picker77 Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Don't see a garden tool category, so I'll throw this in here, although maybe it should be in "What did you do in the shop today" instead. Mr. Moderator please move it if need be. Thanks. One of my sisters is a University-certified Master Gardener, who also teaches others. Her favorite all-around garden tool is the Japanese Hori Hori, but she uses her tools daily and hard, and has suffered a rash of broken/bent blades (from prying roots & stones) and poorly attached partial-tang handles that loosen up in use in the commercially available tools. Most popular variations appear to be rather cheaply made with blades stamped from stainless sheet metal, and they are infamous for having cheap and poorly attached partial tang handles. She asked me to make her a heavy use forged hori hori and forget making it pretty, just make it a bit oversized and make it tough. Making things that don't break and aren't pretty is right in my wheel house, so I finished this today. It's a full through-tang digging and prying tool, 15-3/4" long with a 10" blade, forged from 5/32" 1084 with scale left intact. It is about 2" longer and quite a lot thicker than the common versions. It's heavily front-weighted for chopping and digging, very sharp on both edges, and the serrations cut wood and roots quite well. The string/line cutter is also very sharp. Scales are riveted Koa. In keeping with the hori hori's evolution from a garden trowel, the blade curves slightly lengthwise, and is also forged concave in cross section for strength. I do not think she will break this one, and I hope she likes it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 WOW, that ought to do the job. She should love to use that one. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 (edited) She should love it. A nice wooden sheath would be great for it. Edited October 2, 2019 by Irondragon Forge & Clay add thought about sheath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Looks like a success. Since it's sharp will you be making a sheath? Pnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 I'd suggest formed kydex for a sheath as it would be easy to wash out---I'd put a drain hole in it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 This is an Ozark hoe made by Isaac (Ike) Doss of Berryville AR. He was my mentor so I made a copy of his hoe. Pretty simple & easy from a piece of leaf spring and haft. The one on the right is an original by Ike and my replica on the left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 I couldn't find a thread about garden tools either. There has been many posts scattered about on garden tools but now we can locate them in a central thread thanks to picker77. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 That looks like one serious: rock prying, root sawing, plant chopping, hole digging beast! Not pretty won't break eh? I guess that depends on your definition of beauty, personally I'm a function over form kind of guy so something that does what it's supposed to well is beautiful. Have you given it a name? How about: "Mistress, (your sister's name here) 's Weed Bane" I hope you're ready to start filling orders. A general product model/name could be the "Rock Picker." Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker77 Posted October 2, 2019 Author Share Posted October 2, 2019 Thanks for the nice comments. It is a beast of an implement, and should not be carelessly wielded, so I really should probably make a sheath. Never tried a wooden one, so what the heck, maybe I'll do that. Actually, the 1/2" brass tube lined hole in the handle is intended for hanging it on a nail in the potting shed or wherever, but it is pretty heavy and extremely sharp so should probably have something for a sheath. I'll also have to warn her that it's carbon steel, and like a horse should not be put up wet. Till now I'd never heard of one of these things, but they make a lot of sense, and apparently are very popular among the gardening set. However, some online research reveals a lot of QA problems with broken & bent blades, loose handle rivets, etc with the mass produced units. I already have my first order, the XYL (wife for non-ham radio folks) wants one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 I, being lazy use print harrow tines... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 I’ve used the Hori-Hori but it tends to be tough on my wrist. My favorite is the chopper style. The wood handled version was made from approx 5” of 1 1/4” breaker bit, forged and normalized. I do all my weeding, as well as planting small perennials, ground covers and bulbs with it. I took it on the job everyday. (I was a landscape contractor). The 1 piece chopper was made from ~ 5” of 1” rebar that I dug up at a job. It was more of a forging experiment, but it has good balance and gets used every so often. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 Good looking tools Stash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 Folks, Good sources for very useful and, often, non-traditional gardening tools can be found in: Lee Valley's gardening tool catalogue, and, also, the Japan Tool catalogue. The latter company has recently been acquired by Woodcraft Corporation. There are all manner of implements that I had never encountered before. (like a Hori-Hori etc., etc.). There may be a considerable market for bespoke gardening tools for such enthusiasts. (items of sophisticated snobbery, for the well moneyed green thumb set!). And also, tools that are real time and energy savers for us. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 Perhaps very traditional---just not in the US! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 A lot of specialized Japanese gardening tools have become more known and available in the last fifty years, in North America, Europe, and elsewhere. Many of their tools go back hundreds of years, in Japan and Asia. One good example are Japanese saws that cut on the pull stroke as opposed to the push stroke, of occidental saws. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 You mean like the pit saws used to saw boards out in Europe and America before the circular saws took over? The concept seems to have been known in the west; I wonder if the greater availability of iron and steel led to Europe/America going to the heavier "push" blades in hand saws? I rather like the crosscut saws I've used that cut in both directions! I've done a bunch of slotting in guards pulling a thin hacksaw blade with a bolt through the mounting hole in my earlier years. Hmm 20 buzzards are circling around outside my building---I wonder if they know something I don't? Got a weather alert for ping pong ball sized hail that's supposed to hit just about quitting time. Just the "added touch" needed for our town's annual celebration tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natkova Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 All right , this is our typicall hatchet foe construction working and it can appl ly for garden, when you need to sharpen poles for tomatos, or beans etc. This hatchet have claws , wich is typical Bosnian axe. Eye is European style (wich mean shape is not oval, because we use this side sometimes to drive nails) It had old (new)handle, but I changed it with my seasoned hornbeam handle, wich I hewn by hand. head is drawn out by blacksmith because here when you buy axe , you need to take it to smith, so he can heat treat and "peen" it as sycthe I had topic about that "peening axe" stuf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 I've shared these in the past but Ill add them here since it's garden tool related. Here are a few shovels I've made in the past there have been several more but I didn't take any pictures of those And a couple hand rakes. I think you can probably tell which was v1 (before getting help from Frosty) and which was v2 (after getting help from Frosty). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Garden trowel and cultivator. Trowel made from lawnmower blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 The trade item for our BOA meeting this month is a garden tool. I had an old claw hammer head that this weeder root cutter is made from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 Nice tool to have. Do you sharpen the inside of the prongs for root cutting? You can't drive a tile spade into the ground on my property more than an inch or two. Roots everywhere. I have resorted to using a sawzall for digging a hole of any kind. Good job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 Just the blade is sharpened the prongs are useful for loosening up the soil and picking rocks & weeds out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davor Posted May 20, 2022 Share Posted May 20, 2022 Little spade I made a few years ago broke at the rivets. So I made one that won't brake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 20, 2022 Share Posted May 20, 2022 NICE job Davor! How did you close the seam so it doesn't pinch or bite your hand? I'd arc weld and grind it smooth but that's me. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davor Posted May 20, 2022 Share Posted May 20, 2022 I just left it as is, if it will be a problem I'll weld it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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