[angelavdavis]

Hi all,

I recently took over a plot with very compacted clay.  Whilst trying to dig out a 6ft chard plant, I found that I had managed to bend the tine of my stainless steel border fork.  Bit annoyed as it was a birthday present last year, so isn't very old and I am finding it really hard to use now with this bent tine. 

Has anyone managed to straighten a bent tine on an stainless steel fork and if so, has it stayed in place or is it doomed to fail?

[arugula]

I'll watch with interest for any answers about success, but stainless steel has a hard anti corrosive surface and once it has bent it is more than likely to break if more pressure is placed on the weakened area.

[SnooziSuzi]

Me too.

The same thing happened to my stainless steel fork when I was trying to dig what turned out to be a solid concrete lump that was buried just under the surface

I've just had to resort to using it as it is, although it does make it harder to use now with one prong bent backwards

[olde9856]

Local Blacksmith may be worth a call, dont think you can do it yourself

[SnooziSuzi]

Local Blacksmith ...

 

[smud6ie]

Ive straightened a dozen or so over the years,not had one break during the process but they generally bend again during use.
When trying to straighten it is not always obvious where the bend has taken place as the tine  may look bent but if its one of the end ones it may be that the horizontal foot bar that joins them has twisted .
I realise that not everyone has an anvil in their shed so have taken a pic of a couple of tools can be used to get a slow steady  pressure to straighten in the right position on the tine,low as possible for an end tine which has twisted the H bar or a couple of inches  from the H bar if the tine is bent.
smud6ie
Edit:
Lay fork on the ground,bent tine downwards, with tool positioned over tine and push down towards handle,it may not be obvious from the pics but the tools shown are more than two feel long so give good leverage but I'm sure you will  get the idea?

[Lardman]

I LOVE the adjustable - couldn't you find a bigger one 

[smud6ie]

I LOVE the adjustable - couldn't you find a bigger one  

Yes but it wouldn't fit in the frame! 

smud6ie

[mumofstig]

I lay them on the floor and jump on them till they're straightish 

But once they've bent it usually means I'll be getting a new one in a couple of weeks, cos they'll bend again.

[Benny130]

I straightened mine in a drain cover. The sl;its make it easy to address whichever prong it is and they are nice and heavy so you can put as much pressure as you need on!

[Trillium]

I'm sure I buy forks meant to be bent because they're they most crooked things you've ever seen once I'm finished for the day 

OH simply sticks it upright into a table vice with prongs lined up as much as possible, then slowly begins to tighten the bent one into line. Can't do it fast or you risk snapping the metal.

[allotmentann]

I don't like stainless steel I think it breaks too easily,  just managed to break one in two places digging up bindweed. I think a good fork is worth laying out for. There are a few tools that get more use than any others and I try to buy the best I can afford. I have decided only to buy solid forged ones with life time guarantees from now on! (I reckon it will work out cheaper in the long run!).

[angelavdavis]

I lay them on the floor and jump on them till they're straightish  

But once they've bent it usually means I'll be getting a new one in a couple of weeks, cos they'll bend again.

I tried this on my solid clay soil afterwards and nearly broke my neck when I rebounded into a neighbours plot!  

I think the fork is cursed, I nearly impaled myself on it a month ago when it fell off the tool rack in the shed and landed just above my knee!  Thank goodness I had trousers on and I ended up with a slight dig and bruise.

Well, on the bright side, my efforts to straighten it out will provide hours of entertainment for my husband and fellow plotholders!  smud6ie, I bow to your adjustable spanner resource pool which I could never allow my husband to be let loose on for fear of him injuring himself.

I will need to chat up a plot neighbour who is an engineer (they always know how to fix these things!)

It is a http://www.dobies.co.uk/Garden/Garden+Equipment/Garden+Tools/Forks+and+Spades/Greenman+Border+Fork_584517.htm, I have looked on their website (as mentioned it was a gift) and annoyingly there isn't a guarantee.

I struggle a bit finding tools as they always seem too darn heavy to lift before you even use them - hence my only using a border fork.  I have a cheapy cheap fork which we bought when we first took over the plot and were concerned about leaving decent stuff in the shed in case it was pinched - that thing seems to be solid!

[Plot74]

Tools are made for a spasific use and if miss used they tend to bend.
We have all done it in the past you learn by your mistakes. Once bent  even if it can be straightened it will always be a week point .
I have bought good quality fork and spades but seem to use the older ones that were left on the. Plot when I took it over.