stainless steel gardening tools

magicbastarder

are stainless steel forks and spades a bit more brittle than other forms of steel?
i managed to snap our fork today - was doing some reasonably heavy work with it digging up some plants, but it snapped under a load i would not have thought was enough to cause it to fail.
it had replaced another stainless fork where i snapped a tine, and i once broke a stainless spade, albeit digging in heavy clay soil.

am i just expecting too much from the tools?

lk67

magicbastarder wrote: »

are stainless steel forks and spades a bit more brittle than other forms of steel?
i managed to snap our fork today - was doing some reasonably heavy work with it digging up some plants, but it snapped under a load i would not have thought was enough to cause it to fail.
it had replaced another stainless fork where i snapped a tine, and i once broke a stainless spade, albeit digging in heavy clay soil.

am i just expecting too much from the tools?

There are a lot of cheap stainless steel tools on the market at the moment and I'm pretty sure there's a zillion grades in quality or composition. This could be the issue.

It could also be the amount of stress you are putting the tools under.

magicbastarder

the one today was a true temper one - i was surprised to see the join was not completely solid:

lk67

Is that a weld? That's the problem with a lot of spades and forks now, the are welded at what will be weakest point!

I think from memory that TTs Darby range are one piece so might be better for you. Not stainless steel but they are long handled, which I find easier to use. The handle will snap before the join will I'd say!

DANNY2014

It's just cheap quality tools even a good brand named tool is mass produced now... I've had good few odd bits that have broken easily enough even under normal working conditions... in my opinion the quality ain't there...

magicbastarder

lk67 wrote: »

Is that a weld? That's the problem with a lot of spades and forks now, the are welded at what will be weakest point!

yep, in the centre (the slightly rusty section) there was no join; just welded around the edge.
would be interesting to find out who distributes them in ireland.

lk67

magicbastarder wrote: »

yep, in the centre (the slightly rusty section) there was no join; just welded around the edge.
would be interesting to find out who distributes them in ireland.

True Temper are now owned by Ames an American company I think, but I think they have a distribution centre around Cork.

Have a Google!

magicbastarder

already been on to them - they responded quickly and have asked to see it.

magicbastarder

lk67 wrote: »

I think from memory that TTs Darby range are one piece so might be better for you. Not stainless steel but they are long handled, which I find easier to use. The handle will snap before the join will I'd say!

well, i can certainly recommend true temper based on after sales service - i've just had a courier at the door with a replacement fork - a darby; and they unexpectedly threw in a decent pair of gardening gloves, a darby trowel, hand fork, and a decent pair of secateurs.