I started out using tools very similar to my fathers. The warren hoe
comes to mind. Early on a shovel was a shovel designed for moving soft
earth and perhaps a hole or two this was eclipsed by the spade and the
Irish digging spade. The forks we had were designed for moving things
which are still of value but the digging fork became a close friend.
Rakes all sorts appeared.
Later on the question of tool heft became an issue as my heavy digging
needs receded and the tool design became more touch up where it is
today. Then found some children tools. Yup spade, fork and a small
rake became the mainstay. Still use the big stuff when the task needs
it.
Hand tools beside a Japanese farmers knife and a trowel or two
including two masonry came into use. Then the shears and pocket knifes
bonsai tools and still I carry a Japanese carpenter knife and a pair of
tiny 5 inch shears when about except the airport.

Bill who soaks his tools in oil and sand and sharpens with a file.

http://www.bulldogtools.co.uk/index....SSID=921c3927e
19cfe28ca2e7ab6562cefd4

PS Took 40 years to get here and it will change )

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

On 8/19/2008 1:34 PM, Bill wrote:
I started out using tools very similar to my fathers. The warren hoe
comes to mind. Early on a shovel was a shovel designed for moving soft
earth and perhaps a hole or two this was eclipsed by the spade and the
Irish digging spade. The forks we had were designed for moving things
which are still of value but the digging fork became a close friend.
Rakes all sorts appeared.
Later on the question of tool heft became an issue as my heavy digging
needs receded and the tool design became more touch up where it is
today. Then found some children tools. Yup spade, fork and a small
rake became the mainstay. Still use the big stuff when the task needs
it.
Hand tools beside a Japanese farmers knife and a trowel or two
including two masonry came into use. Then the shears and pocket knifes
bonsai tools and still I carry a Japanese carpenter knife and a pair of
tiny 5 inch shears when about except the airport.

Bill who soaks his tools in oil and sand and sharpens with a file.

http://www.bulldogtools.co.uk/index....SSID=921c3927e
19cfe28ca2e7ab6562cefd4

PS Took 40 years to get here and it will change )


See my http://www.rossde.com/garden/tools.html.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

On 8/19/2008 1:34 PM, Bill wrote:
I started out using tools very similar to my fathers. The warren hoe
comes to mind. Early on a shovel was a shovel designed for moving soft
earth and perhaps a hole or two this was eclipsed by the spade and the
Irish digging spade. The forks we had were designed for moving things
which are still of value but the digging fork became a close friend.
Rakes all sorts appeared.
Later on the question of tool heft became an issue as my heavy digging
needs receded and the tool design became more touch up where it is
today. Then found some children tools. Yup spade, fork and a small
rake became the mainstay. Still use the big stuff when the task needs
it.
Hand tools beside a Japanese farmers knife and a trowel or two
including two masonry came into use. Then the shears and pocket knifes
bonsai tools and still I carry a Japanese carpenter knife and a pair of
tiny 5 inch shears when about except the airport.

Bill who soaks his tools in oil and sand and sharpens with a file.

http://www.bulldogtools.co.uk/index....SSID=921c3927e
19cfe28ca2e7ab6562cefd4

PS Took 40 years to get here and it will change )


See my http://www.rossde.com/garden/tools.html.

Great page !

I have a rural mail box in my back yard where I keep things that come in
handy some tools, wine no I mean twine marking tape or objects to re
mind look here.

Bill who has a Japanese digging hoe/fork just in case some rampaging
Samurai show up along with a Japanese hand scythe .

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

In article
, Bill
wrote:

I started out using tools very similar to my fathers. The warren hoe
comes to mind. Early on a shovel was a shovel designed for moving soft
earth and perhaps a hole or two this was eclipsed by the spade and the
Irish digging spade. The forks we had were designed for moving things
which are still of value but the digging fork became a close friend.
Rakes all sorts appeared.
Later on the question of tool heft became an issue as my heavy digging
needs receded and the tool design became more touch up where it is
today. Then found some children tools. Yup spade, fork and a small
rake became the mainstay. Still use the big stuff when the task needs
it.
Hand tools beside a Japanese farmers knife and a trowel or two
including two masonry came into use. Then the shears and pocket knifes
bonsai tools and still I carry a Japanese carpenter knife and a pair of
tiny 5 inch shears when about except the airport.

