Some of them seem to have a longer metal shank. What you want is to have the fork and the shank all one piece, and the longer the better.

Good luck.

sounds like you need a broadfork. they're not cheap. i got mine from valley oak tools.

Randy, I’m afraid my soil may be too rocky to effectively use a broad fork? I’m looking for the ability to dig the soil so that I can also remove rocks at this point. What do you think?I’ll check out Valley Oak tools.

Kate, the fork I linked in my original post supposedly had a one piece shank/head, fairly long. I cant speak for the Lee Valley forks, but It seems as if the head is welded to the shank from pictures, a particularly weak point. Thanks.

Larry, that’s a great idea. We’ve been to some local flea markets a few times, but have yet to see any tools. Maybe I need to go to them more. My grandpa picks up many older tools from auctions.

The question is: Why can’t they make tools like this anymore?! Haha

Jacob, it is much harder to find quality tools at a good price. When I was young good gardening tools were everywhere, many were old tools that had been past down to them. Back in times of my youth everybody felt that they had to have a garden to help feed the family, so they wanted tools that they could have faith in. If you want a quality tool now you almost have to go where professional tools are sold. If I wanted a gardening tool quick, the first place place I would look would be Farmers Coop. My favorite gardening tools are some I made or modified.

Of the tools you posted I would pick the Lee Valley tool because of the long handle. I am not a fan of stainless steel tools, I only have one stainless tool and it is too hard to keep an edge on it, but with you working in rocks you want be able to keep a good edge on any of your tools anyway.

Larry, which fork of the Lee Valley tools listed do you mean? The longest one I see is the Ergonomic Ash Handled digging fork, 46.5” length overall. The Clarington Forge fork is 43”. Price total $60 to $90 not including shipping

Do you have any experience with the Lee Valley tools? I know you live near me, so I assume you are familiar with our soil. Do the tines bend easily?

the broadfork does a good job of loosening the rocks. a lot depends on how big the rocks are. it is also great for harvesting carrots.

I have an old fork that I call a potato fork. It is not as elaborate as a broadfork. It is 6 tines and very useful for breaking the soil for 6 or 7 inches. It is useful for manure and compost work too. It might be nearly 100 years old. I finally broke the wooden handle and welded a pipe in to replace that...being so very useful to me.

Jacob, I know nothing about Lee Valley tools, I have heard they are very good

Yes I know about your type of soil, and will pray for you.

I live between Backbone and Daffy mountain, I have the soil that use to be there. On the west side of my place the soil is shallow, the east side it is much deeper. You have good soil, just amend it and get the rocks so you want be wearing out your tools.

My fork has 6 slender but apparantlly very tough tines. I like the slender tines as that lets them slide more easily into the ground and lets hayey stuff slide off better.

Larry, if the shorter fork is strong enough, I’d gladly buy it off you, if you’re interested.

Wayne, that fork must have been built WELL. I bet with that metal handle it’ll last a long time more.

I also found this longer fork with an overall length of 65” and wider head. Again, pricy, but looks to be well built.

https://www.claringtonforge.com/forks/long-handled-digging-fork

Jacob, Hopefully George, who posts here as MacMex, will see this and respond. He has purchased some tools, and I think one of them was a digging fork, from Lee Valley Tools, within about the last decade. My experience with them goes much further back, but they were great quality several decades ago. I don't know if the tools they sell nowadays are nearly as good as they were back then.

I agree with Larry that the best, sturdiest and most long-lasting tools are the very old ones you can find at estate sales or auctions---tools that were built to last forever back then. It seems like nothing is built to last forever any more.

If Lee Valley's quality has slipped in recent years (and I don't know if it has or hasn't), then Spear and Jackson makes a very heavy duty digging fork that I'd probably buy if I ever have to replace the one I have now (but, to be fair, I only have dense red clay and don't have rocks, so my experience wouldn't be as valuable as George's since he also has lots of rocks). Here's one of theirs that I like:

Spear and Jackson Tall Digging Fork

And then there is this one from Spear and Jackson's Professional Neverbend Line.

