I have the trowel with the finger grooves and I like it. I don't use my trowel much though, I usually go straight for the shovel because most of the areas I'm working in are not soft, pliable beds.

I've seen the various trowel widths and I'm not sure what they are for ... perhaps the narrow ones are for tight spaces? Just give me ONE good one, that's all I need. Mine has a hole in the handle and I always tie some bright ribbon around that so that it is easier to find if I forget it somewhere.

I'm glad you got some new tools ... sounds like a thoughtful guy! I got a 10x hand lens so that I can look at things up close and personal. It's amazing the details I can see now on dormant twigs.

I kept waiting for other people to answer your question.

I've never had a trowel with finger grooves on the handle, so I can't speak to that. But I've had plenty with wooden handles, and eventually they all fell apart. I liked them while they lasted, though, because they felt nice in my hand.

I've also had them in different sizes, including different widths, not on purpose but just coincidentally, and it does seem that I reach for different ones depending on what I want to do with it. So even if you trade them in, you might want to get a couple of different sizes. I got a few very narrow cheap ones from Ace Hardware last summer (a buck apiece) and use them more than I would ever have dreamed. They don't hold much soil so they're not too good for transplanting larger plants, but they're good for moving small plants around and for fitting little plants and seeds into tight places, and for digging a very small hole if I need to do that.

I actually bought them for children to use in our community garden, so if you have kids, keep in mind that a smaller trowel might appeal to them.

My favorite trowel is a one-piece stainless steel one that my sister was going to throw away but gave to me instead at the last minute, since she knows I often like other people's trash. I love the way it cleans up. And how I can leave it outside forever and not worry about it rusting. I'd definitely choose one-piece seamless trowels if I had a choice, in the future. If you use them for prying soil and plants out of pots, like I do, you're bound to break the handles off if they're soldered or screwed together. For that same reason, sturdiness is an important factor. More important than grooves in the handle, to my mind. I've bent back more than my fair share of trowel handles.

I like the idea of tying a bright ribbon through the hole in the handle, but if it doesn't have a hole, you could always dip it in some brightly colored paint.

Hi all
I quite buying trowel. Most of then are came from China or else where, even some us made don't last very long. Most shavels, I buy for commercial use shavels $50 to $100 each. Some shavel I have to weld a step and make it easy to use. I made trowel from other shavel. I welded my self . I am no mean of welder but many welding shop don't want to do small job so that I had to make myself. Since then I don't have to buy single trowel. The trowel will out last me.
yama

A few years ago, I bought a Korean hand tool at the Flower Show. I didn't even know what one was until then and now, I can't do without it. It does everything. You might look it up on the web. Here are a couple of places to look just to see how it looks. It's very deceptive in looks, but is a work horse and very, very versatile. Well worth the price. http://www.alisonsgarden.com/product.php?item=AG1014

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Hardware