is the right bamboo leaf rake extinct?

WANTED: Bamboo leaf rake that doesn’t lose enamel or deal with for a minimum of one season. Ideally with a padded sleeve to grip, somewhat than only a skimpy, plain wooden rod. Is that an excessive amount of to ask? Apparently so; I worry my preferrred of the bamboo rake—a instrument I’ve at all times liked for its mild weight, simple on the raker and the residents of the mattress being raked—has gone extinct.

It has joined the right long-handled shovel, one other instrument I simply can not appear to switch since mine broke years in the past. Sigh.

I’m not a bruiser, neither is the one who helps within the backyard part-time. We don’t attempt to rake gravel or too-heavy piles of moist, matted leaves, with a bamboo rake; we all know it’s not the proper instrument for these jobs. However one latest spring we busted three model new bamboo leaf rakes of their first month of use, raking borders and garden. The crappy metallic strap (above) that holds the tines in place let go very quickly on all; on one, some enamel snapped, too.

One latest raking season we had been just about rakeless, right down to a few these terrible inexperienced plastic rakes which have turn out to be the style, bought in emergency mode the earlier fall when nothing else was obtainable close by.

Looking for my dream rake, I discovered myself within the instrument aisle of the closest backyard middle speaking bamboo rakes. Three of us—the proprietor, a nursery worker and I—recollected the nice previous days when McGuire made them. No extra. (I did discover a classic newspaper advert for them, although, above.)

Of the present bamboo contenders, the enamel are sometimes too lengthy and too curved, however most vital: that rattling strap is insufficient to carry the fan of tines collectively.

No bamboo varieties at any native outlet made the minimize, so I reluctantly took residence one thing known as a Yard Butler rake (mannequin LT-20). This uncommon metallic spring rake violates my rule of by no means shopping for any instrument with a cute title. It’s very robust and versatile, in comparison with a typical metallic spring rake, a instrument I by no means use. The tines type of float in a perforated metallic strap that spans them (above), creating that mixture of sturdiness however additional flexibility.

The brand new rake price way more and can presumably final for much longer than my coveted bamboo one. It has a barely too-small head and an unpadded deal with. However I had leaves to rake, miles and piles of them, so onward it and I’m going collectively. To this point, so good, I’ll reluctantly admit, although I confess to persevering with bamboo fantasies. A few manufacturers I can not discover regionally are on mail-order–simply in case they show any good.

What instrument are you armed with as you sort out backyard cleanup? Metal spring garden rake? Or perhaps the telescoping, expandable metallic form some mates favor, however I’ve by no means fallen for? In the event you occur to know a supply for classic McGuire bamboo rakes or the equal, I’ll be eternally grateful.

(Disclosure: Purchases from Amazon affiliate hyperlinks yield a small fee.)