Spear & Jackson Neverbend Digging Fork

Good luck finding a tool that pleases you. I don't find any tools around any longer that are nearly as well-made as the ones we were able to buy in the 1960s and 1970s.

Dawn

Depending on your height, you may want to go with a longer handled one. I have two, not great quality, but they have held up okay in my clay soil...I only use them when the soil is moist, not when it is rock hard. I doubt either would be what you want for rocky soil. My shorter one is seldom used. It is too tough on my back. It only comes out if it is the easiest to reach AND I'm only going to use it for a few minutes, like when loosening around a short row of carrots before harvest. To loosen a larger area, I'll rearrange the tools in the garage and get the longer one every time. Others use my tools, too, so my preferred fork is not always up front.

Jacob, I have no idea if the short tool well do what you want. If you want to drive to Fayetteville to meet us, you can have the tool, I doubt that I will ever be able to use it again.

I have a Spear and Jackson spade and fork. They've lasted forty years so far. You can replace the handles if they ever break. The heads last forever. For digging heavy ground you need a D or T handle or you just can't get the leverage.

Larry, is it a metal handle on that fork?

Naturegirl, I’m 5’9”, not very tall. The shorter forks seem pretty comfortable for me, but I can’t say I wouldn’t mind a longer one. I can do without though.

Floral, thank you for the info on Spear and Jackson. Interesting comment about the D handle. It makes sense, the advantages of the D handle in heavy soil....definitely something to consider.

Dawn, thank you for the link. That first fork you listed looks very nice! It’s a pain, really, that one can’t just go to the hardware store and buy a decent tool anymore.

Jacob, the bottom is metal, then a wood shaft, then a plastic D handle.

Jacob, I will have to come back to this and answer more in depth tomorrow. I have purchased a number of Lee Valley forks over the last decade. The sturdiest of all was the all steel fork. This spring I ordered another with an ash handle,. It was a piece of art and a joy to use. But, alas, it already snapped (the handle), and that, when I wasn't doing anything strenuous.

Now to be fair, that may have been a fluke. I still need to contact them about it. I had another fork break after something like 4 years, and they happily replaced it, with a higher quality fork, and sent me a check for $20 to boot. I LOVE Lee Valley.

George

The last two I ordered were:

Ergonomic Ash-Handled Digging Fork

Item PG260 $59.00

This is the one which broke about three weeks ago. I purchased it in April. Again, I suspect there was a flaw in the handle material, not in manufacturing, and, I'm pretty sure they'll replace it.

Lee Valley Ash Handled Fork and/or Spade

Digging Fork, Steel Handle

Item PG242 $39.00

This fork is a very rugged fork. It should last as long as any fork could. The only forks sturdier would weight a whole lot.

Lee Valley Stainless Steel Fork and tools

That Spear and Jackson fork looks good!

George, I thought that one would catch your eye. Christmas is coming.....maybe Santa needs to bring you one of those.

Dawn

George, thank you for the detailed response.

My main concern with the Lee Valley tools is that it looks as if the head is welded to the shank at the bottom, which if not welded properly could be quite the weak point, but you say yours holds up fine? How do you think the Lee Valley fork, in terms of durability, would hold up compared to the more expensive Clarington Forge models (solid forged carbon steel head/shank)? That Spear and Jackson fork also looks very nice, solid forged head/shank, but with shipping will cost $79 versus $94 for the 65” long Clarington Forge model. That long handle could be really nice...

Which brings me to another question: Floral stated that only D handled forks will give me enough leverage? Can I not get by with a long non-D handled fork?

By the way, Lee Valley’s customer service sounds out of this world. That NICE!! Most places I know would give a cheap replacment, and that’s it.

I have one with a solid forged head that came from lee valley many years ago, don't remember the name, but I will leave it to someone in my will. couldn't garden without it. Has a metal handle. I use it nearly every day. I also have a short spade that was my Dad's. He died in 1948. Needs a new handle, but I will use it until it breaks. Take care of your tools and they will last. I planted my first row of radishes when I was 5, that was 80 years ago.