Bill who soaks his tools in oil and sand and sharpens with a file.

http://www.bulldogtools.co.uk/index....SSID=921c3927e
19cfe28ca2e7ab6562cefd4

PS Took 40 years to get here and it will change )

Nice little post. Most of my garden tools are either restored vintage or
very traditional. I avoid anything with plastic parts. I even have an old
wooden wheelbarrow. Usually the old styles are tried & true better tools.
Occasionally there are modern versions that might be a bit better but
they're also uglier & to me gardening has an aesthetic edge to the work
that is lost if one's tools are ugly or plastic. My only tool with a
plastic part is a dibble for getting up carrot-rooted weeds, I've never so
far found one with a wooden handle that worked so well.

I also have traditional Japanese saws, one with a three-part wooden handle
to reach up, higher up, & way higher up in branches. Some of these these
types of tools were used by medieval Japanese peasants in uprisings to
fight very effectively against samurai.

-paghat the ratgirl
--
visit my temperate gardening website:
http://www.paghat.com
visit my film reviews website:
http://www.weirdwildrealm.com

On Aug 19, 2:30*pm, (paghat) wrote:
In article
, Bill





wrote:
* *I started out using tools very similar to my fathers. *The warren hoe
comes to mind. *Early on a shovel was a shovel designed for moving soft
earth and perhaps a hole or two this was eclipsed by the spade and the
Irish digging spade. *The forks we had were designed for moving things
which are still of value but the digging fork became a close friend.
Rakes all sorts appeared.
* Later on the question of tool heft became an issue as my heavy digging
needs receded and the tool design *became more touch up where it is
today. *Then found some children tools. *Yup spade, fork and a small
rake became the mainstay. *Still use the big stuff when the task needs
it.
*Hand tools beside a Japanese farmers knife and a trowel or two
including two masonry came into use. *Then the shears and pocket knifes
bonsai tools and still I carry a Japanese carpenter knife and a pair of
tiny 5 inch shears when about *except the airport.

Bill who soaks his tools in oil and sand and sharpens with a file.

http://www.bulldogtools.co.uk/index....SSID=921c3927e
19cfe28ca2e7ab6562cefd4

PS Took 40 years to get here and it will change )

Nice little post. Most of my garden tools are either restored vintage or
very traditional. I avoid anything with plastic parts. I even have an old
wooden wheelbarrow. Usually the old styles are tried & true better tools.
Occasionally there are modern versions that might be a bit better but
they're also uglier & to me gardening has an aesthetic edge to the work
that is lost if one's tools are ugly or plastic. My only tool with a
plastic part is a dibble for getting up carrot-rooted weeds, I've never so
far found one with a wooden handle that worked so well.

I also have traditional Japanese saws, one with a three-part wooden handle
to reach up, higher up, & way higher up in branches. Some of these these
types of tools were used by medieval Japanese peasants in uprisings to
fight very effectively against samurai.

-paghat the ratgirl
--
visit my temperate gardening website:http://www.paghat.com
visit my film reviews website:http://www.weirdwildrealm.com- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If garden tools are an extention of the mind and body, then I must be
twisted, mentally or physically, or both, because I really enjoy using
the Weed Twister I invented a few years back. Sell a few, as well.
In addition to practical applications, I find it interesting to
observe various cultural biases for and against various types of tools
in gardening.

For example, old tools vs new tools. Wood vs plastic. Some people
shun power tools such as those drill-powered augers and weeders, for
example. Other people seem to think there's a weed god that commands
you to get on your knees and pray to him every day.

I get a kick out of my twisting tools, and I also enjoy seeing many
people gradually getting "converted" to a new twisted view of
gardening.

There are also many gadgets that are hyped on TV infomercials. I'm
sure many people have been disappointed by such junk. I often buy
some of these things to test and compare. Lots of junk. I won't go
into details here, because obviously I'm biased in my twisted way.

Enjoy your thoughts, as traditional as they may be.

