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Electric Garden Shredders
Garden shredders are one of my favourite tools. Gone are
the days of smoky bonfires, neighbours complaining of smelly washing, dusty
cars and burned down homes. I now longer disguise my car as a mobile
forest and spend hours in a queue waiting to see the waste of an entire
city. Instead I sit happily beside a shiny machine feeding in branches and
receiving bags of woodchip mulch that I USED TO PAY ££££,S FOR.
Shredders are lovely, the equipment industry knows this and has flooded the
market with domestic shredders. Many unfortunately are rubbish.
I have tested the following shredders
AL-KO SP5000 Silent shredder, AL-KO Powerslider2500R
shredder, Atco 1800 Quiet shredder, Bosch AXT 180 Rapid Shredder, Bosch
AXT200 Rapid Shredder, Bosch AXT2000 HP Silent Shredder, Bosch AXT2000
Rapid Shredder, Bosch AXT2200 Rapid Shredder ,Bosch AXT2200HP Quiet
Shredder , Black & Decker GA
1600e shredder, Draper 1800w and 2400W Shredders, JCB GSB 1800 Shredder, Makita
DSH201 Shredder, Powerdevil shredder. Ryobi ESR2400. Flymo Pac-a-shred.
my readers have also provided good feedback on the
Ryobi RGS 1500 Shredder, MTD 115E shredder, Viking GE35L
shredder, VikingGE103 shredder.
Want the best selling - award winning - Which recommended
garden shredder?
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Top Tip - Always wear goggles and gloves when using garden shredders. If
you really want a poke in the eye let me know and I will see what I can
do. |

Some of the many garden shredders that I have extensively tested during the
last 8 years. |
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Quiet Shredders - Crushing cog or Spiral screw mechanism?
My recommended crushing type (silent or quiet) shredder is
the Bosch AXT2200 HP. This machine is the most heavy duty and well made of
the Bosch machines.
It uses cogs to crush the branches into chunks rather than chippings.
it is more robust than the cheaper but equally effective Bosch AXT2000HP
machine that uses a spiral cutter.
for more details or to send me feedback on your shredder mail me - fred@fredshed.com
check shredder prices at garden4less.co.uk
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The Three Shredders You've
probably heard of the Three Tenors! well they are boring compared to the
Three Shredders I tested in my "shread to shread" showdown! Bosch
(Atco) Makita (Brill), and JCB and Draper did the job, (in different ways). Let me know if you have a shredder
that works well and we can tell the world. I have also
tested many more shredders that I would not allow in my shed and sourced
hundreds of shredders for my readers who supply me with feedback on
performance and longevity.. There are 2 basic types of electric shredder, cutting
(spinning blade) and crushing
(cog or spiral screw) shredders. There are pros and cons of each depending on what you want to
achieve. My favourite "silent" shredders are the Bosch AXT 2000HP silent shredder
and the AXT2200HP.
for
more details or to buy the Bosch AXT2000HP silent shredder from Amazon click here
see a Makita shredder for woody material
and leaves
(£600
plus!)
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Cheapest Garden
Shredders
(Impact or Spinning Blade type)
| As these machines are simple and easy to make the can
be very cheap and can be good at dealing with softer material. Some of
these cheap shredders are still total rubbish and should be avoided. The
cheapest ones have one blade like a razor blade and underpowered
motors.
In 2004 Bosch introduced the AXT "RAPID" impact shredders to
compete with the budget shredders. These machines can take
soft foliage as well as woody branches and have
double (reversible) blades similar to a rotary lawnmower.. However
some of my readers reported rapid blade wear and in response
Bosch have designed some new blades which are laser cut in Switzerland
and should be much better.
If you
are thinking of buying a cheap shredder or want to tell me about a
bad one please e-mail me at
fred@fredshed.com
and I will recommend the shredder for your needs
Breaking News -
the Bosch AXT180 and AXT200 have been upgraded to NEW BOSCH AXT2000
RAPID and AXT2200 RAPID
WITH MORE POWER AND IMPROVED SWISS MADE BLADE
Winner of the 2007 Golden Shed Award (and
later Which best buy!)
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A typical cheap impact or spinning blade shredder
This one has one (reversible) razor blade type cutter. The Bosch AXT
rapid shredders have 2 cutting blades on the end of a lawnmower
style cutting bar.
The most complained about products reported to fredshed are cheap
brands of garden shredders and bendy stainless steel garden forks
Do yourself and the planet a favour and avoid these largely Chinese
made products. Mail me if you need help sourcing good quality long
lasting garden power tools.
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Bosch AXT RAPID Shredders
Winner of the 2007 Golden Shed Award
(and then Which best buy)
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Upgrade your Bosch Rapid Shredder with the new laser cut blade made in
Switzerland
lasts up to 70% longer
£12 approx plus delivery
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STILL WANT TO
KNOW MORE ABOUT SHREDDERS ?
Click here
for my page dedicated to BOSCH GARDEN SHREDDERS
also links to Bosch Shredder parts
and repair tips!
Best Electric Hedge
trimmers
Breaking
News - New Generation of Cordless Hedge Trimmers launched by Bosch
with Lithium Ion Batteries
Cordless hedge trimmers are
great tools and have significant safety and convenience advantages
over corded tools. However hedge-trimmers "take a lot of stick" and
need a lot of power, which is hard to supply from a small battery -
until now - with the new Lithium Ion Batteries
click here for more details on the latest and best cordless electric
hedge trimmers
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The machine on the right has a 520watt motor and 53cm blade which makes it
one of the most powerful and longest reach domestic hedge trimmers
available. It was a big hit with my testers and is one of the best selling
machines on the market. Electric hedge trimmers are very effective but also
dangerous tools to use as it is so easy to cut the cable or get tangled in
it and fall.
Battery powered cordless electric hedge trimmers have really improved
in recent years and many use batteries that fit other tools as well. One
of the best, and affordable is the 18v Ryobi Cordless Hedge trimmer. A
good feature is that the battery for this can also be used in
drills, sanders, grass trimmers and about 20 other tools.
Check prices on Ryobi 18v cordless hedge trimmer
See the other tools that run on the Ryobi one plus battery system |
Flip-over handle on this Black and Decker Hedge trimmer gives extra reach.