I have the Clarington Forge fork with the D handle; from Lee Valley. It is sturdy and the right height for me. I did break the handle (out of warranty) and replaced it on my own dime. To be fair, I was levering at a shrub root when it broke, and I remember thinking I hoped my back held up to the strain! So not really the fork’s fault. I called Lee Valley, and they said I needed to contact Clarington Forge, who directed me to their online warranty form (ugh). Then I remembered it had been two years, not one, since I had bought it, so I just went ahead and ordered a replacement handle.

In normal usage in my Kansas soil (not clay), I have no fears of it breaking again.

Nancy, I ordered the long handled Clarington Forge (65" length) fork a week or two ago. It arrived last Friday. I am beyond happy with the product. Very, very sturdy, and it does the job. A wonderfully made tool, and I have confidence it'll last a long, long time.

Jacob, I second whoever mentioned buying a used "old" tool. I eyed my fathers 4 tine potato fork for 30 years. It is obviously forged and the tines are triangular shaped. I am 6'4" and 250 and I have abused this tool digging potatoes over the years. I used to borrow it every fall until a couple of years ago when I realized many people my father's age also use this exact same tool.

Find a rural farm auction. When at auctions they are usually propped up against a barn and the auctioneer usually sells them off as "choice." I now have two of them. One purchased for 7 dollars...I jumped a little early, and the other I won the bid for a mere 2 bucks and it was mine. Might I suggest buying a stirrup hoe too. I have passed them up for a couple of decades simply because I had never used one. It was also worth the 2 bucks and I rarely use any of my other hoes now.

Those old forged tools can always have a new handle installed and rust (if it isn't too bad) often keeps people from bidding. They want something new! Old forged rake heads can be cut to width and now you have a garden fork for a buck. Is the handle in good shape...buy it for a buck and recycle the head. My favorite #2 tempered shovel that had forged stamped on it looked like poop. I sand blasted the head, reshaped the rusted tip and put a new auction buy handle on it. I had a whopping two bucks invested in it. I painted it Allis Chalmers Orange and I used it for a full season before someone else decided it looked better in their garden and stole it from my back yard. Live and learn.

It lives on somewhere...

I finally got around to asking Lee Valley about the fork I broke. Here's a bit of their response:

"Please accept our apologies for the trouble you have experienced with the Ergonomic Ash-Handled Digging Fork (PG260). We will gladly send you a new one at no charge. This product has a lifetime warranty. The new Digging Fork should leave our warehouse shortly and reach you in approximately 6-7 business days from then. "

The e-mail goes on to say that they want me to use the shipping box, from the new fork, to ship back the broken one. They pay all shipping.

Can't complain about that. I really liked this particular fork, as it has great balance. Hopefully the breakage was a fluke.

George

Tahlequah, OK

I bought a burgon and ball brand digging fork and a spade too over 25 years ago. Not cheap but worth the price. I saw them displayed at a nursery show. They shipped them to me and mighty glad I invested in QUALITY made products. You never save money on cheap products if they are poorly made and and not strong enough to hold up to your soil conditions/needs. I know as I went thru at least 3 digging forks before buying Burgon and Ball. I hope I got the spelling right on the brand but I am well pleased with them.

My old fork has been thought of as a potato digging fork...great for that. It has 6 smaller tines that are very tough and do not rust at all.

I use it also to loosen the top 6 inches to speed drying and to make it quicker to till deeper.

Bit of an update in relations to my fork after having used it for a few weeks. It’s had some pretty intensive work so far, and is really making my life easier, and doing a better job. i was a little worried that it would not do well in our rocky soil as opposed to a shovel, as I was afraid to really beat into it like I can with a shovel. However, I’m since realized that it’s built to handle work, and I might as well put it to work. I can beat it down in between rocks and lever them out of the soil no problem. The spade will only go down 2-3” most places, but the fork can wedge in between rocks really well, easily a foot down. Occasionally I need to use a pic axe and my 22 pound pry bar to wedge out rocks, but thats expected. I will loosen and cut large tree roots with my sharpened spade.

Many people have issues with the handles breaking when wedging out rocks, and though mine has shown so signs of even being stressed when doing so, I do just place my right hand farther down towards the head and put the pressure there, levering at the top with my left hand until the rock is uprooted. Just a reassurance.

