Jakub Podlaha

Hey, it's really hard to get Ploskorez Flatcutter - The Fokina Hoe - here in Czech. Only one eshop sell those and they're often out.



I'd like to make a big order of them and sell them.
But I don't have experience with such kind of trade.
Guess it'll be learn as you go kinda business.

I'm looking for someone with experience in inter-state ordering of gardening tools. Someone from Ecominded maybe?
In my case it will be from Russia to Europe though.

I'd like to buy the original Ploskorez from the maker. But I'm not sure if that's where you get the tool these days.
After a long search I've found this address: http://www.offokin.ru/types
It seems to be the guy (his name in the url), but I don't know to be sure.
I'll contact them, but I want to do it right and be prepared.
Know somethng about shipping and taxes and stuff.  

Any advice or even real experience would be much appreciated.

Meanwhile, we're also working on the Czech Broadfork: https://permies.com/t/159222/Czech-Broadfork

I would gladly go up to $100 (from $15) for the cards and the signed book (I mean I would really like those... much much more than the online content... guess I just have too many videos to watch already), but I'm not in US Any chance of relaxing the US Only condition on that pledge?

I was also thinking about telling someone to make me one, but think I'll just order more of them and sell the rest to people interested in them - hope it will level the shipping costs somehow (we are in Europe though).

I do think a DIY version is "doable", it will be a little harder though. It's more about the angles, I guess.

You need to go more to the side with the first bend and then make almost U-turn to end up perpendicular to the handle (from the front view). That way, you'll have the blade "under" the handle, not sticking out of it.
Also the ploskorez is round at the bottom side which helps it to get through the weeds, but you can just file it to shape at the end.  
Make sure the U-turn part is also sharp - super handy, I sometimes cut stuff just with that part.

I don't think the material is too thick. I'd go narrower and shorter and file the bottom to be round, but wouldn't go thinner (hard to tell the thickness from the image though).

I would also omit the stiffener bit in the u-turn. Thats where the stuff needs to go through (and that's also why I wouldn't use thinner material - to keep strength).
If it is really necessary there (maybe your steel is not as hard as the original ploskorez), I'd turn it 90 degrees to create an extra hole in there.



I'm not sure if you were asking for smartytalk like this, so hope I'm not being rude.
I believe you'll get it much better next time and believe it is worth the effort Love that you started to work on this!

We were missing Broadfork in Czech. My favourite would be the Meadow Creatures one, but they are expensive and they don't ship to Europe. So we've decided to build our own and possibly s'more for fellow permies in Czechia.

Here is the making described in Czech language: Czech Broadfork

And here, you can see testing strength of the handles on overgrowth trees:



My ultimate goal is to sell permaculture stuff used by permies worldwide here in Czechia. Stuff like broadforks, fokin hoe or even tools and materials needed to build structures from Ridgedale Farm Builds or Polyface Designs books.

We are really just at the start, so I'm not sure, if this all really makes sense. Some people shown interest, so hope it will be worth the effort. What do you think?