Electric hedge trimmers can be dangerous to use.
You should wear goggles and use and RCB in case you cut the cable. |
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Gardengroom safety hedge trimmer
Many accidents happen with electric hedge trimmers,
either by cutting fingers or electrocution from cutting the cable.
Although my testing concluded that the Garden Groom is not the best
hedge trimmer per se. It is definitely the safest and the only one that
collects and shreds the trimmings.
The Garden Groom works best on well maintained hedges
that are not too wide. It is fairly heavy and the collecting box fills
quickly. However it is now supplied with a tube and large collecting bag
which is also available for the older model, known as the Maxi
Price guide £89, inc external collecting bag
Nominated for a 2007 Golden Shed
Award
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This is the Garden Groom Midi, there is also a
higher performance model known as the Garden Groom Pro

click to buy Garden Groom Midi, Maxi or pro |
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Best Heavy Duty Electric Hedge Trimmer
Probably the most impressive mains electric hedge
trimmer I have tested is the Makita UH4850 from Japan.
This well made professional quality machine has
precision ground 48cm blades and a 500w motor that cuts even thick stems with ease.
It is priced well above the Bosch and Black&Decker but
if you do a lot of hedge trimming then it may be worth the money. This
machine is built to last and has been designed so you can easily change
the motor brushes. Makita models have a long market life and spares are
available for many years.
RRP £175
commonly discounted at around £100
check
price of Makita UH4850 hedgetrimmer
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Built to last -
Designed to perform

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Long reach -Cordless Hedge Trimmers
As long as your hedge is not in a confined space then a
long handled hedge trimmer is a much better tool to use. These machines
are growing in popularity and come in a range of sizes, petrol and
electric and now battery powered.
I have tested the Gtech HT, Black and Decker, Gardena
and Makita Cordless telescopic Hedge-trimmers
I am currently testing the Flymo 24v system
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Lightweight - Long reach -Cordless Hedge Trimmers
G tech HT 01 Nominated for a
Golden Shed Award
This fantastic tool is so light and easy to use yet
has enough power to cut a proper size hedge. The secret is that the
powerful 12v battery is carried on your person (like a handbag full of
make up).
The head can be tilted to a comfortable angle and
the shaft is telescopic too.
This was one of the best new tools of 2005 and is a
real joy to use. The long reach and low voltage also make this tool
much safer to use than conventional mains powered hedge trimmers.
The Gtech HT01 is still in production in 2008 and is
a well tested product that I have no hesitation in recommending as it
is the lightest and easiest to use with good quality cutting blades.
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Fredshed - best cordless hedgetrimmer!
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Flymo Sabre Cut 24v Cordless System
This multi tool system uses a powerful 24v battery
that you carry via shoulder strap to keep the tool as light as
possible.
There are 4 tools available which are the hedge
trimmer, pruning saw, grass trimmer and a blower.
To compare prices on the Flymo Sabre cut with another online retailer or
to see the optional
accessories
click here. |

