Bought this 2.5 pound mattock three days ago because I am digging up my entire front yard 12 inches deep to replant it with grass seed.
One side is a adze, which goes through soil and separates large clumps. I can dig a linear foot of soil in about 3 swings even in red clay. The other side is a small ax head perfect for roots, but not for chopping down trees.
Main obstacles in this job are roots from Silver Maple that are pretty large - up to 4 inches diameter - and near the surface. The tree was removed and the stump ground but the roots cover one third of the front yard and have to be removed by cutting, chopping, splitting, prying, and smashing - whatever works - all brute force.
Had been using an old 5 pound cutter mattock which is very effective, but exhausting to swing for hours. It is bullet-proof with never any issues, even with a wood handle, which is very thick at the head.
This new Husky 2.5 pound mattock is much easier to swing and with factory edges cuts great. Handle seems to transmit shock more than wood (?) but handle is very strong and swings with lighter head are faster.
2.5 lb unit can chop through tree roots easily with either side and goes through most soil easily including red clay. Except for the strange green clay covering part of my yard. When dry it is like concrete and this 2.5 lb unit didn't cut it well. 5 lb mattock works much better, with much higher impact, although impact is slower.
Ax side seems OK. Handle is OK. Adze blade FAILED and is bent and no way to straighten it.
Today after only a few days of use, I could not help but notice that the ENTIRE ADZE SIDE IS BENT backwards. This apparently happened when I was using it to PRY roots out of the ground. I was pulling on the end of the handle with all my force, but I am 67 years old and 210 pounds. Not a human gorilla. Thick hardened steel blade should not bend.
There is a small reinforcement ridge, effectively a gusset, on the inside of the adze blade and the bend occurred where this gusset ends. The blade should have a constant curve. Now it is nearly STRAIGHT.
But just read on web site that there is a LIFETIME GUARANTEE no questions asked and no receipt required. So maybe I will be owing a few of these as replacements?
I like the tool but it needs to be redesigned with stronger adze blade.