Country tool

How to weed?

I don't know exactly when Fokin invented his famous flat cutter, but in 2007 my mother already had one, and immediately with a "correct" handle - not a round, but a rectangular section. I got my own dacha in 2008, and since then not a single weeding or planting has been done without this tool. And nowadays fashionable organic farming generally recognizes only surface tillage - no more than 5 cm deep.

Fig. 4 Fokin's flat cutter is large and small

The Strizh cultivator, also known as the Swinging Pololnik, also minimizes the time spent on weeding and loosening. It works like a potato peeler. True, it also requires sharpening, and competent. The staple, fixed at the end, is sharpened on both sides, so the tool can be operated both towards you and away from you. With such a weeder, I weed, and at the same time I loosen a bed with strawberries measuring 8m x 1.3m in 10-15 minutes. The advantage over the Fokin's flat cutter: you won't miss with such a bracket and you won't cut a crop being accidentally processed. Disadvantage: some weeds that propagate by root shoots (for example, rape), grow strongly, because they are pruned underground, and not stretched out, as after the "Miracle shovel" Plowman ".

Fig.5 "Swift" is usually sold without a handle

Pololnik named after Mitlider and its "feathered" analogue

With such a system of growing garden crops, one cannot do without a weeder, and therefore Jacob Meatlider has developed a special weeder in the shape of a staple. Having 2 cutting edges, it is able to bite into the ground with both of them during the forward and backward movement of the tool. Thus, this weeder, named after the Meatlider, is able to weed a fairly wide strip in just 2 passes, cutting off weeds at their point of growth or chopping down roots at a depth of 1-2 centimeters. However, the structure resembling a stirrup, that is, closed on both sides of the cutting edge by arcuate rods attached to the handle, does not allow fighting large weeds. Here the weeder Strizh comes to the rescue.

Weeding machine "Strizh" for the garden

He has a very indirect relationship to the bird of the same name. Several models of flat cutters are produced under this brand, a regular frame Mitlider and a sheet-like one with an elongated loop of the working blade, a contour resembling a curved beak. They can hook plants, making a lateral movement like a hockey stick, while the lower knife sinks into the ground, and the upper one simply cuts the stems. There are many different photos of this tool. There is also a model, very reminiscent of a frame, with two arched holders, which, at the same time, has the shape of not a stirrup, but a slightly curved heart. All these bends allow you to work even with thick stems.

How not to buy a fake?

In an effort to capitalize on the popularity of the Fokin flat cutter, some unscrupulous entrepreneurs began to manufacture and sell his low-quality fakes. At first glance, it is difficult to distinguish a fake from the original, but with a careful examination of the instrument, it will not be difficult.

They can say that this is a fake:

1. Coloring. The original instrument is sold unpainted. The presence of a layer of paint on the instrument clearly indicates that this is a fake. You should not buy it - the paint will quickly peel off and the tool will be defenseless against rust - after all, unlike the original, its surface is not treated with anti-corrosion agents.
2. Flexibility.The original tool is made of quality materials, so when pressed, it bounces slightly, but does not bend. Counterfeits are made mainly of low-grade iron, so when pressed hard, they deform, noticeably changing the angle of inclination.
3. Equipment. The set of the original flat cutter includes 2 types of tools - large and small flat cutters. The original kit must necessarily include 4 fastening bolts and nuts, as well as a brochure "To the Earth with Science" with a color photograph of V. Fokin on the cover.
4. Logo and packaging. The original flat cutters are always packed in a triangular box with the organic farming club logo. The club's stamp is put on the instruments themselves, guaranteeing their high quality.

When buying a flat cutter, do not hesitate to ask the seller to present a certificate of the Organic Farming Club about the authenticity of the tool. Refusal to present it or the demonstration of some other documents indicates that this is a fake.

A variant of the original packaging of Fokin flat cutters from the Organic Farming Club

Advantages

The flat cutter would not have become so popular with gardeners and gardeners if it did not have a number of advantages over traditional tillage tools.

The main feature of the flat cutter's work is that the soil is only cut with it, but its top layer is not turned over, as when processing with a hoe.

