Garden trowel as digging tool

No, once something works for me, I stick with it.

Alrighty then!

I have two but don't know the numbers. Their smallest one, it's only 1 14" wide and around 8" long. I believe it's ten times better than a screwdriver and leaves no more mess. And one like Randy's but a little smaller, around 2 1/2" wide. My next bigger digger is the Whites. It digs deeper faster but doesn't do as well in rocky ground. The more pointed they are the better they work in rocky areas. In very rocky areas I use https://www.amazon.com/SE-GP3-SS30DT-Prospectors-Choice-Serrated/dp/B01KZAHR78 These don't work near as well in just dirt. Just like boats, one can't be great in all situations.

I think the first one you mention is their 350s weeder, which yeah, looks like a decent coin popper. 2 inches shorter and narrower than the 202s would likely be the 102s. The prospectors choice looks beefy and inexpensive, nice. I don't hit rocky stuff very often, when I do I attack with my big-@$$ 60's vintage screwdriver which I could only break if I intentionally tried. It's my coin popper, too.

I use the Wilcox 22 in trowel for the leverage and it also helps a old man get off the ground. Works great for both.

I'm starting to resemble that remark!

Soo...yeah...Wilcox, in it's many forms, has many fans. I found their product list -- hopefully the url ok to post: https://wilcoxallpro.com/
 
I have used Hori-Hori knives for most of my 40+ years of detecting. They are the two I the center of this picture. My first one was a 3-in-1 tool which was just like the Hori-Hori knife. Over the years I added padding for my long hours of detecting. A few years ago I decided to retire it because I would hate to lose it so I bought the digger on the right. They were the same size when new and I hadn't realized how much years of digging and sharpening had worn it down. I am hard on my diggers and had actually pounded it through rock hard clay to get a find. It never once felt like it might break, unlike a Lesche that I tried. You can find them on Amazon starting for around fifteen dollars. I have tried others but none compare to my Hori-Hori knife.
Diggers2.jpg
 
I also have a Fiskars Big grip garden knife, which I do NOT recommend. It looks strong but seems to be cheap pot metal -- many have been quickly broken by folks not even mistreating them. I'll find a pic...

I have a digger like the one in the picture. I had a friend weld the notch in the tip closed. While I haven't abused it like my Hori-Hori knife it seems to wok well.
Fiskars.JPG
 
I have a digger like the one in the picture. I had a friend weld the notch in the tip closed. While I haven't abused it like my Hori-Hori knife it seems to wok well.
View attachment 470993

I use a heavy duty version of this one when in very heavy rooted grass if I can't use my small shovel. It kind of seams silly to have so many trowels but in deferent situations some work much better and I have a loaners too.
 
I use a heavy duty version of this one when in very heavy rooted grass if I can't use my small shovel. It kind of seams silly to have so many trowels but in deferent situations some work much better and I have a loaners too.

I have been detecting for around forty years. I have gotten some in trades and have been given some by friends, I have just bought a few to see if I liked them better than my Hori-Hori knife. So far I haven't found one I like as well.
 
Ooh stainless. Wish they had a long handled weeder. May order a trowel for detecting. I still need to do a post about Black Ada before roughing them up.

I think they do make a weirder it’s on a different section of their website
 
I really don't see the point of the big Rambo knife style teeth on most diggers...

I have tried them, and they simply get in the way or hang up on things. If you're blocked by a decent sized root, you really can't get a good sawing motion going anyway due to the confines of the hole...

The narrow blade and scalloped edge on a Hori-Hori are about the best I ve found for cutting neat plugs in lawns but are typically not as strong when it comes to levering...
 
I also have a Whites digger along with my Wilcox . They handle on the Whites is a man's handle for sure. Glad I got mine before Whites folded. I am sure they are hard to find now.
 
I have used Hori-Hori knives for most of my 40+ years of detecting. They are the two I the center of this picture. My first one was a 3-in-1 tool which was just like the Hori-Hori knife. Over the years I added padding for my long hours of detecting. A few years ago I decided to retire it because I would hate to lose it so I bought the digger on the right. They were the same size when new and I hadn't realized how much years of digging and sharpening had worn it down. I am hard on my diggers and had actually pounded it through rock hard clay to get a find. It never once felt like it might break, unlike a Lesche that I tried. You can find them on Amazon starting for around fifteen dollars. I have tried others but none compare to my Hori-Hori knife.
View attachment 470992

I just bought the SunJoe Hori Hori knife like the one on the right on a whim at Home Depot. The teeth are 5 times sharper than Lesche and blade is pretty thin and cuts roots easily. So far I am liking.....
 
I use a heavy duty version of this one when in very heavy rooted grass if I can't use my small shovel. It kind of seams silly to have so many trowels but in deferent situations some work much better and I have a loaners too.

Over the years I have acquired a number of diggers. Here are a few.
Diggers.jpg
 
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