Burgon & Ball RHS Long-Handled Digging Fork

This classic model of the British digging fork with traditional handle by Burgon & Ball allows work in all types of soil. It is extremely resistant, tested to a breaking strain (weight supported until the handle breaks) of 100 kg, which is 82% more than the British standard of 55kg. Made from FSC-certified ash wood, the very long handle has a comfortable "Y" handle, double riveted at the base for added strength. The socket that encloses the handle is extra long and fixed with two rivets, providing strength and flexibility to this key tool joint. The stainless steel tines are highly rust-resistant and slide easily into the soil. They are rolled for exceptional bending strength and resistance.

* FSC is an international eco-label guaranteeing that the wood comes from sustainably managed forests.

Dimensions of the head: 29 x 18cm - Handle length: 82cm (32in)

The British have the privilege of being the reference in gardening (if not in cooking). Promesses de Fleurs has chosen the English company Burgon & Ball for the quality of its materials and its nearly three-century-old steel manufacturing methods. The company has been working with steel in Sheffield since 1730, starting with a patent for solid steel sheep shears. The production of garden shears and equipment quickly surpassed that of sheep shears, but Burgon & Ball stainless steel tools are officially approved by the Royal Horticultural Society - probably the ultimate reward in the gardening industry.

The tines of this fork are hot rolled, a process that aligns the grain structure of the metal to provide exceptional bending strength. Hot rolled tines are very unusual in the production of stainless steel tools - the standard is simply to cut the tines to length, weld them together, and grind the ends to a point. The choice of this more expensive manufacturing process is an additional quality criterion.

Heat treatment allows the steel to have exactly the right hardness for each tool. Too hard and the metal can break or chip, not hard enough and it will bend or lose its edge.The thickness of the steel used is also dependent on the tool. This fork requires a thicker steel than a knife, which can be much thinner. The thickness of the steel affects the weight, so it's also a balance to be found, which the company Burgon & Ball, with its soon-to-be 300 years of experience, has validated to ensure that its tools are both effective and enjoyable to use.