself - along with some kind of war department/RAF fireman's axe which is stashed away in case I need to get through the double glazing in a hurry. Ellwell was Leeds I think

MysteryMe

Burgon & Ball are OK if you are looking for "nice". Bought a container root & transplanting knife which is well made.

https://www.burgonandball.com/

WeAreGhosts

Thanks for all the suggestions. I hadn't thought about second hand, definitely something to consider.

NaughtiusMaximus

NigeWick wrote: »

I treated myself to some Bronze tools that will not rust. Expensive but nice.

https://www.implementations.co.uk/

Isn't bronze softer than steel though? Not so good if you have heavy, fork bending, soil.

unrecordings

I ended up looking up Moh's scale yesterday, but stopped before I ended up down the rabbit hole. Yes bronze is softer than steel. Stainless steel (generally used in modern tools) is softer though than carbon steel (generally used in those old vintage tools)

Davesnave

unrecordings wrote: »

Stainless steel (generally used in modern tools) is softer though than carbon steel (generally used in those old vintage tools)

Back in 1960, when my parents, rather stupidly, bought a fish shop instead of a newsagents, the previous owner bequeathed them all the carbon steel knives he'd collected. The stainless ones they'd purchased were totally useless.

I expect they passed them on to the next unlucky owner, who went bust as more people got fridge-freezers and went 'Birds Eye Bonkers.'

The newsagents is still there.

NaughtiusMaximus

unrecordings wrote: »

I ended up looking up Moh's scale yesterday, but stopped before I ended up down the rabbit hole. Yes bronze is softer than steel. Stainless steel (generally used in modern tools) is softer though than carbon steel (generally used in those old vintage tools)

Ah okay, didn't realise that.

NigeWick

Davesnave wrote: »

Nige, mate, this is MSE, not Harrods! :rotfl:

They'll last a lifetime. Plus, they won't rust.

And allegedly, using them will put a little bit fo copper in the soil that slugs & snails won't like. I say allegedly as it hasn't worked for me.