Hori Hori?

I used the black Hori Hori from Lee Valley intensively for several years. Never bent or broke it. I use a Lesche digger now though.

Lesche is good stuff. WW Manufacturing does pretty boss work--the only company that does better is Predator Tools, and they're a family offshoot! :D:thumbup:
 
Doc i'm thinking of gifting a relative a Lee Valley Hori Hori for Christmas but we don't have a Lee Valley here so its going to be mail order and i can't personally paw the two versions they have. What did you think of the stainless version? For myself i'd prefer the carbon steel but this relative might be better served by the lower maintenance stainless. My only qualm is the stainless version lacks the guards present on the CS version. Doc, or anyone with experience, feel free to offer opinions on this.

Hey th, I have zero experience with the stainless version, so I'm not much help. OTOH, the carbon version works fine and I don't think the guards would make a difference one way or the other.

Doc
 
Hey th, I have zero experience with the stainless version, so I'm not much help. OTOH, the carbon version works fine and I don't think the guards would make a difference one way or the other.

Doc

The stainless version is a little longer and of slightly thinner stock. I got the black specificly because of its greater thickness. It is a tank. But if someone doesn't need hard use, the stainless would be fine. The stainless is still pretty serious though and definately a couple of steps above your average cheapie trowel. It's just that some of my use needs were more to the extreme edge. Prying rocks as opposed to planting tulip bulbs.
 
Lesche is good stuff. WW Manufacturing does pretty boss work--the only company that does better is Predator Tools, and they're a family offshoot! :D:thumbup:

Yes indeed. I have a Predator shovel. I remember years back when that clan had a falling out. Many rumours that I don't wish to spread. Nice folks though, treated me well.
 
Yeah it seems they've mostly mended things at this point, but the split was a good thing if you ask me. Predator puts out a lot of specialty digging tool types we probably wouldn't see out of WW Mfg.
 
The stainless version is a little longer and of slightly thinner stock. I got the black specificly because of its greater thickness. It is a tank. But if someone doesn't need hard use, the stainless would be fine. The stainless is still pretty serious though and definately a couple of steps above your average cheapie trowel. It's just that some of my use needs were more to the extreme edge. Prying rocks as opposed to planting tulip bulbs.
Thanks Doc and upnorth. If the cs version is thicker than the stainless version then i'm thinking that might be the one to go with. I'm on the rock and no surprise the soil is about 80 per cent rock here so the sturdier the tool the better, lol!
 
I still stand by my trusty Zenbori. Built like a tank, stainless, and super affordable. It's serving me as well today as it was 3 years ago when I bought it shortly after starting this thread. :D :D :D
 
lots of limestone in the soil here - no problems with the carbon L-V hori-hori rolling an edge or chipping.
also - the black coating on the carbon version is fairly durable and so long as you wipe off the dirt after use, it doesn't seem to rust much.
it's a relatively low cost piece of kit and works well.
 
One of the best hori hori knives I've come across is made by Nisaku in Japan. They make several different models, but the #650 seems to be the most popular. The vinyl sheath that comes from the manufacturer is kind of flimsy, so I got a sturdier leather sheath for my knife from mbhana.com. I compared reviews and this stainless steel knife seems to be better than the carbon steel models or the cheaper soil knives.
 
I have owned both the carbon and the stainless version from Lee Valley(made by Nisaku), and go with the stainless now. Even though it is thinner stock, it is still built like a tank, and holds an edge better for cutting roots, rusts less etc. I throw it in my pack for use as a digging tool when hiking.
 
Lesche is good stuff. WW Manufacturing does pretty boss work--the only company that does better is Predator Tools, and they're a family offshoot! :D:thumbup:

I also have been using a Lesche digger,after breaking two cheap chinese diggers . It wont cut through tree roots , I use a swiss army knife for that.
 
The best quality I found so far (besides the Nisaku Tomita in Japan) is the one sold by the Oakridge Garden Tools website.
 
i've had one of the fiskars for several years now, and can get it sharp enough to sever small,and i mean 1/8" to maybe 1/4", free hanging tree twigs and the shoots that sucker out from certain types of trees. it'll also get dandelion roots 4" or so below ground ,enough depth to kill most of them. it also comes with a forked tongue which makes penetration into any soil or under embedded rocks a tad easier. it costs less then most of the other mentions, but dosen't come with a sheath. i love mine-can you tell:)
 
Here's mine. It's a Nisaku model 801. This thing is razor sharp and could actually be used in hand-to-hand combat.
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