It was with a new found sense of inspiration that I watched an ABC Collectors segment last Friday night on my neighbour and friend, Richard Jones. Richard and his wife Rosemary run Cloudlake Mountain Retreat, a working agri-tourism property and outstanding garden nestled in a hidden valley at Ravensbourne. The show featured Richard’s extensive collection of old and rare garden tools, all of which are used regularly on the farm yet beautifully maintained to keep them in excellent working order.
I can identify with Richard’s love of old gardening tools. One of my most treasured possessions is an English-made digging fork that belonged to my late Pa. Even though it’s more than 50 years old, Pa’s fork is a joy to work with. There’s something undeniably special gripping a timber handle that was similarly gripped by your mother and grandfather, and I’d love for one of my kids to enjoy the same sense of connectedness.
But I’ve been slack. On more occasions than I care to admit Pa’s fork and other treasured garden tools have been left out in the rain and few get looked after the way I would like.
If I’m to hand my tools down, I need to get myself organised. Here’s how I plan do it. You might think of this guide as a kind of “three pillars of garden tool care”.
1. Invest in quality
I’ve had my share of frustrating experiences with cheap garden tools, including perished plastic watering cans, and shears that kept losing a handle. But what really gave me the “irrits” was a spade that folded in half like a piece of tinfoil the first time I tried to drive it into the soil.
Since the spade incident a decade ago, I’ve resolved to always invest in quality tools. My purchasing strategy is simple: go for items that are strong enough be handed down to my grandkids, just like my Pa’s fork. In the case of garden tools, this often means seeking out a classic manufacturer that’s been around for decades, but still makes a quality product from top materials. My Swiss-made Felco secateurs are a good example. A much loved Barnel grafting knife (American) with a bobinga wood handle and Solingen blade is another. Don’t fall for the con that cheap tools represent value for money. Junk is junk.
2. House properly
My Mum, who helps me out in the garden when home from being a grey nomad, is always onto me about this one. Fair enough too. Exposure to the weather is bad news for metal surfaces but worse for timber components. Handles and shafts will expand and contract in the elements, making them dry out and splinter.
What I ought to do is put my tools back in the shed after I’m finished using them. Of course this strategy depends on a couple of things : having a shed to house tools in, and keeping it organised enough to house them properly. The shed bit’s no problem. I’ve got four old outbuildings in my garden. Keeping them organised, however, isn’t my strong suit. It’s time for a good cleanout, and I’ll make some proper racks to both get my tools up off the ground, and make them easy to find.
3. Maintain for longevity
Like pillar number two, this one was drilled into me from an early age. “If you want things to last you need to look after them” was a favourite saying of my Dad, and I’d be lying if I said that those words had never passed my lips when chiding my own kids. I ought to apply them to my own behaviour. Considering point number one – invest in quality – it defeats the purpose to fork out good money for something and then cheapen its lifespan by neglecting to maintain it.
So here’s what I plan to do. I’ll try to keep blades sharp. I actually manage to do this with knives and secateurs thanks to a small diamond sharpener, but I must admit that most of my large tools have never seen a file since the day of purchase. Sharpening would benefit both the tool and the user. I’ll also attempt to keep timber handles well seasoned. A quick sand followed by a coat or two of linseed oil remains as useful as ever. Finally, a regular spray of lubricant on moving parts will ensure tools operate beautifully for decades to come.
So thanks, Richard, for the inspiration. I’m off to the shed to start getting organised.
First published in the Toowoomba Chronicle 24th April, 2010. Photo by Justin Russell – “Pa’s Fork”.
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Great article! Having been a carpenter for almost 30 years, I learned early on that if I bought the best quality tools and took care of them, they would last forever. Why I didn’t apply that same mentality to buying garden tools for so many years is beyond me, that is until recently when I bought an edger from a big box store only to have fold the first time I pushed in the ground. Lesson learned…..Again! For years I had been buying these cheap tools only to break them, throw them away and go back and buy another. No more…Quality for me please