Hedge trimmer

Pole saw
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Best electric grass
trimmer?
18v cordless trimmers
tested and reviewed

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Many retailers and websites want to sell you the Grass Trimmer - but
can't be bothered to sell the line and spools you will need to
continue using it.
buy trimmer spool for Draper, Ryobi and Bosch Grass Trimmers |
After testing most of the popular makes of electric
trimmer I was very disappointed. Many were either uncomfortable to use
or had ridiculously complicated nylon line dispensers that were very
hard to replace.
I know of at least 2 people who became so frustrated that they
smashed their trimmers against a
wall and threw them away!
Another annoying thing about electric grass trimmers is the cable -
that's why I much prefer the battery powered cordless grass trimmers.
The new cordless trimmers from Wolf and Bosch have a wheel that
supports the weight of the machine and the handles and shafts are
adjustable in every way to make the tools easier to use.
The Wolf Trimmer featured here is the Wolf GT845. it
is mains powered and uses a twin line spool called a GTF8.
The cordless version of this grass trimmer is one of
the most expensive but has a good quality battery.
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Flymo 24 volt cordless grass trimmer
Most battery powered grass trimmers lack power due
to small batteries, or if they have large batteries they become heavy
or unwieldy.
Flymo has tackled this problem by using a large 24v
battery which you carry about your waist in a bag. This leaves the
trimmer as light as possible and makes for a good alternative to a
petrol trimmer for small to medium size areas.
As well as the decent battery the Flymo trimmer
forms part of the Sabre system so you can use the handle and battery
to power 3 other tools, which are,
Pole type light chainsaw
Hedgetrimmer
Leaf Blower
Click here to buy the Flymo 24v grass trimmer from a Fredshed
recommended retailer
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The trimmer head can be easily turned to trim the
edges
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Bosch Grass Trimmer Range
18v cordless trimmers
Pictured right is the Bosch ART 26 cordless trimmer.
This is a well balanced and easy to use trimmer and has the all
important swivelling head to enable you to trim the top and side edge
of your lawn. This battery powered trimmer also has the advantage of
using small plastic blades instead of a nylon spool.
The Bosch range of trimmers has been improved for 2008 and are now
available with the lighter and more powerful Lithium Ion batteries
that are set to change the whole cordless powertool market.
The 2 Bosch Cordless trimmers are called Accutrim whilst the 3 corded
models are called Combitrim as they have a normal tap and go spool and
a extra strong spool as well
I really like the idea of plastic blades on grass trimmers and found
that they perform well and are VERY easy to change when worn. A pack
of 24 for the ART23 and ART 26 Accutrim grass trimmers costs around
£4.99.
click here to buy the Bosch ART 26 18v cordless trimmer from Amazon
or better still!
buy the latest model with Li-ion battery
see the largest range of discounted grass trimmers
including the above mentioned Bosch, compare prices!
under testing!

14.4v Li-ion Trimmer
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The plastic blades are not so good when cutting the edges against
concrete or brick as they are liable to shatter.
If you want to trim this type of edge use a line trimmer or better
still save the planet and use edging shears!

