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Just forked out for a new fork. Stanley and Neverbend.

a1154a1154 Sunny South Scotland Posts: 951
in Tools and techniques
After my old fork detatched from its handle (and maybe I should have considered a repair), I bought a Stanley fork from Homebase, think it was about £10 or £12. Lasted about a month, with very little use, the tines are now hopelessly bent. The strange thing is....I can’t for the life of me remember bending them, I thought I’d just moved some compost between bins, can’t remember digging anything at all. 
Just invested £25 in a Neverbend, and the name gives me high hopes! I suppose it’s a lesson in you get what you pay for. Though trowels and secateurs I’d buy the cheapest as I lose them all under shrubs it’s not worth paying lots.  
Id be interested to hear what makes people go for and is it worth investing a bit more, or going to the pound shop!?
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  • sabeehasabeeha Posts: 292
    I saw this site linked on this forum http://www.fredshed.co.uk/homepage.htm which I am still working through! (reading, not buying!)


  • a1154a1154 Sunny South Scotland Posts: 951
    Ah, the man says avoid poor quality equipment! Apart from the price though, it’s difficult to know. I thought Stanley were good. 
  • sabeehasabeeha Posts: 292
    I have trawled through a few threads, the bulldog range often comes up as pretty good - although in one thread one user (I think hostofan1) said they had used one from lidl for about a tenner (stainless steel) which was doing very well!

    I would be interested in thoughts from other users too, about any recent purchases and experiences (particularly ones which are reasonable in cost but very good)...

    A couple of years ago, I just went and bought a fork and spade from wilkinson...both too heavy for me and hard to use...this was in my old garden, and I wasn't actually doing much gardening - it had mostly shrubs...

    I am eyeballing a stainless steel border fork and spade by the bulldog brand at the moment... 

    I don't know much about garden tools, so can't comment on the brand you have bought, but £25 seems reasonable! Hope it stands up to its name!
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 8,579
    edited September 2018
    sabeeha said:
    I saw this site linked on this forum http://www.fredshed.co.uk/homepage.htm which I am still working through! (reading, not buying!)


    I always check Fred's site before buying garden tools and usually buy his recommendation. I've never been disappointed.
    I emailed him once asking for a shredder recommendation - he offered to sell me one of his for a very reasonable price :) lovely chap

    I did buy Bulldog fork and spade (Fred's recommendation) about 5 years ago. Very strong and well made
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • SkandiSkandi Northern DenmarkPosts: 1,454
    I have fiskars fork and spade, both seem indestructible. They get heavy use and are not exactly looked after, 4 years on and still perfectly straight.
  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 576
    I buy cheap, as I work them hard. One thing I look for is a non pine handle, many that look like oak are in fact pine. Some newer forks have resin/glass fibre handles. 
    With spade a golden rule for me is to by one with a lip on the bit where you place your foot, otherwise with soft soles they are useless as the did nito the foot rather than the soiil. 
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 6,462
    With the advent of Lidl / Aldi and their special offers, cheap doesn't always mean poor quality.  I would certainly avoid cheap spades etc from the DIY sheds and garden centres though.
  • Victoria SpongeVictoria Sponge WearsidePosts: 3,322
    I bought an all steel fork by Faithfull a few years ago which has restored my faith in gardening tools. I've dug a pond and drainage trenches in pure clay, hit rocks, bricks, rubble, it actually split a rock in two the other week. Absolutely wonderful, think it'll last forever, even how and where I garden.

    Best trowel, Wolf Garten. I felt some give in my Bulldog trowel this AM while trying to get weeds out between my drive and the pavement. Also bent my Spear and Jackson Neverbend although I bent it back again and it's still useable.
  • HazybHazyb Posts: 329
    I bought these last week and I’ve used them to increase the size of my border from 3 feet to 1.2 m.   I’ve removed turf , dug soil over and dug out a few plants with them. So far so good.  

    They were £22 each. 



    Dont think the handles are real oak. 
  • JennyJJennyJ DoncasterPosts: 6,164
    For me the most important thing is that the size and weight are right.  I have smaller-than-average hands so I'm picky about secateurs - a lot of the cheap ones open too wide and have uncomfortable handles. My current choice is Burgon & Ball florabrite pocket pruner - just the right size, and has dayglo pink handles - supposedly easy to spot when lying on the ground amongst plants - so far, so good!
    I have a stainless steel border fork and spade that are the perfect size.  I've had them the better part of thirty years and I dread having to replace either one, because these days they mostly seem to have longer handles.
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