Bought A Tool From Ace For $14. Broke On First Use.

 I am pissed, Foragers.

I am not a rich man, nor am I an intelligent man. I have been looking for a few tools, like a weed puller fork and a trowel. Just something small to help me dig out some roots when the occasion calls for it.

Walmart had some, but at that time $15 seemed steep. Well, everyone ran out of them. I looked at thrift stores and discount stores. I checked harbor freight and they had a minimal supply. Since Ace was next door, I wanted to see what they had. They had three levels of quality. White painted pot metal barely set into a green plastic handle for $3. I could feel it almost breaking just by holding it. No thanks. The premium line looked nice, but $15? The middle line seemed ok. Then I noticed a combo tool. It had the weed fork on the end, it had a special angle for getting into the root and popping it out of the ground, and it had a cutting edge on the side. Three tools in one for $14! The blade was double-welded to the heavy shank. I also grabbed a set of cutters for $13. I have a pair, but they are low quality and will break soon. These cutters are all metal with a nice cushiony silicone covering. The set included light floral and heavier curved cutters for stems and branches.

It's time to start harvesting some Lactuca Seriola plants. Since I let them grow wild, when I harvest I choose the plants making my yard crappy first. I start using my new tool but the mature plant isn't coming up. I reposition and try again. The plant moves but it isn't coming up. What the hell? I pull my tool out and the end is all bent to heck. WHAT!!!??? It's a small plant, about two feet high! I'm not using it on an oak tree! I banged it on the ground to try and straighten it and the blade pops off the shank! WHWHHHHHHAAAATTTTDAAAAAAAA?

Thank God, I kept the receipt. I am not buying the more expensive one. I will just keep looking for used or finally make a real digging stick.

I used my regular had it so long I can't remember where or when I bought it shovel to finish harvesting that plant and seven others.