Passed down! We only pass
down Property and Money since the 1900.
I am serious. I still do what
kids today will not do (at 70). How can
we convince them they need to be qualified and independents on minor none
licensed jobs?

Is it status? Even my wife is telling me I should not be
cutting the yard, changing my engine’s oil and filter and repairing minor
plumbing. I know the quality I want vs
it just being done with no quality... I
have cut back from rebuilding my engines and adding to the house since about
the 80’s. Versus a rear car port and 3-4 Volvo Timing Belts and Etc..

Why not add a Durable Plastic or Aluminum Tubing handle to
the existing? Even some plastics are
very durable In My Opinion. The Orange
Plastic our Gas Company uses has really impresses me. It is Thick and Tuff. I have no idea as to where you would find it. I am sure a Residential Gas Company would
tell you who sell it or give you a piece.
I found assorted pieces where lines were being updated.

Wood would be easy to find but would be the weakest
IMO. Above a durable plastic bolted or
riveted on I would suggest Aluminum tubing.

Will the Trawl be for looks or use? Either way some End Caps might need to be
fitted. Please share a Pic of your Trawl.

Good Luck!!!

Oakiris, why do you find somebody in your area with a metal detector. I know if you lived by me, I would come over.

OakIris, I did find a trowel that I love. It is the Dewit Forged Hand Trowel you mentioned. At $20, it is absolutely affordable. It has a bit of weight on it (over a hollow plastic handle). It has a sharpened edge to cut through roots, but is is not so sharp that it is dangerous. The soil does brush off early. Overall, I am very happy. I would recommend it.

My favorite trowel is the one I can find the soonest. The Dewit tool above looks nice but like loger said, it has a wooden handle and will fail sooner than an heirloom.

lol - I actually do have a metal detector, always_beezee. If I have time to spare perhaps I will give it a try! The problem being that I have no idea where I left the darn thing. I am also afraid that if I did find it, the wooden handle would probably not be in the best shape after being buried in the soil for almost 2 years.

You got the DeWit Trowel, becky! Good to know that you really like it; I am pretty sure I will have one of these trowels myself before too long.

@chas045 - lol, it is true that the one closest to hand can be considered the favorite tool! I do disagree with you and loger_gw about wooden handles, though - of course, this is just from my experience with them. I have had trowel blades/shafts fail - bend, rust, break - but can't remember having a wooden handle fail from use - maybe on a $2 throw-away tool? Even my wooden handled shovels, that get a lot more abuse than my trowels do, have lasted for years and years.

The other thing is that I like the weight and feeling of a wooden handle, it warms to the hand and just feels better than plastic or metal to me. As long as you clean and dry it before storing it, instead of burying it in your compost pile or the like, I don't see why a well-made wooden handle on a well-made trowel wouldn't last long enough to be inherited by your descendants. lol

My wooden handled trowel that I lost was in use for 30 years and was still as sturdy as the day I bought it - and probably even nicer looking because of the patina of use on it.

Holly

My "hand" equipment consists of a DeWit Trowel, A.M. Leonard Soil Knife, Felco #11, and a Japanese Knife. All but the Felco were/are relatively inexpensive. All, including the Felco, are worth every penny.

I just got my DeWitt. Very nice. Solid. I'm gonna get a couple others from their line. Good recommendation thanks.

I ended up getting a Wilcox trowel, but one of the shorter ones instead of the 14" size; tried them out in the store and the 14 incher seemed way too big, but I now see how useful it might be and will probably end up getting it as well. The Dewitt trowel is still on my wish list too - perhaps I will have it and the larger Wilcox by next spring!

A bit off topic: My EDC for gardening includes both an AM Leonard soil knife and a Felco pruner, too, apprenticegardener. During growing season, the first thing I pick up when I go outside is my soil knife; it slips right into the case ready for it on my belt. Even if I am only going to the compost heap, I try to have the knife with me; it seems that I am bound to find a weed that needs to be removed whenever I walk out into my yard. If I plan to spend time actually working in the yard, a leather case with my Felco #12 pruners and a pair of gardening scissors in it also gets strapped on. (And of course I always have my Leatherman Wave on me. :-D)

I do have several Japanese gardening knives, but the Leonard soil knife is what I reach for - mostly because its orange plastic handle makes the tool much easier to find if I lay it down in the area in which I am working, lol.

The soil knife and the Felco pruners are indeed well worth their prices - I have had both of my tools for years, but even with the price increases since I purchased mine, if I lost them, I would have to replace them. I would not, however, spring for the Felco 70th Anniversary Special Edition pruners, at $1945 a pair. :-O :-D

Holly