40 Garden News / January 17 2012 January 17 2012 / Garden News 41 Tried & tested / Folding garden knives Offers / Great deals for gardeners Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Large Garden Knife Top AND Felco Victorinox Grafting/ SAVE UP TO three General Purpose Knife A good general-purpose knife with a large blade, which would be especially suited Tools with 101 uses for cutting through larger and tougher materials. This is balanced with a large, (39050) chunky handle. The contoured handgrip with ‘stops’ at each end are very £20 Geoff Hodge tests folding garden knives for all those necessary jobs useful and gave me con dence when cutting tough material. A great, lightweight knife combining two famous brands – Felco ● Blade material Chromed carbon steel on bulbs secateurs and Victorinox, makers of the Swiss Army Knife. ● Blade length 6cm (2/in) The main choice is between must be comfortable to hold before they became blunt. Produced a good cut and was really comfortable to use. The ● Handle material Plastic ● ##### Geo Hodge the material used for the blade and use. I tested each knife for 20 blade housing has a metal alloy lining to protect the blade. Comfort in use Gardening journalist – either carbon steel or The main handle choice minutes to also compare how ● Blade material Stainless steel ● Quality of cut ##### stainless steel. Most is between wood or plastic. comfortable they felt with ● Blade length 5.5cm (2¼in) ● Price guide £14.49 ROM cutting string professionals consider carbon A wooden-handled knife just extended use. ● Handle material Nylon plastic to taking cuttings, steel to be the best, but it does feels, and looks, so much Before I started I thought ● Comfort in use ##### Fharvesting vegetables rust and needs to be oiled to better than plastic – but may that the knives with the ● Quality of cut##### and dead-heading – every keep rust away. Stainless steel need maintenance to keep longest blades would probably ● Price guide £14.99 gardener needs a good rarely rusts, but generally in good condition. But in all perform better than those with garden knife. stainless steel blunts quicker honesty, plastic handles are shorter blades as there’s more Folding knives are the most than carbon steel and needs just as good, look after cutting area, but this wasn’t a convenient and the safest to sharpening more often. themselves and, as most are factor on the materials I used. carry around – I never go Whichever type you go for, red, they’re easier to nd when I selected my top three anywhere without mine, safely you will need a good you mislay them! knives, which includes the tucked away in a pocket. And, sharpener; see my guide to Best Buy that had although there are specialist tool sharpeners in the The test everything you’d look for in pruning, propagation and December 20 issue of GN. I tested the knives on a range a quality knife for use all Tina Grafting/General Purpose grafting knives, I’ve never had If you’re going to use your of materials – string, broccoli around the garden. Snowdrops ‘in the green’ a need for any of these – my knife for a long time or use it to stems, woody fuchsia stems Next time In two weeks’ time Knife 605 straight-edged knife has cut through quite thick or and paper – to see how well Geo looks at the best small Taylors Eye Witness Lambfoot 841 Fantastic January o ers from Mr Fothergill’s served me well for any job I do. di cult materials, your knife they cut and kept a sharp edge water features for your garden. Tina knives are recognised as the choice of professional horticulturists– I was certainly very proud when I was given A lovely, well-made quality knife, which cut with ease and I enjoyed using it. NOWDROPS can sometimes be di cult Pleno’ is robust, growing up to 10cm (4in) mine. They cut beautifully and are shaped to perfectly t the Unfortunately, I found the handle a little too short for me and it dug into my palm to grow from dry bulbs and by far the tall. 20 bulbs will cost only £11.95 or buy hand. This was my favourite knife in the test, however I couldn’t with extensive use. Sbest way to ensure a garden full of 40 bulbs for just £23.90 and receive give it Best Buy due to the high price tag compared to the ● Blade material Stainless steel colour is to plant bulbs ‘in the green’. They 20 bulbs FREE! Bahco All Purpose Knife KAP1 Draper Expert Sheepfoot others. ● Blade length 6cm (2/in) are lifted with their leaves immediately Alternatively, you can have Pocket Knife ● Blade material Carbon steel ● Handle material Plastic after owering so you know you have a mix of both single and A good general purpose knife with a large blade. The blade lock ● Blade length 5.5cm (2¼in) ● Comfort in use ##### strong, vigorous plants that will rapidly double- owering types colonise your garden! So ll your garden growing in your securely locks the blade in the open position to prevent accidental A good general purpose knife with a large blade. The blade lock ● Handle material Walnut ● Quality of cut ##### with our great o