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My Potatoes Rank attained: Pedunculate oak tree

Joined: 27 Feb 2013 Posts: 307 Location: Cork
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 5:55 pm Post subject: Garden Wolf tools. |
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Has anyone tried Garden Wolf tools?
http://www.wolfgarten-tools.co.uk/
I saw them today for the first time. They are a "multi change" system; i.e. one handle may have many heads/attachments. They use a lot of plastic so I'm thinking they my be low quality and break easy. However, some of the tool heads are appealing, such as a ridger (http://www.wolfgarten-tools.co.uk/multi-change-ridger-20cm?keyword=ridger&description=1) and some weeding tools. |
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Geranimojess Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 22 Jun 2010 Posts: 1403 Location: N/W Sligo
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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Like all these "Specials" you get what you pay for....a while ago Members were discussing the pro's and con's of Lidls Tools...some were not happy and others were OK....these Tools are not designed for heavy Industrial work....I purchased Lidls Tools and have some of them over several years they still do light work when heavier Tools would be overkill on some Jobs...
If your in an Estate Garden then I'd say yes go and Buy....but if your tending an Acre Lawn well....I still use plastic Rakes....the Rake is still fine its the Wooden Handles I've had to replace....
I'd give them a go if I needed them you might get a pleasant suprise...you could even make a post to up-date us on them being good or bad....
Happy Gardening.........  |
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michael brenock Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 12 Aug 2008 Posts: 1275 Location: cork
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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I bought a good quality (Spear and jackson) spade about 35-40 years ago. I still use it and though I have replaced the handle the spade itself is improving with age and no rust. It is a great spade 9 inches wide and though it is now about 2 inches shorter than when it was bought it is still wonderful. It is so sharp you could nearly shave with it. It is self sharpening the more you use it the sharper it gets. Many of the spades I have seen are too wide and the handles are too short, no leverage.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired) |
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My Potatoes Rank attained: Pedunculate oak tree

Joined: 27 Feb 2013 Posts: 307 Location: Cork
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Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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michael brenock wrote: | I bought a good quality (Spear and jackson) spade about 35-40 years ago. |
My garden fork is a Spear and Jackson and it's a great tool. The tines are stainless steel and it make such a difference. Earth, etc, does not attach to it and it stays clean. Over the course of a day this make a huge difference.
The only thing is, there's a rivet attaching the head to the handle that's come worn and it rattles a bit when in use. It's currently at the "leave well enough alone" stage. I'm losing effort, but if I replaced the rivet it may not improve the situation.
I also have another S&J fork that I inherited from my deceased aunt. It must be about 50 years old. It's very heave though, both head and handle.
michael brenock wrote: | Many of the spades I have seen are too wide and the handles are too short, no leverage. |
Well now you're taking. My preference is for a full length handle but they're so hard to find. I'm not a fan of the short (ie up to my hip) handled garden tools, with the T or stirrup at the end. The garden centres don't seem to stock anything else. But then, their hoes do have a long handle!
Give me the proper full length straight handle. Give me leverage.
The farmers' Co-ops have some longhandled tools, but not many.
If you offered me a long handled range of fork, spade, shovel, etc. with stainless steel at the action end, I'd take the hand off your right now. |
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Prendo Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 29 Dec 2008 Posts: 15 Location: Kildare
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Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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I have a wide range of Wolf snap on tools and handles. I would highly recommend them. They are durable, well made and very good value. Many, such as my hoe, rake, trowel, lawn edger, loppers and yard brush I've had for over 30 years and they are as good today as the day they were bought. The yard brush was replaced only this year after finally acknowledging that the bristles had worn down. The old one has a few more years left in it but has been consigned to the allotment. They have been out in all weathers, used (as many tools are) for tasks they were never designed for and treated shamefully but have never let me down. They really are an excellent range of tools. |
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Good guy Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 11 Feb 2013 Posts: 2593 Location: Donegal
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Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 12:41 am Post subject: |
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I'm interested to read the posts about spades etc with long handles.
My English parents moved to Fermanagh in the mid 50s and my dad, who had gardened from Tyneside to Torquay and back again, was surprised to note that the spades used locally were very long-handled, with a long, narrow blade with a distinct crank to it. When he tried to use his old, square-bladed, short handled English spade on Fermanagh blue clay, he found out why Fermanagh spades are different!
Both my spade and fork are quite long and that is the norm, here in Donegal. It suits me, as I'm 6' 3" and short tools wreck my back!
It's really worthwhile to try to source the best tool for one's soil and one's physique, even if only to resist the relentless slide towards "sameness" encouraged by modern mass marketing and UK based multiples. And ergonomics is just as important in the leisure/hobby garden as it is in the everyday workplace. |
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tippben Rank attained: Vegetable garden tender
Joined: 15 Jan 2011 Posts: 921 Location: north tipperary
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Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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I'm short. For moving materials, a long handled tool is useful. It does, however, give be blisters on my thumbs. I'm not a big fan. For digging, I prefer a Y handled shorter tool (which for me is more energy efficient, and easier on my back), and for hoeing, I have an old swan neck hoe that I cut down to a 1' handle. It gives great precision in my raised beds. |
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Good guy Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 11 Feb 2013 Posts: 2593 Location: Donegal
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Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 12:27 am Post subject: |
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Yes, having raised beds does make a big difference to the work, as I am finding.
My tool of choice for GP weeding and scuffling around is a yoke with three claws; it's about the size of a trowel or a little longer. I have two: one is cast aluminium and the other utilitarian stainless steel wire, from Aldi. I have one on a long handle as well, like a hoe but it's not as handy. The short ones are good, even for jobs that require 'hands and knees work' like getting in under low growing shrubs.
I wouldn't be without them - the reason I have two is because one got lost for a while, in the undergrowth so I had to replace it. |
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forest flame Rank attained: Yew tree

Joined: 17 Jun 2008 Posts: 384 Location: DUBLIN
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Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2013 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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ive had the same yard brush for 15 years still perfect.only had three new handles and seven new heads. |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5146 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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Change your name to Trigger and stop pinching John O'Sullivans lines!!! _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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