Hori Hori knife

Hori hori knife

Are you looking for a tool that will let you dig, chop, or slice all during the same task? Then consider one of the most useful in many ways: the hori hori knife. That‘s “dig dig” in Japanese. Not sure why we have to say it twice - whatever!

Use the hori hori to cut pots, trim roots, and dig the hole

The size of this multi-use tool (that looks like a weapon) ranges from 11 to 15 inches including the handle. The length and width of the blade will vary, but the average is under 7 inches long and up to about 2 inches wide. There are several brands, styles and price points, but all these knives work well. Pick one that fits your hand well and is made of the most durable material your budget will allow. The best blades are made from high-quality stainless steel that won't rust over the course of time. Some of the less expensive models use lower quality steel that rust and lose their edges. The blade should have two different edges: one side should be a smooth sharp edge and the other should be a sharp serrated edge that looks and functions like a saw blade.

Both sides of the blade should be marked with lines that indicate inches to help you gauge the soil depth to help when planting. The blade should be concave in shape on one side and slightly convex on the other to make digging and planting easier.

Use the hori hori knife like a multi-tool trowel

The hori hori blade shape and the extra weight allows it to be put to several uses. For example, compared to typical trowels, it works beautifully for planting small transplants. The sharp edge can be used for a small hand ax or to cut open bags and other containers. The serrated edge can be used to cut through small roots, and concave shape makes it easy to dig out weeds, even the tough ones. I commonly use mine to remove soil from the flares of buried trees and other woody plants.

Hori Hori knifes are available with wooden, plastic and bamboo handles. Some come with sheathes that can be handy. The best sheaths are made from thick natural leather with connections for your tool belt. Good hori hori knives are sharp so you may want to invest in quality leather gardening gloves.

Joe Sun hori hori knife

The Sun Joe Hori Hori Knife is common in gardening stores and is pretty good. I have one but my dog chewed up the handle. Since I was in the market, I looked at the options and discovered what I think is the best hori hori knife on the market – the Barebones Hori Hori knife. It is 13 inches long, heavy, has rounded bamboo handle, high quality steel blade and butt end for hammering. It costs more but feels good in your hand and works great.

The "Barebones" brand hori hori knife is a good buy

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