Garden fork recommendation?

[F]

We need a fork to use on the borders in the garden so I went for

as the pack was £5 cheaper than the fork alone. Mistake. One of the tines on the fork bent at a silly angle the first time I used it to remove some weeds in a not-too-compacted border.

Anyone care to recommend a fork (preferably 'border' size whatever that may be) that's going to do the job without bending or breaking? What's the best material? Carbon steel? Stainless steel? Clearly not the lengths of licorice which Stanley appear to be using!

[Muddymike]

We need a fork to use on the borders in the garden so I went for

Go to a car boot sale and chose one that's stood the test of time. I gave my son the same advice when he bought a house with a garden. He came back with a boot full of garden tools for little more that the cost of one fancy new fork.

Mike

[Tim Lamb]

In message , F writes

I would avoid stainless for a *digging* fork. The hardened stuff snaps and the soft bends. We had a florist outlet here marketing stainless hand fork/trowel packs. Big pile of returned forks with the middle tine snapped off!

My working forks are all hardened and tempered carbon steel handed down from previous generations of gardeners.

>

[rick]

I have Burgon & Ball fork & spade ... good kit in Stainless Steel

[Martin Brown]

I am not that impressed with stainless steel ones. More expensive and I have snapped one and they are much harder to weld than ordinary steel.

Secondhand tools are worth considering rather than new.

If the ground is a bit tough a mattock might be more use.

[Brian Gaff]

Another counterfeit product perhaps? Some years ago I bought some Draper branded Hacksaw blades that must have been made of crap steel as they blunted within minutes. I'm sure they were not the cosher items with hindsight. Brian

[Brian Gaff]

Wilkinson Sword used to do very good ones at one time. the problem today is that too many well known makes simply brand engineer stuff by others. Brian

[F]

The border version of that looks very interesting, though I'm not sure what 'Heat treated tines cope with compacted soil' means.

I've also found a 'Joseph Bentley Stainless Steel Border Fork' at B&Q (I know, I know) with a lifetime guarantee:

Earlier suggestions for second hand from car boot sales were a good idea but won't work here as they've finished for the year. As it happens, the need for a new fork has arisen after a 40 year old one broke!

[Adrian]

It's (probably) not so shit that it bends as soon as you try digging in anything more challenging than a sandy beach.

[rick]

I picked up fork & spade at 50% off ... local Wyvale Garden Centre was running Burgon & ball .. buy one get one free offer.

They are very good quality, fork certainly has no tendency to bend.

[alan_m]

Draper and Stanley are not noted for being quality products. Stanley is just a brand that is being used to badge no-name goods these days.

[F]

Had a look at the Joseph Bentley when I was passing B&Q and it seemed well made with a 15 year (not lifetime, as advertised on the new £60M website!). It was 10% off Wednesday so I bought it. Initial, quick dig was positive, and it's light enough for Management to use...

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[stuart noble]

Joseph Bentley indeed! Sounds like an estate agent