Spear & Jackson Lawn Edging Tool Gardening Edges Cutter

I've used it once since it arrived to make a neat line around a couple of beds - worked perfectly well and it is brightly coloured so I can see where I have left it! Handle and spade seem robustly put together. I'm 5'5" and the handle was a great length for me. Not too heavy and left a good line where I cut. Good value and well built.

I don't know if I'm expecting too much of this tool,but in my opinion it's not that sharp or well made.Just using it to cut back grass that has grown over the edges of paving slabs.It needs quite a bit of effort to get it into the ground as it's not that sharp and it feels like it would bend fairly easily.Only worked on one slab so far which took ages...only 16 more to go...at least it will help burn off some calories.For light work it would be fine,but anything more than that it's not really up to the job.Update...02/05/2014.At first I was using my edging knife after really dry weather which made it very hard work.Have since used it with much damper soil and it's much much better.So,for ease of use it's best to use with damp soil.Might seem obvious to some I suppose,but I'm a novice gardener.Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Arrived very promptly (next day).Seems pretty robust - the blade and lower part of the shaft are one welded piece so should be very durable. Reassuringly weighty, suggesting a decent gauge of steel has been used for the shaft despite the cheap price. The design means that even if the shaft or handle wear or break, they can be replaced. I spent 10 minutes using my random orbital sander with an 80 grit disc putting an edge on the blade because out of the box it doesn't have one (a bench grinder would have been quicker, but I don't have one). Once sharpened, and with the aid of a stretched piece of string, I was able to cut an absolutely clean straight edge around my lawn with very little effort - like a knife through butter! Because the blade is carbon steel it should be tougher than stainless. However, to prevent rust it will need to be stored in a shed.Very good quality for the price in my opinion, but you'll make the tool ten times better and your life a whole lot easier if you take the trouble to get it sharpened.

Ok so the only negative really is that the product arrived broken. The rubber protection on the handle was torn. Didn't both me a great deal as over time I'd image the same would happen but this is a design fault in that the rubber casing on the handle is not moulded permanently to the metal underneath or so it seems. It is more like a rubber casing over the top. Hence if you gripped and twisted the casing may twist as well (not that I could see why you would do this).Operationally it worked very easily and cut through overhanging pavement grass that had been around for around a year and had carpeted a once clear path. I felt confident in using the cutting edge against the very edge of the pavement to guide the cuts rather than continually realigning and simply depressed, moved, depressed, moved along the whole edge and back again.I did not experience any give in the tool, no wobbling or wavering just slicing through the grass.

The firm Spear & Jackson is well respected as a manufacturer of tools, and this functionally simple but effective lawn edger is a great example of its products. For years I have used a garden spade for trimming at flower beds, paths etc. but the curved blade and alignment of the shaft make it difficult to strike the correct line. The 8 x 4 inches blade of the Spear & Jackson edging tool is flat and in the same plane as its handle, making it is easy to align against a string-line or up to kerbs. With its lipped top edge it can efficiently be pressed into turf with either foot placed either side of the shaft – best done with robust footwear.

Appears to be well made, handle has a molded foam fell grip, only time will tell how this wears, the blade has a sharp edge which should help in cutting through the turf. Overall seems well constructed and has a 5-year warranty, however no info as to say what exactly this covers. Initial use does what its designed for and a reasonable price point

Great piece of kit

Well priced - good value for your money