Bronze/copper gardening tools anyone?

[bearded bloke]

Tell you what Nicos,given the above info I will give you the same advice my old tradesman gave me when I started my apprenticeship.

Estimate,how much & how often you are going to use any particular tool or piece of equipment & use that as a gauge as to how much to spend on that particular item.


Add to that ^^ if it was given to you to use as "fun money",then spend it on something that will be fun for you

[BertieFox]

I guess that when they come to 'frack' in my garden, I will have to switch to bronze tools to avoid those sparks setting my garden ablaze! Interesting to hear that bronze can be that hard. Personally I still think that stainless steel is the best thing since sliced bread (though I must admit I only ever eat home baked bread!) as they come clean so easily when digging in claggy soil. I think copper has its uses in slug repellent rings and wires, as the little blighters really don't like the feel of the stuff, but I will still give the tools a miss, unless somebody can make a trowel or fork for me at much lower price.

[veggiechicken]

The £35 that is being quoted should be 35 Euros so a bit less
I bought my trowel at a garden show from these people Implementations quality hand-made garden tools and gardening gifts - I think it was about £25 - still a lot of money but its very sharp and cuts through the soil easily. If I had lots of money Id buy more - if only because they look so gorgeous

[Nicos]

I seem to get through a trowel every couple of years

Either the handle breaks or the welded bit snaps

It 's actually the main tool I use (as I can't dig due to an old foot injury) so would use it where others perhaps would choose to do some very light digging.
....Hence turning my thoughts to something claiming to be very strong and sharp and long lived as I probably demand a bit too much from a 'bog standard' trowel

From the comments so far , I'm still tempted to try one out!

[plotman]

Copper tools staying sharp????? planting with the moon???? How about enter through front door and leave by the back and yr get ginger twins lol
Stainless steel tools are best for me and plant out when the soils moist and warm. I tend to sleep when the moons out. )

[Nicos]

Plotman - have a look at all the links!...it's a type of bronze metal.

Also moon planting is now followed by loads of people who get much better results....but keeping on topic it does seem quite strange reading about a new idea..which is why my ears pricked up when I read Bob Flowerdew used them as he has been a bit of a mentor for me as far as organic gardening is concerned and as far as I am aware doesn't suffer fools gladly ( in a quiet sort of way)

I'm certainly open to 'new' ideas...I just need to check them out first though..then make up my mind....hence this thread!!!!

[Bill HH]

I seem to get through a trowel every couple of years

Either the handle breaks or the welded bit snaps

It 's actually the main tool I use (as I can't dig due to an old foot injury) so would use it where others perhaps would choose to do some very light digging.
....Hence turning my thoughts to something claiming to be very strong and sharp and long lived as I probably demand a bit too much from a 'bog standard' trowel

From the comments so far , I'm still tempted to try one out!

Well stainless steel is a lot stronger than brass or copper, Phos/bronze is hard but also very brittle and can snap easily.

[Bill HH]

Copper tools staying sharp????? planting with the moon???? How about enter through front door and leave by the back and yr get ginger twins lol
Stainless steel tools are best for me and plant out when the soils moist and warm. I tend to sleep when the moons out. )

A man after my own heart if ever I saw one.

[chris]

If the tools were brittle I doubt they'd be on sale. They'd just be returned / complained about?

I might buy a spade and see how it compares to my 'neverbend' SS spade (which I've had one shear off at the weld when hitting a brick buried, and a fork in that range bend when hitting a buried slab).

I'm off to a garden centre in a bit - doubt they'll be in there but I'll have a look anyway




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[Nicos]

Ha!...who would have thought on the last day of 2013 I would be spending my time researching chemical properties of various metals!!

OK- it looks like Phosphor bronze isn't brittle unless the phosphorous ratio is altered.

Phosphor bronze - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As chris says- if it shattered easily they'd all be returned to the shop and the companies would surely go under????

I'm still with the idea of trying it out.

It's good to have all these different views though- thanks peeps- keep 'em coming!

[bearded bloke]

I'm still tempted to try one out!

Go on do it,I would

[Nicos]

just got to find one now!...I've NEVER seen one over here!

[Bill HH]

If the tools were brittle I doubt they'd be on sale. They'd just be returned / complained about?

I might buy a spade and see how it compares to my 'neverbend' SS spade (which I've had one shear off at the weld when hitting a brick buried, and a fork in that range bend when hitting a buried slab).

I'm off to a garden centre in a bit - doubt they'll be in there but I'll have a look anyway




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You misunderstand me, someone said how hard phos bronze is so I pointed out its also brittle, but I doubt these tools are phos/bronze, just some alloy of copper zince etc, which is relativly soft compared to ss.

[chris]

Oh I see - misunderstood the abbreviation

No stockists near me - I'd really like to have a look at one in person.. Their site does say mind, for use in cultivated soil. My back garden has rocks, boulders, bricks, mesh etc buried in it. Probably fine for allotment use but perhaps by for heavy use like I'm doing (garden revamp)


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[bearded bloke]

They will most likely be available at the Cardiff Show Chris or Malvern if you go to that one