doofa's tool shed

[doofaloofa]

In this thread we will look at each others tools

This is my briar hook. It is an elegant French design, and is perfect for clearing briars, as well as other woody herbs

Shown along side the cutting rod. (It is best practice to always employ a cutting rod when using one handed slashing tools)

It's long neck makes it ideal to reach into a clump of briars, and with a pulling action cut them off at the base. The hook can then be utilized to drag the cut parts into a ball for removal

Though a little ungainly it makes an adequate slash hook, and the extra reach makes it goog for nettles. It can also be used to cut stems whilst the user stands on them, due to it's extra length

[Flo]

I'd not be without my swoe as weeding is an essential occupation during the week.

[doofaloofa]

show me your swoe

[Flo]

swoe.jpg (11.03 KiB) Viewed 4677 times

This is a pinch from the web as I'm not up the plot to take the picture just now.

[diggernotdreamer]

the tools I use the most are my kitchen devil serrated, really sharp knives for all sorts of things, my dibbers, one made of copper pipe, one a rolling pin that has had a point turned on the end by the wizard and a really old fashioned one like the top off a spade handle with a wooden shaft and metal point. The other thing I love is my Ibis cultivator http://www.allsun.com.au/HoMiShortL.jpg
Apart from that, I don't use many tools being a no digger apart from forking or spading or my compost and spreading it out

[Green Aura]

I've been wracking my brain to think of my favourite tool and I don't think I have one - I do most of it by hand or with whatever's to hand.

I have a huge pair of riggers gloves (so big they fall off unless I clench my fists). I use those for weeding, nothing gets through them.

I have a pair of scissors for cutting garden twine - they came with a pair of secateurs but I have no idea where they went. I have my homemade trug for gathering produce, not that I've needed it thus far this year, but it makes me feel very Ish when I do.

In terms of best buy I bought my OH a hand forged trowel and hand fork about twenty years ago, from some swanky company. It was the sort of present you buy when you have no idea what to get and time's pressing. I can't remember the price, or the company unfortunately, but vividly remember balking at the price even then - I must have been really desperate. I have to say that they're brilliant - they've have outlived just about every other garden tool we own. They've been left out in the garden and generally been ill-treated - the handles are still nigh on perfect and the bodies are solid still. We've had several other, much cheaper trowels over the years, every one has buckled or broken in our stony soil.

[doofaloofa]

swoe.jpg

This is a pinch from the web as I'm not up the plot to take the picture just now.

I have one of those. i got given it, so did not know what it was called

Good for precision hoeing and thinning

[doofaloofa]

the tools I use the most are my kitchen devil serrated, really sharp knives for all sorts of things, my dibbers, one made of copper pipe, one a rolling pin that has had a point turned on the end by the wizard and a really old fashioned one like the top off a spade handle with a wooden shaft and metal point. The other thing I love is my Ibis cultivator http://www.allsun.com.au/HoMiShortL.jpg
Apart from that, I don't use many tools being a no digger apart from forking or spading or my compost and spreading it out

I've been wracking my brain to think of my favourite tool and I don't think I have one - I do most of it by hand or with whatever's to hand.

I have a huge pair of riggers gloves (so big they fall off unless I clench my fists). I use those for weeding, nothing gets through them.

I have a pair of scissors for cutting garden twine - they came with a pair of secateurs but I have no idea where they went. I have my homemade trug for gathering produce, not that I've needed it thus far this year, but it makes me feel very Ish when I do.

In terms of best buy I bought my OH a hand forged trowel and hand fork about twenty years ago, from some swanky company. It was the sort of present you buy when you have no idea what to get and time's pressing. I can't remember the price, or the company unfortunately, but vividly remember balking at the price even then - I must have been really desperate. I have to say that they're brilliant - they've have outlived just about every other garden tool we own. They've been left out in the garden and generally been ill-treated - the handles are still nigh on perfect and the bodies are solid still. We've had several other, much cheaper trowels over the years, every one has buckled or broken in our stony soil.

Sounds like you work on your knees a lot

[Green Aura]

No, we have quite tall raised beds.

[diggernotdreamer]

I try not to work on my knees, it is really bad for them, so I have a little seat I sit on to do any dibbing in or weeding jobs, and when I pick salad to sell. I have to get my beds raised up, it is a better idea to have them higher, the beds on my terrace are 20" high which is a very convenient height.

[doofaloofa]

I hate working on my knees as well

I work one day a week at a veg farm and the owner prefers to only hand weed

That and planting and it's no fun at all

I prefer long handled tools that I can use upright with a straight back

[Flo]

I hate working on my knees as well

I work one day a week at a veg farm and the owner prefers to only hand weed

That's so that you don't uproot the vegetables along with the weeds - it eats into the profits if you take out the crops as well as the weeds.

[doofaloofa]

Timely hoeing is way more time efficient than hand weeding

I think it's more he's a bit set in his ways

[Flo]

Sounds like a lot of us gardeners then.

[doofaloofa]

True