The dandelion weeder that isn't.
Asparagus harvesting knives have a wide flat blade with a sharp, shallow "V" notch at the tip. They're designed to penetrate beneath the soil and cut an asparagas shoot down where it is blanched and tender. They became America's favorite weed pry by default -- they're vastly more effective than either a screwdriver or a table knife, the usual alternatives. Today they take many forms but only the ones with deep, dull notches are proper weeders. Still, if you prefer the asparagus knife for weeding, ours is as stout a version as you'll find. It's head is hammered wide and thin out of half inch rod. There's a shallow "V" notch that's very sharp. And the tool has a double bend several inches above the tip that sends the shaft off at an angle that prevents knuckle scraping and enables sufficient rotation for effective prying. |
