Buy Burgon & Ball Garden Tools – British Steel Since 1730

Burgon & Ball – garden tools from Sheffield since 1730

If you want tools that outlast a couple of seasons, Sheffield is worth a look. Burgon & Ball has been forging cutting and garden tools there since 1730 – it all started with agricultural shears, and sheep shears are still part of the range today.

The core of the programme is garden tools and agricultural equipment for soil, cutting and harvest: hoes and cultivators, spades and forks, pruners and hedge shears, edging knives, plus sheep shears and hoof care tools for livestock. Around that sits everyday garden kit – gloves, watering cans, storage, planters. What ties it together is the origin: a region known for steelwork since the 14th century. In 1865 James Ball patented a process that made shear blades from solid cast steel instead of iron – at peak production 300,000 pairs left the works each year.

On materials, Burgon & Ball uses stainless steel for blades and blade backs, hardened carbon steel on cutting tools, and ash wood handles or non-slip plastic. In practice stainless steel means soil slides off rather than sticking, you don't need to oil after digging, and rust doesn't take hold in a damp shed. Handle geometry is built for longer sessions, with cranks and rests that keep your wrist in a neutral position. Part of the stainless range has carried the official endorsement of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) since 2012 – the British horticultural charity tests build quality and real-world performance before granting it.

The brand makes sense for you if you use the same tools regularly, year after year: in your own garden, on a smallholding, in landscaping or in a commercial nursery. If you touch the hedge twice a year, simpler kit will do. If you cut, hoe and harvest every week – or shear sheep and trim hooves – the difference shows in cut quality and service life. Since 2018 the company has been part of the Venanpri Group, alongside Corona and Bellota.

Overview:

• British manufacturer from Sheffield, founded 1730
• garden tools, cutting tools and agricultural supplies
• sheep shears and hoof care for livestock
• stainless steel blades, hardened carbon steel cutting edges
• ash wood or non-slip plastic handles
• RHS endorsement for the stainless range since 2012
• ergonomic handle geometry for longer sessions
• accessories: gloves, watering cans, storage, planters
• part of the Venanpri Group since 2018
• suited to garden, smallholding, farm and horticulture

Questions & answers:

What does the RHS endorsement actually mean?
The Royal Horticultural Society is Britain's horticultural charity. It only grants its mark to tools that pass build-quality and field testing. Part of the Burgon & Ball stainless range has held it since 2012 – it is evidence of tested quality, not a marketing badge.

Why stainless steel rather than ordinary steel?
Stainless doesn't rust and has a smoother surface, so less soil clings to the blade. You work faster and don't need to oil the tool after use. For cutting tools such as pruners and hedge shears, Burgon & Ball uses hardened carbon steel instead, because it holds an edge longer.

Is this worth it for a small garden?
If you garden regularly, yes – good handle ergonomics pay off within the first hour of weeding. For very occasional jobs simpler tools are enough, since durability matters less.

Manufacturer information

Responsible person