2.5 lb. Cutter Mattock

I'm working on a hillside digging out some hard shale for a new wall. This tool is lightweight and gets the job done. I think the heavier version would have been more taxing due to the weight while working on a steep hill. This one lets me swing a few more times before taking a breather.

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.

Works great cutting up the roots I needed to get rid of and loosing the dirt around stones that I had to pull out. I love how easy it was to use. I had the cutter for a week now. The cutter mets my expectations.

Very good

Lighter weight is a plus. My old 5 lb mattock was stolen, so I grabed this as a replacement. I'm glad I did since the lighter head is less fatiguing and the added speed of the swing means that it hits almost as hard. I can comfortably use this one handed while on my knees for more controlled digging. I've used it to dig up many shrubs, cut roots, and bash a few small stumps to chips over the past few weeks. While the handle does seem tough and a good tight fit to the head, I'm not too crazy about the grooves at the end of the handle. As you side your hand down for maximum swing the bottom fingers of the upper hand will slide over it. With constant use this would be a problem. I think a smooth handle would be better. The metal head itself is the ugliest chunk of metal I have ever seen on a tool. It's covered with deformities and scores from a terrible rough grinding job. That being said, it's tool where toughness is what is important---not looks or precision. It does its job well.

Excellent little tool. Very sturdy and well built

When I went in the store I had no idea what I needed.knew what I needed to do. Remembered back in the day when someone needs to dig a trench what would they use? Didn't know the name but knew what it looked like,and it works great for other projects too.

This 2.5lb is much better than swigging at 5lb mattock and can save your shoulders and back. Perfect for jobs around the yard and great for digging holes to plant tress.

good weight to get through some rocky stuff without making you exhausted.

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