Truper Alcotana Shovel-Axe with Handle

This is really the hoe you need if you want to scalp a lawn or a thick carpet of grass or crabgrass. I also use a larger grubbing hoe but this is surprisingly just as efficient if you're ok with bending over. I didn't think I'd need the notches but they are surprisingly good at catching and pulling crabgrass roots.Surprisingly, this is also great at at destroying random weeds with a chopping motion of the hoe if you don't want to bother pulling up by the root.This is really the best weeding tool out there, IMO:- It is much higher quality and less expensive than the other hand-held grubbing hoes out there in terms of appearance and finish.- The axe part gives the hoe a nice weight which makes scalping or hoeing a lot easier. I appreciate the design even though I rarely use the axe.- This is better than a stirrup hoe for getting rid of grasses, as the weight lets you really get under the main root part rather than repeated passes. You might still need a soil knife for deep tap roots.Like most gardeners, I have about a dozen different weeders. I use this along with a soil knife for everything. Bonus points for being so elegant as well.

This is my new favorite gardening tool. I used it to install landscape blocks, it was great for edging, digging and cutting roots. It’s very solidly made and an expect it will last a lifetime. So glad I purchased this item

So, if you stumbled upon this dandy little tool and thought about customizing it like I did then here is my entry. It’s not much, but for me it’s a dandy.The factory handle was fit up nicely on both tools. Removing it was a chore and a half. It may very well be the hardest part of this whole job. On to the fire…I used a gas forge to heat the haftless head to a nice orange. Just enough to make it malleable. It moved quite well under my hammer. It took a few heats to shape the blade and square it up. I also had to drift the eye back to shape due to a misplaced hammer blow. That cost me two extra heats. 😂 Once I annealed the head over night in the cooling forge I was able to grind the mattock teeth down to a more substantial tooth. The factory teeth were nearly sharp and would probably bend or break. I dressed the head and shaped the bit and back to the fire to bang in a bevel and then on to the quench. It actually skated a fairly good file. With enough pressure I could make it bite, but I imagine this is 1060 or 1055 of some sorts.I heated the eye with a mapp torch and watched the colors run. I put a nice edge on it and took it out to test. One inch limbs were nothing to it. I had a wild cherry log about 4” diameter and it cut through it with ease. I’m quite happy.

Great little garden tool. Dig, chop roots even protect yourself from pesky geese.

This tool is truly a work of German craftsmanship and NOT A CHINESE P.O.S. !IT COMES FACTORY SHARP SO BE CAREFUL and it has so heft to it so it really digs in deep when weeding with very little effort. I initially got it for my wife after getting frustrated with the junky versions that she kept buying... “because they are cheaper “ ... when in reality they were nothing but a complete waste of money !I have also shown it to some of my buddies telling them that I will be buying another one to add to my Bush-crafting kit and they all agreed that it was a quality tool and asked me to order them some when I order mine next month.The only thing that would make it better would be a protected sheath for the sharp ends as well as for strapping to a pack , like a mini version of the mining pick from the movie SISU !!! Hahahahaha

Steel seems solid, after sharpening I have beat this thing to death chopping roots and have hit more than a few rocks and the edge is still somewhat sharp with very little deformation so I very pleased.

Very high quality HAND axe / hand trench digger. Good balance, should last many years.

Sturdy and sharpe. The “digging” blade is wide enough to improve functionality over some models I have seen with a more narrow blade. The only reason I didn’t give it a 5 is that I think the handle, though sturdy, could have been a couple of inches longer.