Hand Scraper by Burgon & Ball - RHS Range

This Burgon & Ball hand scraper is a hand tool specifically designed to scrape, clean, and weed moss and weeds by going under the surface of the soil. With its short handle that requires working in a crouched position, this model is more suitable for small areas or for maintaining raised plantings such as vegetable beds or flower pots. The sharp and pointed edges of the blade cut the weeds and remove the moss without damaging the surrounding plants due to the inward-facing shape of the blade. This tool also allows for precise removal of 'young weeds' that appear in flower beds.

Length: 35cm (14in) - Weight: 270 grams

This hand scraper consists of a handle made of certified FSC* natural wood, with a socket where two branches hold a sharp and inward-facing blade made of tempered carbon steel coated with a durable powder coating that is resistant to shocks, twisting, and corrosion.

* FSC is an international ecolabel guaranteeing that the wood comes from sustainably managed forests

The English 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 soon-to-be tricentennial 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 the stainless steel tools from Burgon & Ball are officially approved by the Royal Horticultural Society - probably the ultimate reward in the gardening industry.

The steel used for Burgon & Ball tools is alloyed with carbon to give it strength, and with chromium to prevent rust. It's a very precise balance that needs to be found between chrome and carbon, different for each part of the tool. For example, the socket, which needs to be strong enough to withstand bending, is made of thicker steel with a medium balance between chromium and carbon, while the blade of this scraper, which requires significant strength and hardness to withstand flexion in the soil, is made with a higher carbon content than chromium.

The heat treatment allows for 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 sharpness. The thickness of the steel used also depends on the tool. This scraper requires a thicker steel thickness than a knife, which can be much thinner. The thickness of the steel also affects the weight, so it's a balance that the company Burgon & Ball, with its nearly 300 years of experience, has validated to ensure that its tools are both effective and enjoyable to use.