Plastic blades uses on the Bosch cordless trimmers -stored neatly in the handle
Buy pack of 24 plastic blades for Bosch ART 26 Grass Trimmer
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Black and Decker GL690
Grass Trimmer The most powerful electric trimmer
available is the
Black & Decker GL690 Strimmer, which has a 630w motor. As
with other higher spec machines it has full adjustment and can be
used to trim the top or sides of your lawn. An interesting
feature with the GL690 is that is has two different and
interchangeable cutting cassette systems. One conventional spool of
nylon and then a "heavy duty" clip in blade like a big nylon cats
whisker.
see more trimmers from a Fredshed recommended supplier
DID YOU NOW?
The word "Strimmer" belongs to Black and Decker. If you call any
other make of grass trimmer a "strimmer" you could be sued! |
Black & Decker Trimmer Spares
Black and Decker trimmers use 3 types of nylon cutting systems. Manual
for the older and low spec models and reflex for later models. The
large machines like the GL680 GL685 and GL690 use the Reflex plus
system which has the option of the heavy duty "cats whisker" type
blade. I quite like the cats whisker blades as they are easier to
fit. Personally I hate nylon trimmer spools as I have wasted many
hours trying to fit or fix them. I have also wasted many hours gazing
at a rack of plastic in B&Q wondering which one to buy!
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Buy the cats Whisker heavy duty line for the Black & Decker GL680
GL685 and GL690 Trimmers

click here to buy nylon spool for the GL680/685/690 Trimmers
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Alternative to Nylon Grass Trimmers
Personally I don't like electric trimmers that cut
with Nylon cord. I find that the cord is likely to become brittle over
time and break, fail to self feed and can be hard to replace or find
replacement cord.
For small jobs I prefer an electric version of the
sheep shear that has metal blades and is battery powered.
This type of tool has been around a long time and is
well tested. The Wolf tools version is the most versatile as it can be
fitted to a telescopic handle and have wheels attached.
Turn your Wolf grass trimmer into a hedge shear!
With a few simple clicks you can remove the grass shear blades
and replace them with a small hedge trimming blade!
latest price of Wolf ACCU 60 Shears
price
of the 7.2v Wolf Accu 100 shears
buy
long handle for Wolf electric shears
check another site for prices and info for Wolf Accu shear range
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The Wolf cordless shrubber attachment |
New Product - 2 Tools in 1
as above but with
Lithium Ion Battery!
Grass and shrub
trimming!
The Bosch ISIO can be converted from a grass shear
to a small shrub trimmer in seconds and is surprisingly efficient. I
also like the drop in charger base and metal tin that the tool comes
in.
Running time is very good thanks to the Li-ion
batteries and I get 20 minutes use which included some woody shrub
material. The softer the material you cut the longer the battery will
last between re-charges.
The Bosch Isio comes in 2 versions. The shrub
cutting version and the grass cutting version. Also you can save money
and get both in an interchangeable blade kit.
The best accessory I think is the telescopic handle
which makes the Isio a joy to use on your lawn edges. The handle has
wheels and also allows the Isio to be turned on its side to cut
vertical edges.
best price on Bosch ISIO shape and edge kit
shown below - get both blades!

Replacement blades are available for the Bosch Isio and I believe this
tool and it's spares will be available for many years unlike cheap
versions from discount chains and mail order catalogues.
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The best price currently is from Amazon using the
link above which includes delivery. If you want to check and compare
prices use the link below
latest price on Bosch ISIO battery grass shears
shown above

Telescopic handle and wheels

The Isio cordless shrubber
price
of Bosch ISIO cordless shrub shears
shown above
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Best pressure washers
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Decent pressure washers used to cost a fortune. More
recently bargain models have flooded the market. Many are complete
rubbish and break down. A common problem is that their pumps did not
turn off when you let go of the trigger- hence motor burn out.
This little Bosch has an auto cut-out switch and has enough
pressure to cope with a grotty patio, and is ideal for car and
conservatory cleaning.
This little Bosch Aquatak 100 has survived 4 seasons use without any
problems.
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This is my patio after using the Bosch Aqautak 115plus. I
was amazed to discover its real colour. The tool is very therapeutic
to use (especially on a hot sunny day). It comes with a
range of accessories and a car washing brush. The Roto
nozzle is the best for cleaning slabs and the work shown above took
less than a minute. The tough hoses that come with pressure
washers have to be one of the most annoying items ever. if you can
afford it do get a machine with on board hose storage as this will
save you a lot of work and swearing!
check price on the Bosch Aquatak 115 plus
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Karcher - The brand leader in Pressure washers
This is my neighbour Annette with cleaning her land
rover with a Karcher pressure washer. Karcher are a German company and
the recognised brand leader in pressure washers - but are they really
the best?
As Karcher specialise in powered cleaning products
you should get a well researched and reliable tool and not just a "me
too copy from the far East .
Many of my readers use Karcher pressure washers and
the feedback has been very good -until recently.
If you have had problems with a broken Karcher
pressure washer please let me know.
see the largest range of pressure washers and accessories online
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Battery Chainsaw -with optional telescopic
handle
Golden Shed Awards
Winner
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Makita
UC 120 DZ it
costs £95 without batteries or charger.
or £171 including a Makita 12v
drill driver, 3 batteries and a charger
e-mail
fred@fredshed.com
Makita
are a quality manufacturer of original equipment so will support this
product for many years. I get numerous e-mails from readers who can't
get parts for their cheap powertools and end up throwing them in a bin
because of a minor failure.
click here
for even more info on Makita Dolmar cordless chainsaws
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coming soon -
Makita 18v cordless chainsaw with
Lithium Ion Battery!
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If you have a wood burning stove this little
cordless chainsaw can be kept in the boot of your car and used to make
free fuel from fallen trees!
BEST WOOD BURNING STOVE?
I recently bought a British made Stovax Riva
woodburing stove to use up all my logs from tree cutting and save money
on gas.
The stove works reasonably well but the paint
flaked off it after 3 months!
Have you had a similar experience? or would like to
recommend a Stove? I would love to hear your comments.
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buy Makita cordless chainsaw in the USA

