Bulldog true to their word.

Thought I's just praise Bulldog for their excellent customer service and have stood by their guarantee on certain of their products. I bought 1 of their strapped Ash digging forks this Spring as I eventually broke my original Bulldog digging fork after about 20 years of use. The new fork was doing sterling work until I was wrestling with some Royal Ferns which didn't want to move much. To my horror I managed somehow to severely bend the metal strapping on the back of the fork (prongs and shaft are fine). I contacted Bulldog last Thursday and today post seeing a photo of the damage, they are sending me a replacement asap. Can't ask for better than that.Thanks Bulldog, it was a pity the fork didn't cope as well as my old 1 but maybe it was just 1 of those things and the replacement will last me for many years to come.

 

Better than your homebase jobbies then

 

On the topic of Bulldog Tools, have a look at this link: http://www.qualitygardentools.com/blog/?id=192

 

Just found this thread.. Bulldog tools are a premium quality tools. I have some friends who go sea fishing . And for digging lugworm they say nothing else works except a Bulldog fork , apparently digging in wet sand is really hard work and most forks fail within a day. So Buy British - Buy Bulldog

 

Harry, Here is a link you will like: http://www.bulldogtools.co.uk/features/the-bulldog-tour/

 

I've got a Bulldog Bulb Planter (the sort you stamp on with both feet). Built like a brick-outhouse, and it has done sterling work. By comparison the cheap ones I previous bought from the local shed didn't see their first afternoon out ...

 

Lovely video AA. I've entered the competition too. What lovely workmanship too,
thanks

 

Great video Alex . I actually served my engineering apprenticeship on the same site as Bulldog in Wigan they were part of the same group . They took all us shiney faced aprentices round the bulldog forge - that was an eye opener ! Red hot metal and big forging hammers making a hell of a noise. That was in 1968 ,the method is exactly the same now , premium quality hot forged tools.
I'll show this video to my fishing friend , who swears by the Bulldog fork.

 

Unfortunately I have to report that things aren't so rosey with Bulldog! The replacement for the 1 I bent in September (see original post) has also failed. I didn't use the new 1 until 4 days ago. I was digging up some self seeded saplings and I mean saplings not anything which remotely resembled trees and 1 of the prongs bent. I've been gardening for at least 40 years and know the difference between heavy digging and not, plus I in no way abused the fork ie jumping up and down on the handle (guilty of doing this in the past with an old Bulldog fork which didn't bend/break!) when struggling to remove the likes of a huge rootball. I am absolutely amazed that this is the 2nd fork to fail and this 1 bent on day 1 of being used. Contacted Bulldog again and another replacement is winging it's way to me. Their customer service is brilliant, just wish their forks were as good! I hope it's not the case that Bulldog used to be good but like so many brands, are not the quality they once were.

 

Worth looking in car-boot and garden-content auctions for old fashioned, "pre loved" tools. Sell cheap-as-chips IME, and once you've sourced a good'un are actually the real-deal from yesteryear.

 

So it's you Kristen who keeps beating me on Ebay and the likes! As usual you are absolutely right and I look regularly to see if any good old florks are for sale but unfortunately most on Ebay are way down South and therefore not great for me up in Scotland. If only the ancient fork which could well have been my grandfathers hadn't eventually decided to break I wouldn't be faffing around with modern inferior stuff now.

 

Only if you've been trying to buy poncy snowdrop varieties on eBay

I've got some nice tools ... hopefully not going to break anytime soon

You could look at tools from De Wit (catalogue only available as a PDF, and less interactive and image-y than a website, but Ho!Hum!) or Sneeboer both of whom make traditionally, although the couple that I own I'm not as enamoured with as I thought I might be ... "Couldn't afford not to have them" though

 

No I have not been trying to buy "poncy Snowdrops"
Thanks for the links I'll definitely have a look as I have grave doubts that the replacement no 2 will fare any better. I've almost got the stage of being frightened to dig up anything bigger than a clump of daises. I have some huge Hostas which could do with being split...reckon that will be enough to see off my "smart" new fork when it arrives!

 

Its somewhat amazing what they fetch. Here's a seller I've been following:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/csc/mrohowes/m.html?_ipg=&_from=&_nkw=&_armrs=1&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc

I make that £3,500 for just under 100 individual snowdrop bulbs, average of £37 each, highest was £337 and only 6 auctions under a tenner

Clearly I'm not a buyer, but would love to be a seller

 

If you are a 'millionaire' sure, look at De Wit & Sneerboer - but the best buy will always be a good well-loved secondhand tool from a reliable dealer or a first class seller on eBay - and go for famous English brands - Elwell, Brades, Spear & Jackson, CT Skelton, Jenks & Cattell or English Tool Co. (the old Bulldog brand) - If the tool has lasted 50 years or so it will last another 50 !!


a-a