Hey Kristi,

You can bend them back with a piece of pipe, but if they're junk, they're junk. I can't recommend brand names but I've seen some very good stainless steel ones at Menards. Keep in mind, you get what you pay for. A 7 dollar unit will be junk, a 20 dollar unit may be junk, and a 50-100 dollar unit will probably be passed to your children.

I'd take the crapsman back and see what they say about warranty (personally, I wouldn't buy anything from sears after an experience with a mower.)

Here is a link that might be useful: these look like they'd last

Kristi - You absolutely get what you pay for in garden tools. I don't know what brands are available to you but I use Spear and Jackson stainless steel. Wolf and Burgon and Ball are other good ones. They last a lifetime - literally. I would not expect to pay less than £15 for a fork and probably more like £25 - 30. Stainless steel is well worth the extra cost and is lighter to work with. I too have heavy clay soil and stainless steel is much better as the earth does not clump on it so much. I have a full size fork and also a 'border' fork (used to be called a 'lady's' fork!) which is a bit narrower, lighter and excellent for working amongst plants. I have never had the metal part of a fork or spade break or bend but I have had the handles rot through from leaving them outdoors. That can be fixed with a new handle. If you can bend the tines straight then they are not strong enough for the job. I would definitely stop buying cheap stuff and get yourself a decent top qualty tool. You'll never need to buy a new one. Got a birthday coming up?

The best place I know to purchase a guality fork is Lee Valley. They are located in Canada but they ship everywhere and carry stainless steel/ash handled tools, english made carbon steel tools as well as the Ergonomic tools. There prices are also very good with a stainless steel fork costing $34 bucks.

Stainless tool link

English Carbon Steel tool link

Ergonomic tool link

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Kristi,

We have very rocky, hard soil here where I garden and I was accustomed to doing almost all my tilling with a fork. But I even broke my GOOD English made fork. Last fall I finally learned something that, apparently a fair number of local gardeners have known for a while, I started using a mattock for the hard stuff. I still use a fork, but only after I've initially worked a spot over with the mattock, and removed some of the rock. You might give this a try. I've made a LOT more progress on the garden since doing this.

George
Tahlequah, OK

Thanks so much everyone,
I think i need the forged carbon steel ones so I'll be placing an order ASAP. It's been quite frustrating that I just can't get quality around here, I've snapped one wood handle and bent 2 other forks, the fourth had the handle just come clean out of the socket. I have had to use a mattock in the past but this bed was dug sometime in the past (we just moved here) and isn't rocky so I shouldn't really need a mattock. It's just heavy clay and me using inferior tools. I really appreciate all the links and brands,

Kristi

No problem and I hope you the best of luck with your new tools. It seems that all the big box store are more worried about price then quality and in the end that just makes unhappy customers. Some things should just not be made in china.

On another note, you may be able to find similar tools in your area if you ask around, maybe your local extension office may know of a source. The only thing with that is the price of fuel often out weights just mail ordering certain things.

Unless Sears has changed there policy on Craftsman in the last couple of years they will replace it.

I ruined an extension handle to a wrench, just being foolish, and they replaced it. The handle was 30 years old, the problem was of my doing, and the replacement was not as good but they replaced it.

Perhaps that replacement policy only applied to wrenches?

Just seconding the Lee Valley recommendation. I haven't bought a spade or fork from them (yet), but I've been impressed with practically anything else I've bought from them, so I trust the store itself.

I'd also suggest trying a rural farm and garden centre if you have one in the area. Farmers don't tend to put up with crap and will pay for something that will last and I find shops like these tend to "get" that and stock better stuff. Sometimes you might even find tools made by local welders/craftsmen. Good luck in your search!

Yes, sears did replace the fork, but I will probably order from Lee Valley when they have them in stock again. I suspect it's only time until I bend this replacement one and it's not worth my time to infinately replace them. Maybe I'll meander on down to the feed store to see if they have something that is sturder like a spear and jackson one. Thanks for all your help,

Kristi

Another ditto for the Lee Valley English-forged stuff. I have both the spade and fork.

Something that surprised me is the cost of a good quality irrigation spade - think long handle, small blade. A good one costs north of $50. Anything cheaper lasts only weeks, so they're worth it.

Anywho, around here when they have estate auctions on the farms, the shovel/spade/fork collection from over the years can bring in some surprising amounts of money. A bunch of guys bidding up rusty old shovels.......