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Late to the party as ever, is that still fashionable?
Anyway great advice about holding it in your hand, also for things like forks the length will make a difference in leverage. Remember when you heave back on the handle the blade/tines are likely to be already in the ground. You don't want to be bending more than you have to. Many quality tools are longer for that reason.
Stainless is good and far less prone to flexing, i have 'ordinary' steel spades that boing about when launched at hard ground and visibly flex when you haul back on them. But they are lighter to hold!
Hoes, Stainless steel looks nice and maintaines that look. But grinding a sharp adge on it takes a power tool and re-applying a knife edge is a chore, although it will be less often that a thin steel blade. Many years ago I used an old hoe with a thin blade made from an old saw, it was light, hardy, slid through the soil and weeds very easily and held an edge well. I found a lightweight steel shafted thin bladed hoes for Carol, I have to say I often use it myself. You can't chop hard with it, but for routive hoeing it's worderful.
Also, if you buy nice wooden shafted tools do yourself a favour, sand off the nasty finish and apply raw linseed oil, you can reapply it every couple of years and the grip/feel is wonderful whilst the lengevity will be all you are likely to need.
Anyway great advice about holding it in your hand, also for things like forks the length will make a difference in leverage. Remember when you heave back on the handle the blade/tines are likely to be already in the ground. You don't want to be bending more than you have to. Many quality tools are longer for that reason.
Stainless is good and far less prone to flexing, i have 'ordinary' steel spades that boing about when launched at hard ground and visibly flex when you haul back on them. But they are lighter to hold!
Hoes, Stainless steel looks nice and maintaines that look. But grinding a sharp adge on it takes a power tool and re-applying a knife edge is a chore, although it will be less often that a thin steel blade. Many years ago I used an old hoe with a thin blade made from an old saw, it was light, hardy, slid through the soil and weeds very easily and held an edge well. I found a lightweight steel shafted thin bladed hoes for Carol, I have to say I often use it myself. You can't chop hard with it, but for routive hoeing it's worderful.
Also, if you buy nice wooden shafted tools do yourself a favour, sand off the nasty finish and apply raw linseed oil, you can reapply it every couple of years and the grip/feel is wonderful whilst the lengevity will be all you are likely to need.
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