As a result, moisture and microorganisms are better preserved in the soil, converting organic residues into vermicompost. This contributes to obtaining high yields of planted crops.

Other advantages of the Fokin flat cutter include:

1. Functionality. The flat cutter can replace all basic hand-held tillage tools. This allows soil cultivation and plant maintenance without wasting time changing tools.
2. Performance. With a flat cutter, you can process about 1 hundred parts per hour.
3. Environmental friendliness. Regular tillage with a flat cutter improves the structure of the topsoil. This allows you to get high yields even without fertilizing, ensuring the ecological purity of the grown products.
4. Reducing physical activity. Working with a flat cutter requires much less physical effort than with a hoe or shovel. Therefore, adolescents and elderly or sick people for whom heavy physical activity is contraindicated can work with a flat cutter.

To the listed advantages, it can be added that the cost of the Fokin plane cutter is much less than the total cost of those tools that he is able to replace.

The difference between an original product and a fake

Pirated copies sell for a small price, but their quality is disgusting. Illegal firms strive to reduce manufacturing costs and get more profit, they do not care about the reliability and durability of the tool. The original plane cutter of the inventor Fokin is determined by the following features:

• Triangular packaging with company logo.
• The set includes a large and small flat cutter, as well as a glossy brochure written by V.V.Fokin. At the end of the book you will find instructions on how to create a cutting.
• Fastening nuts, bolts and washers are coated with anti-corrosion dust. There are four of them in the package. Flat cutters are also sprayed to prevent rust formation.
• Honest sellers issue an official certificate that confirms the quality of the product.

A fake is distinguished by the following features:

• The fake plane cutter is made of thin, soft and light metal.
• The product is painted and does not have anti-corrosion.
• The box and label are handcrafted.
• The fastening system is missing or does not meet the stated standards.
• The certificate is printed on a standard printer.

How to use?

Flat cutting - the correct handling of the soil, by means of such processing, mulch is created and the soil is less mixed.Its structure is preserved and fertility improves. The process of flat cutting of the soil is less laborious and faster than the work of a hoe. The only difficulty is getting used to working with an unfamiliar tool. Taking it in hand for the first time, you need to work for about an hour and a half to understand in which position it is more convenient to do it, to get used to unusual movements and certain efforts. After that, it remains to evaluate the result and feel the difference.

Many gardeners try to use the weeder as a hoe. But this device is not intended for processing virgin lands, cutting weeds, breaking hardened lumps and working on heavy loams. They can loosen the soil up to 8 cm deep, but provided that the soil is sufficiently loose. Otherwise, it is not possible to use "Strizh" for a long time.

In the process of soil cultivation, it is easier to pull the weeder towards you and push away from you with light pressure on the handle. Its tilt and pressing force should facilitate the easy immersion of the blade into the soil for a couple of centimeters, while maintaining depth. There is no need to make chopping movements and put too much pressure on the tool.

Manufacturer features

The product is a sharp and thin blade, fixed in a steel frame. The frame is attached to the head for the handle with a hinge joint, which ensures the mobility of the cutting body when immersed in the soil. Thanks to this design, the blade moves at an optimal angle, which results in minimal effort and efficient cutting of plants.

The main feature of the tool is the shape and composition of the cutting element. For its manufacture, high-alloy hard steel and soft alloys are used, which are located at the edges of a strong plate. Thanks to this solution, when in contact with the ground, the soft material is grinded along the edges of the blade. It always remains sharp, regardless of the amount of work performed. Sharpening is only needed if the edge is damaged by hard objects in the ground. Chips and dents are removed with a hand sharpener or with an abrasive wheel.

The shaft should be:

• long enough to cover a large area without leaving one place;
• strong and heavy, so as not to make unnecessary efforts when immersing the frame in the ground;
• smooth but not slippery to ensure a firm hold in the palms.

The Strizh manual cultivator is intended for the following agricultural work:

• removal of weeds in beds and flower beds:
• loosening the soil before and after planting crops;
• cleaning the house area from grass;
• making grooves for landing;
• weeding in greenhouses and greenhouses;
• cleaning the roots of trees and shrubs.

The self-sharpening frame design allows for both forward and reverse movements of the tool, which saves time and effort. When passing through the ground, the knife does not create dumps, there is no need to re-pass the area with a rake for leveling.