Ray

On 8/19/2008 2:30 PM, paghat wrote:
In article
, Bill
wrote:

I started out using tools very similar to my fathers. The warren hoe
comes to mind. Early on a shovel was a shovel designed for moving soft
earth and perhaps a hole or two this was eclipsed by the spade and the
Irish digging spade. The forks we had were designed for moving things
which are still of value but the digging fork became a close friend.
Rakes all sorts appeared.
Later on the question of tool heft became an issue as my heavy digging
needs receded and the tool design became more touch up where it is
today. Then found some children tools. Yup spade, fork and a small
rake became the mainstay. Still use the big stuff when the task needs
it.
Hand tools beside a Japanese farmers knife and a trowel or two
including two masonry came into use. Then the shears and pocket knifes
bonsai tools and still I carry a Japanese carpenter knife and a pair of
tiny 5 inch shears when about except the airport.

Bill who soaks his tools in oil and sand and sharpens with a file.

http://www.bulldogtools.co.uk/index....SSID=921c3927e
19cfe28ca2e7ab6562cefd4

PS Took 40 years to get here and it will change )

Nice little post. Most of my garden tools are either restored vintage or
very traditional. I avoid anything with plastic parts. I even have an old
wooden wheelbarrow. Usually the old styles are tried & true better tools.
Occasionally there are modern versions that might be a bit better but
they're also uglier & to me gardening has an aesthetic edge to the work
that is lost if one's tools are ugly or plastic. My only tool with a
plastic part is a dibble for getting up carrot-rooted weeds, I've never so
far found one with a wooden handle that worked so well.

I also have traditional Japanese saws, one with a three-part wooden handle
to reach up, higher up, & way higher up in branches. Some of these these
types of tools were used by medieval Japanese peasants in uprisings to
fight very effectively against samurai.

-paghat the ratgirl

New tools with wood handles are often inferior to tools with metal or
plastic handles.

I bought a leaf rake at a local nursery. It had a wood handle and
replaced a very, very old rake with a wood handle. The old rake kept
leaving splinters in my hand until I wrapped the handle with duct tape.
The grain in the handle of the new rake was such that the handle broke
after only three months. How many of us would even think to check the
grain of the handle of a garden tool? I now use a rake with an aluminum
handle coated with vinyl.

I have an old trowel with a plastic handle. It is quite comfortable.

On the other hand, I really appreciate the "give" in the wood handles of
my lopping shears.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:


How many of us would even think to check the
grain of the handle of a garden tool?

Sounds a lot like wood baseball bats. All my tools are wood handled.
I put on old leather gloves and rub/caress them with tung oil.

I have an old trowel with a plastic handle. It is quite comfortable.

I¹ve an old painted trowel never oiled but the design is so human it
gets used often.

On the other hand, I really appreciate the "give" in the wood handles of
my lopping shears.

The only tool I have with metal handles is a lopping shear.

Diversity at its finest. Not all fits all comes to mind.

You folks have any favorite glove recommendations ?

These days it seems there are gloves for specific tasks. I just ruined
a pair of calfskin leather working on my septic trap.

Bill

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

In article , "David E. Ross"
wrote:


PS Took 40 years to get here and it will change )

Nice little post. Most of my garden tools are either restored vintage or
very traditional. I avoid anything with plastic parts. I even have an old
wooden wheelbarrow. Usually the old styles are tried & true better tools.
Occasionally there are modern versions that might be a bit better but
they're also uglier & to me gardening has an aesthetic edge to the work
that is lost if one's tools are ugly or plastic. My only tool with a
plastic part is a dibble for getting up carrot-rooted weeds, I've never so
far found one with a wooden handle that worked so well.

I also have traditional Japanese saws, one with a three-part wooden handle
to reach up, higher up, & way higher up in branches. Some of these these
types of tools were used by medieval Japanese peasants in uprisings to
fight very effectively against samurai.

-paghat the ratgirl

New tools with wood handles are often inferior to tools with metal or
plastic handles.

I bought a leaf rake at a local nursery. It had a wood handle and
replaced a very, very old rake with a wood handle. The old rake kept
leaving splinters in my hand until I wrapped the handle with duct tape.
The grain in the handle of the new rake was such that the handle broke
after only three months. How many of us would even think to check the
grain of the handle of a garden tool? I now use a rake with an aluminum
handle coated with vinyl.

