{"product_id":"blackberry-hoe-5-lb-head","title":"Blackberry Hoe - Original and New Styles","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen Bob and Rita bought their acreage in Boring, Oregon, it came with a generous endowment of Himalayan blackberry, an invader that is to the Northwest what the Kudzu is to the Southeast. Bob spent days grubbing out blackberry thicket, canes, root runs and seedlings. After removing 20-foot-long, one-inch-thick canes from a holly tree he decided that if you're really bad and end up in Hell for eternity, that's probably what the devil makes you do. He used various tools for grubbing out both blackberry and a foot-thick mat of English ivy from the property. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eThe lack of a single tool suited to the task led Bob to invent our Blackberry Hoe. The tool combines a four inch wide mattock blade for excavating and cutting roots with a large, V-notched claw. The blade is used to dig out the main crown  and to follow  the spreading roots which sink new taproots every few feet.  The claw is used to uproot each of the outlying taproots as they are encountered. The Blackberry hoe is equipped with a 36-inch long hickory railroad pick handle so you have plenty of levering power. The hoe head is made of 3\/8-inch thick steel. It's a brute of a tool. To extract small blackberry seedlings you swing the tool to drive the mattock blade full depth just at the far side of the seedling. A bit of levering and a hearty tug pulls out a slab of soil including the seedling. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eFor grubbing thickly matted ivy I find the best technique is to use a sharp spade or edging tool to cut the ivy patch into a grid of 2-foot squares. Drive the blade through the roots deep into the soil. Then, starting with the outermost sections of the grid, use the Blackberry Hoe's blade to chop away  the mat of vines flush with the ground. Then use the claw to pry up underground roots. You can use the Blackberry's Hoe's blade for making the initial grid cuts but a spade can be driven deeper and makes a neater job of it. You'll find lots of other uses for a Blackberry Hoe. If you're plagued by industrial size dandelions, burdock and thistle, the tool does an excellent job of roguing them out. As with all bladed tools, sharpen often. Don't wait until the blade is dead dull to file the edge. Instead, work like a butcher, honing frequently to maintain a keen edge.\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eAs of 2026 we are able to offer this tool in four different versions, with or without handle. Your options are:\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe style we have been offering for more than 10 years is a 5 lb head with V-shaped tines (best for lifting lots of smaller corums and dirt)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe new Magna Graecia style version in a 5 lb head with U-shaped tines (better for heavy duty prying out larger corums and lifting less dirt) \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA 2.5 lb version of the classic style (V-shaped tines) on a thinner handle (better for people needing a lighter tool and for carrying deep into properties or along trails)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA 2.5 lb version of the new Magna Graecia style version (U-shaped tines) on a thinner handle \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e(better for people needing a lighter tool and for carrying deep into properties or along trails)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Red Pig Tools","offers":[{"title":"Original 5 lb head (V-shaped tines) and 36\" Railroad Pick Handle","offer_id":52801316487460,"sku":"CU-M010-5OHH","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Magna Graecia style 5 lb head (U-shaped tines) and 36\" Railroad Pick Handle","offer_id":67768240275748,"sku":"CU-M010-5MGH","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Small 2.5 lb head (V-shaped tines) and 36\" Handle","offer_id":67768240308516,"sku":"CU-M010-25OH","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Small 2.5 lb Magna Graecia style 2.5 lb head (U-shaped tines) and 36\" Handle","offer_id":67768240341284,"sku":"CU-M010-25MGH","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Original 5 lb Head Only (V-Shaped tines) - No handle","offer_id":52801316520228,"sku":"CU-M010-HEADO","price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Magna Greacia style 5 lb Head Only (U-Shaped tines) - No handle","offer_id":67768240374052,"sku":"CU-M010-HEADMG","price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Small 2.5 lb head (V-shaped tines)  only - No Handle","offer_id":67768240406820,"sku":"CU-M010-25NO","price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Small 2.5 lb Magna Graecia style head (U-shaped tines)  only - No handle","offer_id":67768240439588,"sku":"CU-M010-25NMG","price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Replacement Handle Only for 5 lb heads","offer_id":52801316552996,"sku":"CU-M010-5HANDLE","price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Replacement Handle Only for 2.5 lbs heads","offer_id":67768248008996,"sku":"CU-M010-25HANDLE","price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1002\/0893\/5204\/files\/black-berry-hoe-handle-top-view-sturdy-garden-tool.jpg?v=1775928186","url":"https:\/\/redpigtools.live\/products\/blackberry-hoe-5-lb-head","provider":"Red Pig Garden Tools","version":"1.0","type":"link"}