Spear & Jackson 11104SFARCH Tyzack 4" Soft Feel Handle Archaeology Trowel

The WHS Archaeology trowel is superb. It is the most durable on the market: it has a thickened blade that won't bend in stiff clay or prizing up masonry; its made from a single drop-forged piece of steel so there are no welds to fail; it has a long, thick shank to protect the archaeologist's knuckles and allow a shifting grip; it has a notched collar to stop the tang spinning in the handle; and finally, a comfortable grip for hours of trowling action. Personally I prefer the wooden handle over the rubber because I can personalise it with engravings and make sure I do not get it mixed up with other peoples' trowel (which happens a lot on a site where everyone uses them).Cheaper builder's trowels have thin blades and dodgy welds which will snap in a few days, or if you are lucky, weeks. The WHS Archaeology will last years. The American rival, the Marshalltown, has a spectacularly thin blade and will break in hours. The Marshalltown is designed for precision, slow trowling in fine earth, which just doesn't happen in British archaeology. We need robust tools for rapid excavation in tough soils. There genuinely is no substitute for a WHS.

A must have in every archaeologist's tool belt. The best trowel for the job for the price, without a doubt. I've strained mine to the point where the blade is bending (tough to do when you feel the strength of the blade) and everything's held up fine. The metal will rust, it's just superficial and absolutely nothing to worry about. Attacking it with a wire brush will leave it looking rust free again. All in all: 10/10

I was initially sent the wooden handled trowel despite ordering the soft grip, but the replacement arrived a day later.Good, strong trowel made with a much thicker blade than the Marshalltown and doesn't snap as easily in dense clays, although this also means it's not quite as nice as the Marshalltown for section faces.The soft grip handle is much better than the wood, as the plastic curves down the tang making it much more comfortable for gripping at the top of the handle as the wooden handled trowel can be uncomfortable on the finger where the metal sleeve at the top of the handle meets the tang.

Strong wooden handle easy to hold

All from boulder clay to silty sand will cower and fall before the colossal might of this archaeological essential. You've never seen sections so straight.

Real top quality trowel

Good value

What a difference this made. Well made and strong, perfect for trowelling on a dig. Soft handle was comfortable too. Very pleased with purchase, just wish it had come with a holder. Hence 4 not 5 stars.