Q: I thought copper was a soft metal.
Does it stand up to normal garden use?
A: In its pure form, copper would be too
soft a metal for most garden tools. However, our tools are made of a
range of copper alloys. The blades of all of the tools are solid bronze,
containing over 90% copper. The remaining part is tin. Bronze is more
hardwearing and keeps its sharp edge better than pure copper. The collars
of Sirius, Tuza, Hydra and Pegasus also have parts of brass, an alloy of
copper and zinc. The collars of Phoenix,
Polux and Lyra are pure copper.
Q: How do you sharpen the
tools?
A: There are two ways. Either file the
blade with a fine metal file, or put it on a block of wood and hammer it.
Hammering is a skilled job, as you can see on this video.
Q:Won't the copper go green over time?
A: No. The green is verdigris, which is
formed when copper comes into contact with acid. Copper roofs have
verdigris because rainwater with its absorbed carbon dioxide is naturally
slightly acidic. Groundwater is not naturally acidic. Even acid soil is
not acidic enough to cause verdigris. Our tools acquire a slight brown
patina over time, (see picture on right) that can be cleaned off with a
metal polish if you want to restore the original shine.
Q:How long should they last?
A: These are long-lasting tools, which
should outlast most of us. However, if for any reason you are unhappy
with the tool, we offer a no-quibble lifetime guarantee. We will refund
or replace an unused tool. We will also repair or replace a faulty tool.
Of course, this excludes normal wear and tear. The handles and shafts are
guaranteed for three years, and we supply replacements.
Q: Do the handles need any special care?
A: The small tool handles have been treated
with a coat of linseed oil. The shafts of the long tools are of untreated
European hardwood. It is good practice to oil the handles from time to
time, and store the tools out of the rain and strong sunlight. You
can also help the wood to seal by sanding it with very fine sandpaper,
initially 150 grade, and then even finer. Everyday use will also
help to seal the wood. Eventually they acquire a burnished shine. Do not
wash the handles.
Q: I have heard that slugs and snails
receive an electric shock when they come into contact with copper.
A: We don't subscribe to the electric shock
theory, for the following reason. We store our tools in an outside shed.
One winter, we noticed a snail's slime trail leading to the head of the
rake. It went over the rake and away from the other side. Either that was
an exceptional, inert snail, or it did not receive an electric shock. However,
it is true that plants cultivated with copper tools are less attractive
to slugs and snails. We suspect that this is more because they are
attracted to where iron or steel tools have been and not so much because
they are repelled by copper. More about this subject on the Slugs and Snails page of this website.
Q: Does copper deter earthworms?
A: Earthworms are annelids, a different
family from slugs and snails (molluscs). Annelids have haemoglobin just
as we and other mammals do, whereas molluscs such as slugs and snails
have haemocyanin, based on copper.
The use of iron or copper tools should have no effect on the earthworm
population. Certainly they are there as much as ever in our garden, and
we have used exclusively copper tools for several years now.
Q: Doesn't copper poison the soil?
I have been told that hammering a copper nail into a tree can kill it.
A: Copper is a valuable trace element, which
is in short supply in the soil in many parts of the world, including
parts of the U.K.
It is contained in many fungicides and plant feeds. It is necessary for
plant metabolism, particularly energy transfer. Our tools stay in the
ground for a shorter time than a nail hammered into a tree. Regarding the
nail in the tree, we have not met anyone who has actually done this.
However, too much of a good thing is bad for any living thing, including
trees.
Q: Why did the human race move from the
Bronze Age to the Iron Age?
A: We suspect the reason was not to do
with agriculture, but weapons of war! Iron and steel are harder than
bronze, but more brittle. They cause more friction than bronze and do not
keep their keen edges so well. And even more importantly, every piece of
iron is magnetised to a greater or lesser extent. This may not be
particularly relevant for weapons and armour, but is very significant
when working with the soil.
A: Yes. Viktor Schauberger, whose work
inspired our range of tools, was an honourable man, and we try to run
this venture in a similar spirit. Here are some aspects of our ethical
policy:
We aim to make the tools as affordable as possible.
These tools are not throwaway products. In fact, they are
guaranteed to last a lifetime.
The tools are made of long lasting,
environmentally-friendly (some would say environmentally beneficial)
materials.
