Silverline GT52 Digging Hoe 1350 mm

I received this product within two days of ordering it, having searched high and low in shops and garden centres. I work a double allotment which has heavy clay, plenty of grass and a tangled mass of roots. Over the last 5 years I have tried permaculture, weed suppresants (lasagne method of card / manure / card etc) and endless digging, which always causes back ache the following day. Today I used this tool for the first time. It is simple, sturdy and rather ancient-looking. I've seen films with these tools being used by natives of other countries who lack the mechanised tools available to us. I wondered what it would be like to use one of these. I am stunned! It is just about the best tool I have ever invested in (amazing price of £8 plus p&p). In two hours I cut through grass clumps, lifting the roots, which came out of the ground in no time at all. The soil was left with a finer tilth I ever could have hoped for with a fork & spade. Much less effort, better results ....... and most importantly, I could use this tool with minimal bending once I got the hang of using the correct angle for optimum use, and consequently less (actually no) back ache! I rate this as ten times more efficient and ergonomically beneficial than a spade and fork for the purpose of clearing ground and breaking up heavy soil. I recommend it very highy and look forward to years of good use. I am more especially pleased that something so basic and simple in design has been as effective as a rotorvator! And it cost less, needs no fuel and gives you good exercise into the bargain!! GET ONE!

This is a very robust, substantial tool which fits the written product description perfectly. The picture is another matter however. It just doesn't look like the described and received item. On the picture the handle looks longer and thinner and the blade narrower. There also appears to be a black cap on the tool end which wasn't on mine.That aside though I've tried this out and I think its great to use and very effective at breaking up the top 3-4 inches of soil or deeper if you are more determined. The business end of the shaft was a bit rough and split but this has not effected performance because the effected part protrudes from the end. I have had no problems with the shaft coming off like some reviewers and I think this is because I always leave tool handles and shafts next to the radiator for a week or so before fitting them. This causes the shaft head to shrink as it dries out so when you hammer it on and put it in the shed, our British dampness expands it again making it even tighter.A good buy at a reasonable price which arrived promptly

As almost everyone else says, this type of tool is great for breaking ground and cutting out brambles. So is this one a good specimen?I have bought two of these (one through Amazon and one from my local hardware shop) and the quality of both heads and handles clearly varies a bit -- but for the money it's still an excellent buy.With a head weighing 3lb (I don't think the given packed weight of 1.2 kg can be accurate) it cuts nicely through turf. Unless you're strong in the arm, a lighter model (1.5-2 lb) might be a better choice for ground that has already been dug once.Don't try to use it as a pick or a mattock -- I broke the handle digging out a tree stump. I know this was a misuse of the tool, but the supplied handle is not the strongest, as well as being a bit on the short side. My replacement handle cut from a chestnut pole (ash would be even better) is longer and stronger.The eye for securing the handle is simple and works well provided you don't mind it coming loose occasionally -- soon cured by a bang on a hard surface. Spending more elsewhere can get you a longer, stronger handle held in place by a wedge, but for my money this one's fine.

I thoroughly recommend this digging hoe for anyone with an allotment or large veg garden. So much faster to turn over the soil with this tool than with a spade/fork, and much easier on the back too. The hoe is so well made that it slices through the soil using only the downward momentum - indeed I've inadvertantly sliced off the edges of slabs when digging close to the edge, but without any damage to the blade. I couldn't believe what a quality tool I had got for such a cheap price.The only minus points are:You have to walk over the ground you have already dug (as you pull the soil towards you)You have less control over where the blade goes than with a spade - hence the chipped slabs! - so not ideal for small spaces.All in all though a great labour and time saving tool for any veg enthusiast!

I'm under orders to buy another for my mother! She got first use of this and fell in love with how easy it makes turning over soil at the allotment. I love it because I bought two for the last place I worked and they earned their place in a shed full of heavy-duty gardening gear. The handle isn't the best (I'm not convinced it's ash but for the price, it'll do), but the digging head is superb and tackles so many jobs effortlessly. The swinging rhythm of digging is a very deceptive exercise - if you're not careful you'll feel it the next day!It's the perfect width for a potato trench, it scrapes weeds nicely if it's used as a hoe, it digs tree-holes very quickly (after two feet down you'll want a spade to shift the loose dirt though). For £12.99 you could do a lot worse - it's hard to find a decent spade at this money.