Tools

[Bill HH]

Well even quality stuff can break, My sister bought me a wilkinson fork and spade for my 65th stainless steel with traditional wooden handles, the fork broke at the weld on first use. I noticed inside the weld was corroded so I took photographs. They agreed to replace the fork but told me they had stopped making the wood/ stainless ones so the replacement would have to be a Fiscars. I wrote back saying that was unacceptable as I wanted a matching pair. They sent me a pair of brilliant fiscar ones and i still have the original spade!.

[bretty666]

Bonus bill!! Like nicos said aswell...some of the old heavy carboot stuff is good"!

[ButternutSquash]

I've got sick of tools that break. The latest was a Fiskars lopper that failed when cutting a 1" branch which is a lot less than the maximum. The so called engineering plastic broke. I've bent forks too on my stony soil, and I broke a fancy wooden handled half moon lawn edging tool. The wood to metal join was very thin. I replaced it with a Wolf Garten one, and its had far more use now, and no sign of wear. Now I try and buy Wolf Garten or Bulldog, not much more expensive, but much better. I like the design of Wolf Garten, they clearly think it through. I bought a Wilkinson Sword lopper after examining the construction and concluding it was very sturdy, and it has cut branches of a size that broke the Fiskars, with ease thanks to solid metal build. I've read tool reviews, but they are rarely long term, so useless.

People like stainless steel, and nice looking tools, with wooden handles, but stainless steel is often weak, and some of the wood is too thin, or it dries out and cracks. And some of the non stainless steel is soft, and bends!

[Bill HH]

deleted due to having already said what I just said lol

[Bigmallly]

deleted due to having already said what I just said lol

You know you are getting old when you can't remember when you had gifts bought for you..............

[Scarlet]

It depends what tool it is. Trowels, hand forks etc are mid range. The cheap ones just bend or snap. But I couldn't do without my felco secateurs, they are worth every penny. I've had the many years already!

[lyndapet]

i love my wolf range of tools with interchangeable heads. as i am only 4ft. 10ins i use the short shank and my OH can change to a
his longer one as needed


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[dim]

I'm lucky because our local tip/recycle centre allows people to buy things that people tip

most of my garden tools are from there .... most cost £1-£2

I have old garden forks and spades/shovels that look like they were made in Victorian times ... really heavy with solid wood handles

even my small garden tools are from there ...

as for large gardening tools, I have several mowers (I am a full time landscaper)

my main mower is an Etesia Pro with Honda motor, which I bought off ebay for £150 .... had it serviced by an authorised dealer and that cost me another £110 .... well worth the £260 paid as a new one costs close to £2k and it is a brilliant machine as it even picks up all the grass whilst it is raining

I have an old Hayter harrier which I paid £10 from the tip .... cost £60 for a service .... brilliant for doing stripes as it has a heavy roller

I have a Mountfield with a Honda motor ... nice and small and light for small gardens

I have a Honda petrol flymo ..... £10 from the tip but cost close to £100 to get it fixed/serviced, but that also included a brand new blade ... nice for gardens that have steep slopes/banks

my Stihl hedge trimmer came off ebay for a bargain price, as did my Honda strimmer

I always look for bargains

[Alison]

I'm lucky because our local tip/recycle centre allows people to buy things that people tip

most of my garden tools are from there .... most cost £1-£2

I have old garden forks and spades/shovels that look like they were made in Victorian times ... really heavy with solid wood handles

even my small garden tools are from there ...

That's really good, saves on waste too. Some of my best tools came from my grandad's shed and I remember him using them in the '70s and they weren't new then. Am hoping they outlive me as the build quality is great . Went to Tatton Show last Friday and there was a stall there selling refurbished tools (at more than your tip prices though, they're a bargain). Biome really good stuff and quite a bit of interest although did have to laugh at the bloke we overheard asking why anybody would want "old stuff", very naive of him