"It can cost up to  twenty dollars to have a repair shop straighten a bent shank. Plus, you lose the time it takes to remove the shank and take it to the shop," says Jerry Tufte, Glenfield, N. Dak., manufacturer of the Tough-T hydraulic shank straightener.

Besides the convenience and cost-savings, Tufte notes that the hydraulic shank straightener is safer in that if the shank breaks, unlike presses, you're standing a safe distance away from the shank as it's being straightened.

The Tough-T straightener simply fits over the chisel plow or cultivator shank. You position the hydraulic cylinder so that the plunger is pushing on the desired area. Tufte recommends using a good shank as a "pattern" for making the bend.

Three different models are available to fit field cultivators and chisel plows. They're available with either 2 by 4-in., 4 by 6-in., or 4 by 8-in. cylinder.