We are lazy & don't always (rarely!!) keep the garden things (shovels, rakes, forks) in the shed after being used so the wood handles get rough, break. I noticed a few that have the ?fiberglass handles seem to withstand our negligence better! The old fiberglass that was used would get rough & cut the skin but the newer (ours are yellow) ?fiberglass handles do not; we are now replacing the wood handle ones with the fiberglass as the wood ones break. Yes, we are lazy & just store the things where either we last used them or conveniently right by each garden bed ... GUILTY!

I looked for a new fork and couldn't find one with or without fiberglass. I agree about the fiberglass, so I was looking for one with a fiberglass handle. I have had a shovel that hasn't broken in about 15 years. Before that I broke a handle every couple of years.

I like a manure fork...

Here is a link that might be useful: ...like this one.

I use a pitchfork and like it over the garden fork. I've used both. The manure fork looks like it would be good.

I just use my border fork aka lady's fork. As the name implies, it's ridiculously small, but my compost has so many long 'bits' in it, that I don't think I'd want the loads to be much bigger.
I love old tools though and always keep an eye out for them. If I found a manure fork, I'd be thrilled!
Unless willing to pay really big $ for very good new tools, stuff from the first half of the 20th centur's generally very good. It's easy enough to get good new hickory handles, but new steel is generally rubbish.
I'm oldschool and can't imagine anything but wooden handles!

I had the same question last year and got good advice here:

Here is a link that might be useful: Best Fork?

Whether to use a manure (aka pitch) fork, Spading (aka garden) fork, or another type depends on mamny factors, mostly personal. I have used both as well as a hay fork (don't) and have not found much difference.
Repairing broken handles is relatively easy. Some manufacturers use a rivet at the tang to help hold the handle in place some don't. This link may be of some help and although this is about shovel handles fork handles are the same.

Here is a link that might be useful: repacing a shovel handle

Count me in as definately pitchfork!

How old is your garden fork? There probably is not a pin on your garden fork (you would notice it) forks that need a pin would have a socket attached to the tines for the handle (forged and welded into one piece). The more modern method (used from longer than just a few of us have been around until today) uses a tang forced into a hole in a wooden handle that is constrained/reinforced by a steel ferule.

If you have a newer garden fork, it might just be easier and quicker to buy a new one. Replacement handles will have a cost similar to inexpensive tools.

If you have a fork that is worth a new handle - pay attention to the grain of the handle. Replacement handles (in general) in my observation are nicer than original stock (it has become pretty 'old school' to replace tool handles). The grain of an ideal replacement handle would IMHO have 'lines' (growth rings) that would run from top to bottom while laying the fork on the ground. Close to that is acceptable, but at a certain point totally horizontal grain is better ( as long as there is little twisting of the grain in the handle - too much twisting of the grain makes the handle unacceptable no matter what).

If you have decided to fit a replacement handle, the hole in the end of your new handle will most likely be too small to suit. How could you adjust the fit if it was not? You will have to bore it out with a bit that is the smallest dimension of your tang ( say that your tang was 1/2" x 5/8" , you would use a 1/2" bit to bore the hole to the max depth of the tang. After that you would use small wood rasps to adjust the fit slowly or hope to get an acceptable fit by using a larger diameter drill bit. Do not try to fit your fork up to the hilt, allow for 1/2" to 3/4" for future adjustment if needed.

Turning a compost pile with a garden fork is much harder than with a pitch fork. The tines of a pitch fork are designed to penetrate loose material with little effort - garden fork tines are for engaging the earth with less effort and comparable results to a garden spade - you will notice the difference between the two when turning a compost pile.

I have a number of pitch forks - but I end up using a three tined one for very coarse material and a six tined one for almost everything else. For finer material I use a square shovel. It is quite a bit less effort to use a tool that has less weight to do the same job.

Best of luck!

If you can stick it back in the hole temporarily then drill holes at an angle into it from the wood section through the break and into the wood down in the steel section. Do this at several spots around the handle. Inject epoxy and install a dowel smaller than the hole. You can also use fiberglass string if you can find it. (Epoxy does not like a tight fit.) The epoxy will not only glue the break but will soak into the rest of the wood making it stronger than when new.
I coat all my shovel handles with epoxy when they get old. Especially at the connection to the steel. I have brought old antique tools, with the original handle back to life this way.
Off subject but I break a lot of leaf rake handles. I solved the problem by replacing them with 1/2" electrical conduit.

Wow, thanks for all the helpful responses! Cheapheap, I think the process you describe is the one I'd need to use for my handle. The metal ferule on the handle is not part of the metal fork. I agree with your assessment that it would be easier to just buy a new tool than to attempt to get a square peg into a round hole. I'm not completely helpless with wood working tools, but that sounds like something I'd end up messing up and still end up buying a new tool.

I think I'll buy a pitchfork/manure fork and give it a try. I've been wondering if it would make the work easier, but have been too cheap to buy one since the garden fork always got the job done.

The problem is, I'll probably end up buying a new garden fork too. I do use the garden fork in the dirt sometimes to move perennials. I think I'm going to miss it.

Novascapes, I wrote that response earlier this morning and forgot to post it. I just posted it and then read your suggestion. I'm definitely going to try your method of repairing my old handle. I have used epoxy a lot and love the stuff. It sound easier than installing a new handle, so I think it's worth a try.

I also love your rake suggestion. I have a weird method of using a rake when I'm trying to really dig in, like when getting stones the snowplow deposites on my lawn. I never thought of using a metal handle. Conduit is really cheap, too.

It's scary seeing an ad for a $140 compost fork in this discussion - no wonder they call this stuff "black gold" for the garden. Since the long handled pitch fork, 6-tines, that I use for my compost stays out by the compost pile year round, in the weather, etc., I don't think I could justify a tool costing that much for this task. Since I take 10' lengths of 2X4 welded wire fence, 4' tall, connected in a ring, not only to make my compost but also for storing shredded leaves and things that I use all year for covering whenever I put fresh kitchen scraps in the pile, I need the long handle to reach down into the bins for leaves (at least until it gets low enough to remove the ring) and to spread things around in my compost pile. And when I'm turning the pile, I like that the long thin tines easily pierce the pile. I also keep a shovel there, because everything that falls through the tines is ready for the shovel to move it around. My spading fork is more for digging in the garden and dirt.