I have an old trowel with a plastic handle. It is quite comfortable.

On the other hand, I really appreciate the "give" in the wood handles of
my lopping shears.

There are unforunately many companies having cheap, cheap, cheap vintage
look-alikes made in Korea or China to sell often at the check-out-stand of
chain hardware stores at seeing great bargains, or pricy as "designer
tools" in independent nurseries. The metal is rarely tempered so metal
necks will bend or break with their first use. The handles are not a
quality hardwood but sometimes just pine and will give off splinters or
wear out quickly. It's a buyer beware market, but going for plastic is not
the answer, as they have the same imported trash problems to induce the
unwary to waste their money.

-paggers
--
visit my temperate gardening website:
http://www.paghat.com
visit my film reviews website:
http://www.weirdwildrealm.com

On Aug 20, 1:26 pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:
On 8/19/2008 2:30 PM, paghat wrote:



In article
, Bill
wrote:

I started out using tools very similar to my fathers. The warren hoe
comes to mind. Early on a shovel was a shovel designed for moving soft
earth and perhaps a hole or two this was eclipsed by the spade and the
Irish digging spade. The forks we had were designed for moving things
which are still of value but the digging fork became a close friend.
Rakes all sorts appeared.
Later on the question of tool heft became an issue as my heavy digging
needs receded and the tool design became more touch up where it is
today. Then found some children tools. Yup spade, fork and a small
rake became the mainstay. Still use the big stuff when the task needs
it.
Hand tools beside a Japanese farmers knife and a trowel or two
including two masonry came into use. Then the shears and pocket knifes
bonsai tools and still I carry a Japanese carpenter knife and a pair of
tiny 5 inch shears when about except the airport.

Bill who soaks his tools in oil and sand and sharpens with a file.

http://www.bulldogtools.co.uk/index....SSID=921c3927e
19cfe28ca2e7ab6562cefd4

PS Took 40 years to get here and it will change )

Nice little post. Most of my garden tools are either restored vintage or
very traditional. I avoid anything with plastic parts. I even have an old
wooden wheelbarrow. Usually the old styles are tried & true better tools.
Occasionally there are modern versions that might be a bit better but
they're also uglier & to me gardening has an aesthetic edge to the work
that is lost if one's tools are ugly or plastic. My only tool with a
plastic part is a dibble for getting up carrot-rooted weeds, I've never so
far found one with a wooden handle that worked so well.

I also have traditional Japanese saws, one with a three-part wooden handle
to reach up, higher up, & way higher up in branches. Some of these these
types of tools were used by medieval Japanese peasants in uprisings to
fight very effectively against samurai.

-paghat the ratgirl

New tools with wood handles are often inferior to tools with metal or
plastic handles.

I bought a leaf rake at a local nursery. It had a wood handle and
replaced a very, very old rake with a wood handle. The old rake kept
leaving splinters in my hand until I wrapped the handle with duct tape.
The grain in the handle of the new rake was such that the handle broke
after only three months. How many of us would even think to check the
grain of the handle of a garden tool? I now use a rake with an aluminum
handle coated with vinyl.

I have an old trowel with a plastic handle. It is quite comfortable.

On the other hand, I really appreciate the "give" in the wood handles of
my lopping shears.

Assuming you buy decent tools, wipe down the wooden handles with
linseed oil before putting them away at the end of the season, and
your
opinion will change.

On Aug 20, 7:35*pm, Father Haskell wrote:
On Aug 20, 1:26 pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:





On 8/19/2008 2:30 PM, paghat wrote:

In article
, Bill
wrote:

* *I started out using tools very similar to my fathers. *The warren hoe
comes to mind. *Early on a shovel was a shovel designed for moving soft
earth and perhaps a hole or two this was eclipsed by the spade and the
Irish digging spade. *The forks we had were designed for moving things
which are still of value but the digging fork became a close friend.
Rakes all sorts appeared.
* Later on the question of tool heft became an issue as my heavy digging
needs receded and the tool design *became more touch up where it is
today. *Then found some children tools. *Yup spade, fork and a small
rake became the mainstay. *Still use the big stuff when the task needs
it.
*Hand tools beside a Japanese farmers knife and a trowel or two
including two masonry came into use. *Then the shears and pocket knifes
bonsai tools and still I carry a Japanese carpenter knife and a pair of
tiny 5 inch shears when about *except the airport.