More about devices

Let us consider in more detail the device and purpose of the weeder and ripper.

Pololnik

The weeder is a kind of hybrid of a plow and a hoe.

It is based on a trapezoid made of steel, the lower part of which is sharply sharpened. It is with its help that weeds are removed. At the top, there is a metal tube that attaches to a wooden handle.

The principle of the weeder's work is extremely simple: with its help, a person cuts off the top layer of the earth, in which weeds grow. In this case, young weeds are actually harvested along with the soil. As for the old ones, as a result of their work, their root system is significantly disrupted, as a result of which many die.

Manual devices differ in the angle of inclination of the lower part of the steel trapezoid. This primarily affects the comfort during work, as well as the technique used during weeding.For example, weeders with a blade angle close to 90 degrees are used in much the same way as hoes. With their help, you can even loosen the soil. Unbent bottom units are designed for chopping weeds. It is difficult to loosen the soil or cut off its top layer with their help.

Expert opinion
Dmitry Levin

Today in stores you can find more expensive weeder models, which can be tilted. In such devices, the cutting edge is not an integral part of the steel trapezoid, but is fixed to it with screws. If you loosen them, you can change the position of the blade. It is better not to spare the money and buy just such an option. It is more convenient and versatile.

The deflection of the cutting edge may also differ. On some models, it is semicircular. This makes it easier to work with the device and makes it more efficient, as it allows you to capture a thicker layer of soil.

Garden ripper.

There are also weeders on wheels. They are very similar to a plow and consist of the following structural elements:

• 1 or 2 wheels;
• a weeder with a straight blade located behind the wheels;
• metal frame;
• lever.

The person working with the device puts the blade close to the ground, and then begins to move the structure with a little pressure. As a result, the top layer of soil (and with it the weeds) is cut off.

The weeder on wheels is more massive, but it allows you to process the beds much faster.

Ripper

Ripper - a device for loosening the beds before planting cultivated plants, as well as the spaces between them. The device consists of several teeth and is equipped with a handle that is located at an angle of 90 degrees to them.

The ripper is very easy to operate. For this:

• the teeth are immersed in the soil;
• pull them out of the ground, turning it over.

As a result, the earth becomes looser, better enriched with oxygen and moisture.

Rippers come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The most common option is manual, which vaguely resembles a traditional rake or pitchfork. Crank wheel rippers are also available. Instead of wheels, they have sharp, star-shaped discs. Such a device is stuck into the ground, and then rolled forward with pressure. As a result, the earth is loosened. They are suitable for large areas.

And how do you work the soil on the site?

Ripper

Advantages and disadvantages of a flat cutter

A simple and unpretentious tool has certain advantages.

• Continuous use of the equipment will increase the fertility of the soil, which will remain moderately moist, saturated with oxygen and nutrients.
• Ease of use allows you to throw away most garden tools. Working with a flat cutter does not provoke pain in the back and joints.
• By changing the angle of inclination of the metal plate, the gardener is able to perform a variety of work, for which specific tools were previously used.
• Small plane cutter helps in the cultivation of hard-to-reach areas of the garden.
• Maintenance of the equipment does not require much effort: only periodic sharpening is required.

The cons of the plane cutter are as follows:

• This versatile tool is not capable of digging planting holes or mowing hay. He will not cope with large tracts of land, densely overgrown with weeds.
• It is problematic to replace the hoe with a flat cutter. Specific tools are better suited for this.

On a note! The cutting part should be sharpened, which is often directed towards the surface of the earth, from the opposite edge, only the burrs are removed. When using electric emery, minimal pressure is required, as hardness and reliability decrease as the temperature of the metal rises.

Making a flat cutter with your own hands

Manufacturing is not a complicated process.First you need to choose the material for the plate and the cutting. It must have increased wear resistance. The inventor used 65 G steel, which is difficult to process, but lasts a long time.

Pine, birch or ash are used for cutting. You will need a hammer, electric drill, pliers, grinder, whetstones, vise and blowtorch. When manufacturing, you need to adhere to the drawings and explanations, which will preserve the properties of the equipment.