buy
similar cordless chainsaw in the USA
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Special deal
Golden Shed Award Wining
Makita 12v cordless chainsaw
with charger and 3 1.3Ah Nicad batteries
for £171inc UK delivery
free 12v drill driver! |

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Electric Lawn
Rakers and Scarifiers
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The Bosch and Black & Decker Lawn Aerators are small domestic
machines with a 400w motor and wire tines.
If you have a lawn bigger than a tennis court then you will need
a more powerful 1000w (or more) machine and this will likely
have metal blades to remove the thatch and moss. |
One of the best ways to keep a healthy lawn and reduce the
amount of mowing you need to do is to rake or scarify your lawn
occasionally. This can be done manually with a rake (if you are
mad, skint, or in need of some good exercise). A more
efficient and easier way is to use an electric lawn raker.
I have used this old Black & Decker for years and found
it's 400w motor perfectly adequate. If you only use it once or
twice a year on a small to medium size lawn a cheap model like
this will do.
Larger lawns will require a substantial machine or you could
hire in one of the many firms now offering lawncare services.
see
the Bosch,Black&Decker and other low price domestic lawn rakers
buy replacement tines for Bosch lawnraker
click to see a large range of heavier duty lawn scarifiers
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Best Garden Vacuums/Leaf Blowers
| After several years of testing I have decided that I
don't really like garden vacs- They are noisy, cover you in dust and a
pain in the **** to store. Also it is common for people to suck up
stones and trash the blade that does the shredding. They
also work better on blow than suck as wet leaves stick to the ground.
Contractors do use blowers and blow material onto a sheet in a corner.
This is more practical and dedicated blowers are very simple and
reliable machines.
I declare the electric garden shredder vac to be a triumph of
marketing over practicality. However if you really want one I can
recommend the one below as the best of the bunch I tried
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AL-KO Hurricane Blower Vac
One quality machine I tried was the AL-KO
Hurricane 2000.
The AL-KO Hurricane is now available with
a 2400 watt motor or 2000w).
As with most other blower vacs it
has a roller on the front to take the weight.
The AL-KO 2400 Hurricane shredder/vac is the
most powerful in its class and costs about £90.
click for prices of blowers and garden vacs
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Cordless Blower from Black and Decker
As part of the 18v range of cordless garden
tools Black and Decker have introduced this battery powered leaf
blower.
I am not a fan of the garden vacs but I do prefer
the blowers as they are simple to use and do not cover you in dust
and dirt as the debris is drawn into the bag.
This one is fine small garden use and is ideal for
blowing the leaves off your decking or patio and into a corner of
the garden for collection. It is also great for blowing the leaves
and dirt out of my garage when I can't be bothered to use a broom!
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Fredshed
test team - join the crew and share your experiences
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Doff Your Cap To Squire Jenkins - another official
Fredshed tester of power products.
At his Welsh country estate Squire Jenkins and his man
servant "Ted" can give even the most robust tools a thorough workout- and if
they don't come up to scratch - just like the peasants, they shoot em,.......pull
!
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Squire Jenkins, Purdey & Boss
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