ers of both single and garden and save £20. closing. I found it uncomfortable to use due to its very thin handle securely locks the blade in the open position to prevent accidental ● Comfort in use ##### ● Price guide £12 double- owered snowdrops to welcome in Receive 60 single- and sharp metal edges. closing. The chunky handle is useful for gardeners with large hands. ● Quality of cut ##### the spring. owering bulbs and ● Blade material Stainless steel ● Blade material Stainless steel ● Price guide £69.99 Single- owered Galanthus nivalis will 40 double- ● ● Blade length 6.5cm (2½in) Blade length 6.8cm (2¾in) give you simple good looks and a sweet owering bulbs for ● ● Handle material Brushed aluminium Handle material Nylon plastic scent of honey. The price of 30 single just £27.80. ● ##### ● ##### Comfort in use Comfort in use snowdrops bulbs is £11.95 or buy 60 bulbs Delivery from ● Quality of cut##### ● Quality of cut ##### for £23.90 and receive an extra 40 February onwards ● Price guide £22.80 ● Price guide £14.99 snowdrop bulbs FREE! depending on lifting Suppliers Double- owered Galanthus nivalis ‘Flore conditions. Bahco from SNA OFFER Europe (UK) CODE 01709 731731 ORDER FORM GN17/01/12 Whitby & Co Horticultural www.bahco.com How to order ITEM PRICE QTY TOTAL Knife CK26 Burgon & Ball By post Fill in your details Single- owering Galanthus nivalis £11.95 0114 233 8262 on the coupon and send Wenger Gardening Pocket Knife with a cheque (30 snowdrops in the green) www.burgonandball.com A fabulous, quality crafted knife with a solid brass body. It cut made payable to Mr Single- owering Galanthus nivalis £23.90 well and was comfortable to hold and use. Its weighty, solid 17500 Fothergill’s Seeds. Please (60 snowdrops in the green + 40 bulbs free) Draper Tools write your name and construction gave me con dence when cutting through 02380 494333 for address on the back. Or Double- owering G. nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’ £11.95 di cult materials. A lovely lightweight knife. Very similar to the Felco Victorinox knife, stockist details complete your credit/ (20 snowdrops in the green) debit card details. ● Blade material Stainless steel but not as comfortable to use because of the raised stud housings on www.draper.co.uk Double- owering G. nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’ £23.90 Burgon & Ball Classic Pocket Knife Opinel 7VRI ● Blade length 6.8cm (2¾in) GardenNews the handle. Velco Victorinox from Credit /Debit Card (40 snowdrops in the green + 20 bulbs free) ● Handle material Rosewood ● Blade material Stainless steel BEST Burton McCall Order Hotline 60 single- owering + 40 double- owering £27.80 A fabulous, quality crafted knife with a solid brass body, although I’ve had an Opinel knife for more than 25 years. They’re great little ● Comfort in use##### BUY ● Blade length 5.5cm (2¼in) 0116 234 4611 0844 770 4657 bulbs (Save £20) some sharp edges needed to be led down rst. It cut well and the knives, which, even though they’re made from wood, are one of the ● Quality of cut ##### ● Handle material Plastic www.uk.felco.com Lines open 8am – 8pm, solid, weighty construction gave me con dence when cutting lightest in the test. They feature a secure locking ring, which allows ● Price guide £15.95 ● Comfort in use ##### 7 days per week GN170112 TOTAL Opinel from Whitby & Co Orders should be over £10 through di cult materials. The chunky handle may suit you to lock the blade in either the open or shut position. I found the ● Quality of cut ##### All plants will be delivered Details below gardeners with larger hands. handle was just a little too short for me to use comfortably. ● Price guide £13.95 from February 2012 PLEASE SEND ORDER & PAYMENT TO: ● Blade material Carbon steel ● Blade material Stainless steel onwards (please note that Garden News Snowdrop O er, Mr Fothergill’s Seeds, Rookery Farm, Spear & Jackson we do not send order ● Blade length 7.5cm (3in) ● Blade length 7.8cm (3/in) 0114 281 4242 acknowledgements). Holbeach St John, Spalding Lincs PE12 8SG ● Handle material Rosewood ● Handle material Beech www.spear-and Packages may be sent I enclose a cheque/postal order for £ made payable to Mr ● Comfort in use##### ● Comfort in use ##### -jackson.com separately. ● Quality of cut##### ● Quality of cut##### Closing date: End of Fothergill’s Seeds (with name and address on the back) OR charge my Visa/ Taylors Eye Witness February 2012 ● Price guide £29.95 ● Price guide £9.50 0114 272 4221 Mastercard / Maestro card with: £ Card Number www.taylors-eye YOUR DATA WIN OUR BEST BUY -witness.co.uk PROTECTION Start Date / Expiry Date / We have 10 of the Whitby & Co Best Buy PREFERENCES knives to give away! Send your name and address Tina from Burton McCall Bauer Media (Publishers 0116 234 4646 Issue No (Maestro/Switch) Signature to Garden News Garden Knife Giveaway, PO Box 57, of Garden News) may also www.burton-mccall.co.uk Coates, Peterborough PE7 2FE or enter online at like to contact you by Title Initial Surname post or phone.