Cool Tools, lesser known tools that can improve your life

Hey Permies, I though it might be a nice idea to start a thread for lesser known or new innovations in tools to help share and spread these tools to the community. I am hoping to learn of some other tools besides the ones I will list from some of the great folks who have been discovering tools that really make life better.

Some examples to get the thread started.

*note links to where to purchase are just provided as examples for folks to get more info and ideas of pricing. I am not affiliated with any of these places or promoting them over any other source. You might be able to find better deals by searching these tools and finding other options to source them.

A couple examples of different Hori Hori style knives with some differences to the standard you see in all the garden stores.

The Barebones Hori Hori. While the Hori Hori knife is not that lesser known, this take on it is a bit different. With a more ergonomic handle, tempered steel that takes sharpening well, and a pommel that lets you use it to impact things. Though I am not a fan of the bottle opener.




*edit Feb 2 2018, the video link stopped working so put in a new video link

Can be found at http://realgoods.com/hori-hori-knife or https://huckberry.com/store/barebones/category/p/34748-hori-hori-gardening-tool?utm_source=shopping&utm_medium=googlep&utm_campaign=housewares.housewares&gclid=CjwKEAiA48fDBRDJ24_imejhwUkSJAAr0M5kUmh8cmBP9AdmscBRV88AI_8edw-2cyeVCWgDWt_t4BoC8Fzw_wcB

Lesche Digger. While not exactly a Hori Hori, these are very similar to Hori Hori style with some differences that make it worthy of consideration. Like the off set blade to give more leverage, or the downward facing serrations to give you root cutting ability when pushing into the ground, choice of left or right serration. Some folks might be familiar with the Garret Wade Pro Gardener's Digging Tool, which is similar in looks to the Lesche. The Lesche however is a superior quality version of these. The Lesche though might be lesser known due to it being mostly used by metal detector scene and not as well known in the gardening scene or even promoted or carried by garden suppliers.



Comparison of the Lesche vs Garret Wade.


Can be found at http://www.colonialmetaldetectors.com/lesche-digging-tool.html or https://www.amazon.com/Lesche-Digging-Tool-Cutter-Left/dp/B00AXB89PY

Next is the Magna Grecia hoe. This great hoe is catching on, but worth adding to let more folks know about. This is a special hoe design is like a combo of hoe and garden fork, that lets you penetrate deep into the ground with the tines to aerate and break up roots.





Can be found at places like https://www.thetoolmerchants.com/store/garden-tools/digging/digging-hoes/magna-grecia-hoe/ or http://scytheworks.ca/catalogue.html

My final example, is the Splitz-All. This is a slide hammer style wood splitter. While there are other slide hammer designs, this one has some great innovative features that set it apart and make it worth looking at. The two handed grip, the longer blade wedge, the multiple sizes/weight for different people's abilities and wood size, and the swiveling ability of the handles.



A decent review of these



Can be found at http://goodnuseful.com/splitz-all/

Hope folks find this thread useful and add to it with their own finds. There are a lot of amazing tools out there I suspect, that just don't get talked about enough or promoted by the industry. So giving us a place to exchange info on tools word of mouth I think is a great way to learn about things we might have missed.

One of the most useful tools we have is this small cart made from a baby stroller found at the dump.  We use it for all sorts of carting around the place, but mostly for moving loads of firewood from the woodshed to the house.  The deck will hold two 5 gallon buckets for carting liquids or soil, etc.

Tyler Ludens wrote:One of the most useful tools we have is this small cart made from a baby stroller found at the dump.  We use it for all sorts of carting around the place, but mostly for moving loads of firewood from the woodshed to the house.  The deck will hold two 5 gallon buckets for carting liquids or soil, etc.

Awesome, DIY and repurposed tools highly encouraged to be posted here as well as commercial products.

Awesome thread. As far as blades go, I don't have a particular item I recommend, but I'd like to point out the importance of a quality sharpener. My best knife was $3 brand new, only the best because with it I bought a $20 sharpener with it. Also, what's the purpose for the chains surrounding each three blocks of wood in the Splitz-All picture?

J Howard wrote:Also, what's the purpose for the chains surrounding each three blocks of wood in the Splitz-All picture?

That is to hold the wood together so you don't have to bend over pick it back up to split again. There are many different videos showing different methods of doing this. From simple tying a rope, using ratchet straps, using a chain, or the very popular old used tire. The one smart and cool innovation the company put on their version of the chain, is they added a rubber elastic section to allow some give and expansion as the wood splits apart. Though this could be achieved by buying chain and adding a rubber bungee to it. And the videos of people using all the other methods the issue of needing a little stretch in the binding never seems to really come up as an issue.

http://ecominded.net/news/fokin-s-ploskorez.html
I bought 2 of these... Used paypal, and had them shipped to the US... Grand total $35. A steal! I had to make handles for them, but a few minutes of work and I have tools that are AMAZING! I went to try them out, and the next thing I knew, an hour had gone by and my 4 strawberry beds were weeded and tidied up, ready for spring.

https://youtu.be/xtv-wjQY9AE

Great thread.  Anyone here use a broadfork?  They're expensive hand tools, so I'd like to know if they're worth it, and if so, brands and sizes you'd recommend.

Bonnie

Bonnie Kuhlman wrote:Great thread.  Anyone here use a broadfork?  They're expensive hand tools, so I'd like to know if they're worth it, and if so, brands and sizes you'd recommend.

Bonnie

I use the Meadow Creature broadfork. There are lighter less expensive ones but the Meadow Creature version is the strongest and most effective for breaking new ground.  It is capable of prying up a one man rock burried in the ground without damage. It is manufactured near me on Vashon Island, WA. I had mine custome made with the tines closer together for digging up himalayan blackberry crowns. That is another video project on my list.