1. The steel must be evenly heated red-hot and allowed to cool. Now you can cut off the desired length with a grinder and mark it.
2. Having clamped the workpiece in a vice, it is given a specific shape using a hammer and a soldering iron.
3. Hole drilling, sharpening and hardening are the final stages of creation.
4. Having chosen the material for the cutting, you need to process four sides with a plane and emery. Next, a place is marked for the holes, where the plane cutter and the handle will be connected with the help of fasteners.

The original device, created by the inventor V.V.Fokin, facilitates work on garden plots and allows you to maintain health and time. There are six types of flat cutter that are designed for a specific type of activity on the site. When buying products, you need to know the signs of the original and fake version.

4 How to work as a weeder of different models

When purchasing any tool, you must have an idea in advance how to manipulate it, so we suggest considering the use of each of the above weeding machines in different situations. Let's start with the Mitlider plane cutter. The number of operations it performs is rather limited. First of all, it cuts the soil well, and it is best to pull the tool towards you, so it digs deeper into the soil. However, when it comes to weeding, then they do not need a lot of effort, so you can work with the cutting edge in both directions. Also, the Mitlider weeder cuts the grass well if they just scrape it along the surface of the soil. You can learn more about this weeding machine in the video.

As for the Swift similar to him - in addition to the listed functions (trimming the top layer of soil and plant roots), which are also available to him due to double-sided sharpening of knives, the "feathered" weeder is able to make grooves in the ground. For this, the tapering part is intended at the junction of the two cutting blades. Especially convenient are models with a self-sharpening blade, which needs to be corrected with a touchstone only once or twice a season. But the removal of large weeds is no longer available to the Swift. Therefore, let's move on to the most efficient plane cutter, named after Fokine.

Self-sharpening blade models

So, to begin with, let's try the "poker" as a braid. Since both blades of the knife are sharpened with the same sharpness, you can swing the tool in both directions, clearing the area from the overgrown weeds. Not yet a machete, but not just a hoe. When low hemp remains from the weeds, they need to be removed. Now it is easy to get to the ground and we begin to use the plane cutter for its intended purpose, that is, we cut the top layer of the soil with it, cutting off the remnants of vegetation. At the same time, the roots of weeds are damaged by knives and next year they will not be so tall, and with constant cultivation they will wither away altogether.

As a rule, the Fokin plane cutter kit contains 2 nozzles, large and small, and at the first one of the holes, farthest from the working part, is duplicated for the possibility of changing the position on the handle.

Fokin flat cutter attachments

The attachments to the handle, in contrast to the other two pollniks we have considered, are attached to the side, with two bolts, which makes it easy to change the handle if it suddenly breaks, the main thing is to have a spare wrench at hand, as well as a wrench.As a result, the handle can be made from any timber by making 2 holes in it at the lower end and rounding the corners along the entire length for ease of holding in the hands. But back to weeding. If among the weeds comes across a particularly strong, with a powerful horizontal root, it can be uprooted. We drive the sharp end of the knife into the ground with slight pressure and press on the handle, prying the plant. How this is done - look at the video.

It is very convenient to make grooves on the tops of the beds with the help of the Fokin flat cutter. It is enough just to cut off part of the soil from above with the base of the knife, and a deep groove is formed along the earthen rampart, convenient for sowing seeds. In order to then sprinkle the planting material with soil, it is enough to draw from the bottom up along the ridge, from the base to the top, re-hilling it with the captured earth.

Description

Fokin's flat cutter is a device that makes it possible to work the land manually, while applying a minimum amount of effort. The authorship and patent for this invention belongs to V.V. Fokin, a talented innovator who invented an original tool that facilitates the hard work of a working agrarian.

The flat cutter has a positive effect on the condition of the soil and has several important functions:

• shovel;
• rake;
• hoe.

Flat cutters are of three types:

combined tool;

In total, this tool can do about 20 types of different work.

The soil is cultivated without significant damage, while the weeds die. Also, noticeably less effort is spent during the production process, productivity is significantly increased.

TYPES AND FEATURES OF MANUAL SHOULDERS AND NOZZLES

Pololniki, like other agricultural implements, are produced by different factories under different brands. But, it should be said that they differ not only in names, but also in some design features.