Bill who soaks his tools in oil and sand and sharpens with a file.

http://www.bulldogtools.co.uk/index....SSID=921c3927e
19cfe28ca2e7ab6562cefd4

PS Took 40 years to get here and it will change )

Nice little post. Most of my garden tools are either restored vintage or
very traditional. I avoid anything with plastic parts. I even have an old
wooden wheelbarrow. Usually the old styles are tried & true better tools.
Occasionally there are modern versions that might be a bit better but
they're also uglier & to me gardening has an aesthetic edge to the work
that is lost if one's tools are ugly or plastic. My only tool with a
plastic part is a dibble for getting up carrot-rooted weeds, I've never so
far found one with a wooden handle that worked so well.

I also have traditional Japanese saws, one with a three-part wooden handle
to reach up, higher up, & way higher up in branches. Some of these these
types of tools were used by medieval Japanese peasants in uprisings to
fight very effectively against samurai.

-paghat the ratgirl

New tools with wood handles are often inferior to tools with metal or
plastic handles.

I bought a leaf rake at a local nursery. *It had a wood handle and
replaced a very, very old rake with a wood handle. *The old rake kept
leaving splinters in my hand until I wrapped the handle with duct tape.
*The grain in the handle of the new rake was such that the handle broke
after only three months. *How many of us would even think to check the
grain of the handle of a garden tool? *I now use a rake with an aluminum
handle coated with vinyl.

I have an old trowel with a plastic handle. *It is quite comfortable.

On the other hand, I really appreciate the "give" in the wood handles of
my lopping shears.

Assuming you buy decent tools, wipe down the wooden handles with
linseed oil before putting them away at the end of the season, and
your
opinion will change.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Part of the poor quality problem is that the cost of steel has
actually tripled in the past two years (thanks mainly to China). This
leads to some tools being made of inferior metal alloys. Another
factor is the TV promotional campaign that pays so much for air time
that the cost of the products they sell are worth only a fourth or
less of the selling price. Retailers like Home Depot and Walmart also
pressure their vendors to lower their prices to a point of
compromising quality.

I personally believe that many or most consumers are willing to pay a
little more for good quality products, whether made of steel, aluminum
or wood, or any combination thereof (including plastic ergonomic
grips?). Today I discovered a rake handle at Home Depot made of some
kind of polymer in an oval shape, instead of symetrically round like
most wooden handles. This oval pole was very comfortable to the hand
and allows you to apply rotational torque more efficiently, if
needed. Now, why didn't I think of this idea?

One could argue, however, that a good quality product, based on
materials alone, is not necessarily the best solution for the many
problems we face in moving dirt around or chopping up vegetation.

But, maybe we just want to do things in a way that feels comfortable
to the soul, as suggested by the title of this thread. After all, is
there any productivity or profit from our gardens? Perhaps, a few
tomatoes or potatoes?

Look before you twist,

Ray

On 8/20/2008 7:35 PM, Father Haskell wrote:

Assuming you buy decent tools, wipe down the wooden handles with
linseed oil before putting them away at the end of the season, and
your
opinion will change.

Where I live, there is no "end of the season". While we do indeed have
seasons (and even seasonal color), I garden year round. Check my garden
diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary/index.html to see entries
for December, January, and February.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

Cute little article. Most of the tools to recover all my wine or garden very traditional. I avoid any plastic parts. I even had an old wooden wheelbarrow. Under normal circumstances, the old tried and true style is a better tool. Occasionally, there are modern versions may be better, but they also told me the aesthetic ugliness and gardening work force this is a missing tool is ugly or plastic. I have only a tool dibble plastic part is a deep-rooted weeds carrot for getting up, I've never been ever found with a wooden handle is working extremely well.

I also prefer "old" tools to new plastic ones. Your metaphor of tools as an extension of yourself reminds me very much of Marshall McLuhan and his view on media.