Scuffle hoe

Scuffle hoes have become my hoe of preference because they cut in both directions, backward and forward. The name is appropriate. You scuffle the blade along the soil, rather than pulling it repeatedly toward you, as with conventional hoes.

Scuffle Hoe
Scuffle hoes are used much as you would a shuffleboard mallet. They are pushed ahead of you to cut the tops of annual weeds rather than chopping them as you would with a garden hoe. (perennial weeds must be dug and removed) ...

The hula, or action hoe, is a type of scuffle hoe, which is very lightweight and maneuverable. Pushing and pulling it just under the soil surface eliminates newly emerging weeds and breaks up any crust on the soil surface.

The next evolution was the scuffle hoe, with the blade pointing forward and perpendicular to the ground. (It's often shaped like an arrowhead).

A hoe is used to break up the soil and to uproot weeds. A square-bladed hoe is used to pry weeds out of the soil. A triangle-bladed scuffle hoe is moved along the surface of the soil to cut down small weeds.
Pruning Tools ...

Another practical option, and one appreciated by anyone who does yard work, is a tool that will ease exhausting weeding, digging, and hoeing chores. Contributor Dick Dunmire treasures his Wilkinson Sword Swoe, a lightweight, ever-sharp scuffle hoe ...

See also: Plant, Soil, Gardening, Weeding, Weeder