Fed up with forks!

**HeyWayne** · 16-03-2010, 10:07 AM

Which bit is breaking?

I've never managed to break one but I've bent the handle on one before now. I decided that a fork wasn't the right tool for the job so bought an Azada and a long handled spade.

**Nicos** · 16-03-2010, 10:11 AM

Look out for old ones at car boot sales- they're cheap, but the wooden handled ones will have good seasoned wood and would be more difficult to break. You could always cut the handle down a bit if it's too long!

It seems to me that over the past 30 years the expensive 'quality' ones seem to have become more flimsy

**Flummery** · 16-03-2010, 10:16 AM

I would certainly contact the company that makes the ones said to last 6 years. You (and now a lot more people!) know it doesn't. They need to know that too.

**womble** · 16-03-2010, 10:41 AM

The SS spear & jackson broke at the bottom weld, all the other various ones I've had, I've broken the handle, bent the tines, everything really!

I did think of contacting them Flum, but I'm not sure I can be bothered, I haven't got a clue where the receipt is. Stupid I know, but I thought it was a decent one so I needn't worry about it too much.

I'm thinking about buying a really good one, but I'm scared of spending a fortune on something that I might just be paying for the name and marketing.

Car boot, maybe, but I haven't seen one at a boot yet that I wouldn't break in under an hour.

**OllieMartin** · 16-03-2010, 11:13 AM

I wouldn't worry too much about the receipt. they might not send you a brand new fork, but they may give you some other form of compensation as a good-will gesture.

**womble** · 16-03-2010, 11:36 AM

Well I've written an email with picture to S&J, thanks for the advice.
I'll let you know what happens.

So, can anyone advise of a top notch fork?

Wayne, I've got an Azada, just prefer a fork tbh.

**Jeanied** · 16-03-2010, 12:56 PM

Womble it sounds like an ordinary fork is just not up to the job you want it to do. The last time I broke a fork I was trying to lever up a seedling ash tree that had sown itself in the wrong place - and the handle went. I should have used a pickaxe.
So what is so tough about your ground? Or are you guilty of fork abuse as I was?

**womble** · 16-03-2010, 01:05 PM

Jeanied, I know what you mean and yes I probably have been guilty of fork abuse in the past,
The S&J one went when I was digging up a rhubarb, but I do treat them with a bit of care normally!
After I broke it digging up the rhubarb, I finished it off with a 20 year old spade, if that could do it, why can't a one year old fork?

**PAULW** · 16-03-2010, 01:08 PM

BULLDOG carbon steel, IMO stainless is the biggest con after bottled water, its to brittle doesn't flex therefore snaps.

**Alison** · 16-03-2010, 01:25 PM

I was bought a lovely stainless steel border fork and spade set a few years ago but they won't do anything remotely heavy, even general digging of undug soil causes them to bend so they spend most of the time just looking pretty in the shed at home.

**rustylady** · 16-03-2010, 01:32 PM

Originally posted by womble View Post

Jeanied, I know what you mean and yes I probably have been guilty of fork abuse in the past,
The S&J one went when I was digging up a rhubarb, but I do treat them with a bit of care normally!
After I broke it digging up the rhubarb, I finished it off with a 20 year old spade, if that could do it, why can't a one year old fork?

Probably the spade worked because you cut through the rhubarb roots with it, thereby making it easier to lift. Rhubarb can have humumgous roots, and the only tool you would be able to lever them out with would be a crowbar, I would think.

**womble** · 16-03-2010, 01:47 PM

Originally posted by rustylady View Post

Probably the spade worked because you cut through the rhubarb roots with it, thereby making it easier to lift. Rhubarb can have humumgous roots, and the only tool you would be able to lever them out with would be a crowbar, I would think.

Possibly, I don't think so though.

What happened was that I started to put pressure on the fork and it snapped first time, it hardly got any pressure on it.

The good news is that S&J have been in touch already offering to send a replacement. How good is that?

Paul, I have a Bulldog spade and it's been brilliant, but I don't use it very often, that was one option to go for a Bulldog. Having a look round this morning a bit, Freds shed says they are good.

I had a look at harrod Hort, they have Sneeboer for �70, alot? yes but not if it lasts for 20 years. What do I read in a review..... fork bent, now back in shed and S&J neverbend being used again.

**PAULW** · 16-03-2010, 02:02 PM

Womble I managed to bend a tyne on my fork but I just jammed it in a peice of pipe and bent it back again something like

**weekendwellies** · 16-03-2010, 02:10 PM

I hadnt heard of Azadas so I looked them up on good old Google.
They look like they could clear a lot of ground and quicker than a standard spade.
Any suggestions where I could get one? I havent seen them in B&Q or local GC. Do you have to order them online?

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