Today I spent somewhere between 4-6 hours after school digging with it, and it performed really well.

The folks at the company seem very friendly over email as well. After emailing, I was informed that the head has a lifetime warranty should it ever break, but the handle is only limited.

Still beyond happy with this buy. If anyone needs a good fork, the long handled Clarington Forge Bulldog digging fork really fits the bill, despite the price. (The price really is worth it.)

I will update this thread in the future as kind of a review, if everybody would like. I think there are quite a few people out there looking for a good fork, as I was. May be a help to somebody reading.

Thank you jacoblockcuff for a fine discussion and assessment of high quality digging tools. I need a good quality fork, and I was kind of beside myself before reading through all this. I am pleased to hear about the performance of yours in rocky soil. I have an underlying layer of caliche, and breaking ground for a new bed to a depth of a foot or two is many hours of work per yard, and trucking away hundreds of pounds of rock. I've been struggling with a shovel, but for serious digging around big rocks, the claw on a hammer is a handy tool, though you're down on your hands and knees to use it. A crowbar is handy as well. A fork that can pry big slabs of rock is what I need. Now, once the bed is broken, a shovel works fine.

Dan, I will note that the biggest rocks I have been levering out with the fork as of yet are about the size of an average person’s foot, and sometimes I use the crow bar for fear of damaging the fork. But I suspect I would do just fine to pry them out with the fork; it’s more me very scared to break it because of how much is spent!!! But then again there’s is warranty haha.

Your soil sounds a little more extreme than mine. Very, very rocky, but not quite as bad as others seem to have. Really, without the rocks it seems a nice loamy clay. Not horrible soil; I suspect I would not have any mineral deficiencies in my vegetables while growing here (I hope to get a soil test this fall to assess whether that’s true.). Some places the soil gets pretty sticky.

My procedure for digging is normally as follows: 1. Break the ground with the fork and/or a spade if needed to cut grass and tree roots off. Loosen it as best I can to about a foot depth. Then try and pull any roots out, to the wheelbarrow. 2. Take shovel and dig trenches as deep as possible, scooping soil to nearby cleared area, or wheelbarrow/bucket. Pick out as many rocks as I can and even pry some out of the subsoil with my crowbar.

3. Cover back up. Soil depth should be 12-15” now.

4. Come back weeks later after some rain and do the same thing again. Rocks work themselves up after a rain in surprising ways...

I have yet to test the fork on the northern side of my garden, perhaps the rockiest section. That will be the test. It’s truly sheet rock 2-3” down over there! It’s fun testing tools. I’m afraid I may be getting myself into another hobby, probably more expensive than gardening!

A tool which I use extensively, both in initial cultivation, and in dealing with large rocks, is a 6 lb mattock. I purchased two for $13 this last spring, at the local box store, when they were on sale. I always have at least one on hand.

The pick side of the head works great for loosening rocks from the ground. One of these will generally last me 3-4 years. When digging a trench in my rocky soil, I use the mattock to loosen things and a round tipped, long handled shovel to remove the rocks and dirt from the trench.

Most of the rocks in my garden are no larger than an apple, but I have found some that were almost too large to lift. A tip for fork users, especially with wooden handled forks: if you can hear or feel the strain in he handle, you are pushing it too hard. Eventually it will break.

One more tip: when loosening up rocky soil, be sure you have watered deeply before you work it. That'll save a whole lot of strain on your body and tools.

Macmex (George, right?), i use an older mattock (I call it a pic axe.) similar to yours. We’ve had it for years now, and I’m sure my dad has had it for a decade or 2. Only trouble is I’m finding I need to get a new handle soon. The head has worn the handle down so much under heavy usage, that it now is very loose and slides right off the handle. I’m using it as long as I can, soaking the handle in water to make it puff up a bit more and then oiling if the head comes loose again. Handy tools.

Yes, I think the crowbar serves that same purpose. I don't need to swing it to get it engaged, but I just need something strong to pry with. The L-shape of a mattock is attractive though, because when the claw is under a rock, I'd like the handle to be straight up.