POLOLNIK "STRIZH"

This agricultural tool is made in the form of a metal shackle that is sharpened evenly on both sides. Thanks to this design, it easily cuts off a thin layer of soil and leaves it in place, preserving the structure of the soil.

The hardened steel from which the tool is made practically does not require sharpening. It is not recommended to use it on "clogged" soils and on virgin soil - it is ineffective. But to get rid of the young growth of weeds, it will be very useful.

FOKIN FLAT CUTTER

This instrument has an interesting history. V.V. Fokine invented and designed it after suffering a severe heart attack - working with a shovel was contraindicated for him.

And, instead of giving up his beloved gardening, he made life easier for himself and many other summer residents. The flat cutter looks like a metal bracket, and can replace almost all gardening tools.

Fokin's flat cutter

It weighs very little. With a flat cutter, you can loosen, fluff, trim, undercut, break the ground, rake and form ridges, thin out. ... This is a truly versatile tool.

PROPOLNIK "RAZOR"

Perhaps one of the oldest options for manual weeders. Has a bracket design fixed at both ends. Cogwheels are placed on the sides of the bracket.

And this is the main disadvantage - the earth is constantly hammered into the wheels and the grass is wound. They have to be cleaned. Creative gardeners saw off the wheels and use the tool for their own pleasure. They work like this: they drive the blade to a depth of 2-3 cm and pull it with forward movements. The sharp blade cuts weeds easily. Requires periodic sharpening.

CLEANER FOR MOTORCULTIVATOR (MOTORBLOCK)

Usually a weeder attachment for a cultivator comes with a hiller. With their help, hilling, weeding and cutting of ridges are carried out. The construction of a weeder for a walk-behind tractor consists of several high-strength knives and blades.

Weeder to walk-behind tractor

The nozzle is installed on the gearbox shaft

IMPORTANT: adhere to safety measures when working with polishers for walk-behind tractors

The weeder for the garden is not a tool of struggle, but an instrument of order. Use it primarily to maintain order in your garden and then you will not need to strain in the beds.

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The unit itself has the configuration of a bent plate, the edges of which are well sharpened on a grinding machine. The performance of this device depends on the quality and strength of the metal. Most often, the manufacturer offers sets of two tools (large format and tools of small parameters).

It is very good to huddle ready-made plants with such a device, while usually wide blades are involved. Correct hilling requires that the wide blade is immersed in the ground for a minimum distance, then with the help of small oscillatory movements the soil is “furrowed”.

It is also good to level the ground with a flat cutter and fill in the seeds. This is done using a wide blade as well.

There is an additional hole in the plane cutter, which makes it possible to change the angle of the cutting knives; it is also possible to modify the functionality of the device for working with the right and left hand.

Having bought a tool, you should test it for some time, understand the principles of its operation. You should also adjust the functionality so that it optimally matches the parameters of the owner.

There are 6 types of flat cutters in total.

Large-sized "carpet", it is designed to work on large areas.

The large flat cutter is convenient for working the soil (furrows) during sowing work. Also, this device is often used for weeding and loosening.

Weeder features

A popular and effective garden tool in its class, manufactured by "AZIA NPK" LLC. A simple design, the main feature of which is the sharpness of the edge, which does not need sharpening for a long time or self-sharpens during operation. This type of flat cutter is suitable even for working on dense loamy soil that is difficult to any other influence.

The tool consists of a handle and a pair of cutting elements aligned in the shape of a heart. According to the length of the handle and the blade, "Strizh" is divided by size: large, medium and small. The miniature model has a stalk 65 centimeters long, which is almost 2 times less than that of the largest model. The shank can be made personally of any desired size. The appropriateness of using each specific tool depends on how far the plants are planted from each other. With a small distance, a small weeder size is more suitable and vice versa.

1 Weeder and flat cutter - two tools in one

First of all, let's determine whether you often need a weeder with a narrow and sharp working edge when processing a site. It would seem that any work can be done with a trapezoidal hoe of medium width, with a short metal plane. Turn it sideways - now the corner with its "beak" bites into the ground, and where necessary - you can walk with all the blade. But no, in narrow aisles with such a tool it is very easy to violate the integrity of the ridges, in which the plant roots are hidden. Yes, and under the leaves of garden crops, you cannot see where the wide knife of the hoe will pass, so you can chop the stem by accident. And narrow beds are increasingly appearing on the plots of those landowners who are familiar with the Meatlider method.

