Watch your back!Mar 16 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Garden
The Bottom Line Ignore the price and look for quality.
Garden hoe's can cause back injury if not used correctly! I sincerely believe this should be on a warning label attached to every hoe sold. -- That will never happen, but maybe this editorial will reach out to at least some people and warn them. By design, a hoe is a cutting tool -- by usage, it is not. Most hoes consist of a metal blade angled in at about 10 degrees attached to a long wood handle. The hoe is used mainly for removing weeds from a garden, but can be used to move small amounts of dirt around. The hoe is used by extending it past the weeds to be removed and dragging it toward you. In the process of dragging the hoe, slight pressure is put on the hoe so that it digs into a thin layer of dirt. As the hoe moves under the weeds, they are removed. The backside of the hoe can then be used to move the dirt back in place. The hoe is not a digging or chopping tool. This will dull the blade and possibly break the handle. One of the most important things to remember when using a hoe is to keep the blade sharp. Make a note of the angle that the hoe is sharpened at when it is new and try to keep the angle the same each time you sharpen it. With regular use, you should sharpen the hoe at least once a week. **** With this information in mind -- here are some tips on choosing a hoe... 1. Is the handle comfortable? Wrap your hands around the handle and see how it feels. If it is too small, your hands will sore faster. If it is too big, you are more prone to blisters on the hand. This may seem rather petty, but you need to make sure the handle is comfortable. 2. Check the length of the handle. My hoe has about a 5 foot handle on it. This lets me reach under bushes easily and gives a good overall working reach. 3. Weight and Balance. No, this is not a joke. Obviously, if the hoe is too heavy you will tire faster. 4. Quality of the blade - The blade of the hoe takes a lot of abuse. It is essential that the blade be made of a high quality tempered metal that will hold an edge well. *** If in doubt, ask a salesperson. Buy your hoe at a hardware store where the salespersons know about tools.  |
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