Soil Knife

[ChrisB]

Our talk last Thursday was by Robert Unwin, from RBGE.  His talk was about his plant hunting trip to USA last year.  During the talk he showed a picture of a 'soil knife' which looked like a particularly useful tool for me.  Afterwards I spoke to him and he told me it was made by A M Leonard, and was available on amazon.com as well as direct from the company.  I have looked all over to no avail, and when I tried to order from amazon.com it said it couldn't send it to me as I was ineligible because I'm overseas.  If anyone knows of a way I can obain this here in the UK I'd be delighted to know more.  It sure is a useful thing....

[Neil]

Chris I have one of these which is very similar

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/garden-tools/garden-knives/garden-knives---japanese/JP1259/japanese-planting-knife---230mm

they also do a 300mm one

[Martinr]

Chris, Amazon.uk has a 'soil saw' but I can't tell how similar it is to the knife you have seen.

[Rick R.]

Sod knives are fairly common in the landscape business here.  The Japanese planting knife isn't it at all.    Try searching "turf knife".  If I am not mistaken, this is what your looking for:

http://www.sprinklersupplystore.com/Dawn-Turf-Knife-p/tk300.htm?gdftrk=gdfV22401_a_7c1441_a_7c6793_a_7cTK300

[Anthony Darby]

I was browsing Amazon.com out of curiosity and checked one expensive knife. There is quite a variety of different sod cutting knives. I noticed that people who bought that item also bought tins of Heinz beans!

[ChrisB]

Neil, that looks a lot like the one Robert showed me.  He said the first time he used the Japanese version, it bent, and it doesn't look like it would when you see how robust it is.  So he said that the other one was what I should try to seek out.  The sod knife, Rick, isn't quite the same, being curved.  The soil knife looks like the one Neil has linked to.  I may get the Japanese version and give it a go, I'm probably not quite as strong as Robert anyway 

Anthony, you gave me my morning smile....

[Alan_b]

There are two vendors on Ebay (UK) who claim to sell the A M Leonard soil knife:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A-M-LEONARD-soil-knife-4752-/160954327662
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M-LEONARD-SOIL-KNIFE-NEW-BLADE-SHEATH-NEW-/160457206797

But both are US vendors who say they cannot post to the UK.

This is the knife listed on the A M Leonard web site http://www.amleo.com/Leonard-Soil-Knife/p/4752/ but it does not look as if they have considered the UK export market for their products.  It might be worth contacting the company directly.

[Susan Owl]

I'm using since several year a Japanese planting knife. It is one of my most important tools. Perhaps you find more if you are looking for "hori-hori".

[David Nicholson]

I use our old bread knife seems to work OK.

[emma T]

I bought one last year and now wouldnt be without it . Website for them. they are based in the Uk

http://www.niwaki.com/store/hori-hori/

I would also recommend their Topiary Clippers.

[ChrisB]

I've traditionally used bread knives David, but they don't have a point, and old serrated carving knives which do - but go dull very quickly.  These tools are built for the kind of punishment I will give them so I'm hoping to have one eventually.....  Have to say, the Hori Hori looks equally good, and I may have to invest in one of those too....

[mark smyth]

Loads of links for you Chris
here's another and the original http://www.amleo.com/Leonard-Soil-Knife/p/4752/

[mark smyth]

Reading through all I see Alan got there first. I'd bet one of out contact in USA would put one in the post for you.

[ChrisB]

You're betting on a winner too Mark.... I've got my fingers crossed now.  If I get it, I'll post a pic here so you can all see it.  Course, right now I wouldn't be able to use if for anything except building an igloo, but it will all melt to reveal my snowdrops and cyclamen coum soon....

[Neil]

Chris

You really have to apply some pressure on this one to make it bend.