Narrow beds using the Meatlider method

We recommend that you familiarize yourself

• How to get rid of weeds
• Seeder - which type of equipment to choose?
• Cordless sprayer - "Clever", "Sadko" or "Worker"?

Today, the method of using narrow ridges and wide gaps between them is considered one of the most advanced, since it provides high yields.It is very simple to create a similar layout of the garden for yourself, it is enough to mark the width of the passages of 1.5 meters with pegs, leaving a distance of exactly 45 centimeters between them, where the plants will be planted. We huddle and level the beds so that in the middle part they are a little higher than the aisles, and at the edges they are limited to bulk shafts of one and a half dozen centimeters, no more. Plants are planted on the inside of the "boards", feeding and watering are carried out along the hollow between the shafts.

Typical flat cutter or Fokin weeder

Many held in their hands a tool for pruning the soil and roots of weeds, resembling a poker in shape - a flat cutter with a sharply sharpened knife located at an angle to the handle. And few people know that all models with a similar shape are analogs, while the original is the weeler engineer Fokin. The limited legal capacity after suffering a heart attack prompted him to develop for himself the most convenient and effective tool capable of performing many different operations.

Pololnik engineer Fokin

In particular, a flat knife with two sharp edges, located at an angle to the handle, allows you to cut plants like a slant. In this case, the base of the cutting part of the Fokin plane cutter, curved downward by an arc, easily bites into the ground, leaving a loosened groove behind. Actually, there are 3 sharp edges in the tool, one of them falls on another edge of the plate, the end edge, the farthest from the handle. Slightly chamfered, it can easily enter the ground if used as a narrow hoe. In more detail, you can see the Fokin weed in the photo.

Flat knife with two sharp edges

Thus, you can work with the tool in 3 positions - horizontally to the ground, cutting a thin layer of soil, with a blade located at an angle to the ground, for scraping-cutting weeds, and perpendicularly, instead of a hoe. And this is in addition to various intermediate functions that can be carried out by certain sections of the working surface. But the tool also has disadvantages - it is difficult to work with a Fokin flat cutter in narrow aisles and under films of greenhouses, as well as in small gaps between plants.

Operation and repair manual

When using the Swift hand tool, the following rules must be observed:

• Before starting work, the tool must be inspected for mechanical damage and signs of wear. It is necessary to check the correct operation of the hinge mechanism.
• It is not recommended to use excessive force during the weeding process, as this can cause the tool to bend and lose its functionality.
• Before you start working on the area, you need to walk over it and remove solid objects from the ground that can damage the blade (stones, iron, glass bottles).
• After finishing work, the tool must be cleaned of soil and grass. In case of severe contamination, the nozzle is removed, soaked and washed. After that, the metal must be wiped and lubricated.
• For the off-season period, the product must be preserved. To do this, it is removed from the handle, cleaned of dust, dirt and rust. Then the device is abundantly covered with thick grease (lithol, grease) and wrapped with a thick cloth or wax paper. Store the device in a dry place protected from precipitation.

The repair consists of straightening bent guides and straightening damaged blades. When sharpening, the metal must be constantly dipped in water so as not to overheat.

Advantages and disadvantages

A weeder made of alloy high-strength steel 65G is preferred for:

• plasma hardening of cutting parts;
• self-sharpening blades;
• double-sided sharpening of the cutting part;
• the reliability of the base to which the handle is attached.

"Strizh" owes its sharp knives to a special technology of edge hardening, which makes it possible to operate the tool for a long time without fear that the knives will become dull. But even though they are sharpened in the work process, it will not be superfluous to sharpen them before the onset of the new season. The advantage of these knives is also in their small thickness, which makes it easier and easier to enter the soil, making it easier to work in both directions.

Since this type of cultivator belongs to the category of hand tools, it is important to correctly attach the accessory to the handle. Its length must be selected in accordance with the height of the person who is going to use it in the garden.