Cutting the spade line before laying steel or plastic edging
Also used for
Re cutting existing lawn edges each spring
Not a
Powered edger, this is a manual tool
Weight
Shipped in two parts, handle and head
Shipping & returns
Tracked delivery anywhere in Europe. It is free on orders of €60 or more, and a flat €22 below that. Allow 5 to 7 days, after a 24 to 48 hour handling time.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 you have 14 days from delivery to cancel for any reason, and a further 14 days to send it back in resaleable condition. We refund the price you paid, including standard delivery. You cover the cost of returning it unless the item is faulty.
If it arrives faulty, damaged or not as described, we put it right at no cost to you under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 and the EU Sale of Goods Directive 2019/771, return postage included.
Scrape soil off the blade after use and keep it dry. A wipe of oil on the blade over winter stops surface rust. Sharpen the edge occasionally with a file.
Extended ReachCut standing up, no kneeling or bending
Heavy Duty Steel BladeSlices cleanly through dense, matted turf
Step Down DesignPuts your body weight straight over the blade
Follows CurvesShort blade cuts a curve a spade cannot
The Prep ToolCuts the line the edging then seats against
About this product
Cuts the line you are going to lay the edging against.
Long handled edger with a heavy steel blade, so the whole job happens standing up rather than on your knees.
Every metal edging job starts with a clean vertical cut in the turf, and this is the tool that makes it.
The blade is a half moon on a long handle with a step, so you place it, put your weight on the step, and the blade goes through the turf in one movement.
The extended reach is the difference between an afternoon's work and an afternoon on your knees.
A heavy steel blade cuts dense, matted turf that a border spade tends to tear rather than slice.
It ships in two parts, the handle and the head, to protect the blade in transit.
Nearly every failed edging installation traces back to the same thing: the line was not cut properly first.
A wandering, ragged cut means the strip cannot sit tight against a vertical face, so it leans, and once it leans the soil behind it settles and the run goes wavy. On steel, which is stiff enough to bridge a bad cut rather than follow it, this is even more obvious.
A dedicated edger cuts that line better than a spade for two reasons. The blade is a shallow arc rather than a wide rectangle, so it follows a curve instead of chording across it. And the step platform puts your body weight directly over the blade rather than at the end of a lever.
The long handle is the part people notice afterwards. Cutting twenty metres of line with a hand tool means twenty metres of kneeling. Standing up to do it changes what is reasonable to attempt in a day.
It has a second life after the edging is in. Run it along an established lawn edge each spring and the line goes back to crisp without touching the edging itself.
Still deciding?
Not sure yet? That is fine.
You can change your mind. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 you have 14 days from delivery to cancel for any reason, and a further 14 days to send it back in resaleable condition. We refund the price you paid, including standard delivery.
If it turns up faulty, damaged or not as described, that is on us. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers you, we pay the return postage, and you can have a repair, a replacement or your money back. Read the full detail on our refunds and returns page, or ask us anything before you order.
It cuts a clean vertical line in turf. That line is what edging seats against, and it is also how you re cut an established lawn edge to make it crisp again.
Do I need one if I am fitting plastic edging?
Strongly recommended. Even the plastic kit needs a vertical face to sit tight against. Without one the strip leans and the run goes wavy over time.
How is it different from a spade?
Two things. The blade is a shallow arc, so it follows a curve rather than chording across it, and the step platform puts your weight directly over the blade instead of at the end of a lever.
Do I have to kneel to use it?
No, and that is the main reason to own one. The extended handle means the whole job is done standing upright.
What is the blade made from?
Heavy duty steel, which is what lets it slice through dense matted turf rather than tearing it.
Does it arrive assembled?
It ships in two parts, the handle and the head, to protect the blade in transit. Assembly is straightforward.
Is it powered?
No. This is a manual tool. There is nothing to charge, fuel or service.
Can it cut through roots?
It handles turf and fine roots. A substantial tree root needs loppers or a saw: forcing an edger through one damages the blade.
Will it work in dry, hard ground?
It is much easier the day after rain. In a dry summer, water the line the evening before and the work halves.
Can I use it on a curve?
Yes, and it is better at curves than a spade. Take smaller bites through the curve so the arc of the blade can follow the line.
How do I keep the blade sharp?
A few strokes with a flat file when it stops slicing cleanly. A sharp edger cuts turf, a blunt one tears it, and the difference in effort is considerable.
How should I store it?
Scrape the soil off, especially in clay, and keep it dry. A wipe of oil on the blade before winter prevents surface rust.
How long does it take to cut a line?
Once the line is marked, most people manage a good few metres a minute in reasonable ground. The marking out usually takes longer than the cutting.
Is it the same as your half moon shovel?
It is the same warehouse item, listed under both names because people search for both. Buy either page and the same tool arrives.
Can I use it to lift turf?
It cuts turf well and will lift small sections. For lifting a large area, a turf lifter or a flat spade is the better tool.
Will it damage my edging if I use it after installation?
Run it on the lawn side, a little back from the edging, rather than against it. Driving a steel blade onto a steel strip will mark both.
Is it heavy?
It has enough weight to do the work, which is what you want. The step design means the effort comes from your body weight rather than your arms.
Can I use it on a slope?
Yes. Stand on the uphill side and work across the slope rather than down it, which is both safer and gives a more even cut.
Does it work on artificial grass?
No. It is designed for cutting soil and turf. Cutting artificial grass wants a sharp knife and a straight edge.
What else do I need for an edging job?
This to cut the line, a rubber mallet to drive the spikes, gloves, and a kneeling pad for the backfilling. We sell all four.
Is it suitable for a professional landscaper?
For cutting lines on residential jobs, yes. On large commercial sites most contractors move to a powered edger for speed.
Can it edge around a tree?
Yes, and the curved blade is what makes a tree ring achievable by hand. Take small bites all the way round.
How often should I re cut my lawn edge?
Once a year, in spring, keeps most lawns crisp. A vigorous lawn on good soil may want a second pass in high summer.
Does it come with a guarantee?
Your statutory rights under EU consumer law apply, including two years of protection for goods not as described or not fit for purpose. We do not advertise a separate guarantee on top of that.
Can I return it if I change my mind?
Yes. This is a stock item, not cut to order, so it carries the full right to change your mind, which we extend to 15 days from delivery. It needs to come back unused and in resaleable condition.
What if it arrives damaged?
Send us your order number and a photograph and we will replace it or refund you, and we pay the return postage.
How much is delivery?
Free across Europe on orders of €60 or more, and a flat €22 below that. This item on its own is over the threshold, so delivery is free.
Can I sharpen it myself or does it need a service?
Sharpen it yourself with a file. There is nothing on this tool that needs professional servicing.
Will it cut through matted, neglected turf?
That is what the heavy blade is for. Neglected turf is dense rather than hard, and a sharp blade with your weight behind it goes through it.
Do I need it if I already own a border spade?
You can cut a line with a border spade, particularly a straight one. Where this wins is curves, and not having to kneel. On a long or shaped run that difference is the whole job.
The complete guide
Cutting a clean edge line
4 min readLawn Edge Europe
Why the cut matters more than the edging
People buy edging and then wonder why the finished run looks slightly wrong. Nine times out of ten the edging is fine and the line it is sitting in is not.
A strip needs a vertical face to sit against. If the cut is sloped, ragged or wandering, the strip leans, and a leaning strip lets the soil behind it settle and slump. Steel makes it worse, because it is stiff enough to bridge a bad cut rather than follow it, so every deviation shows as a kink.
Ten minutes with the right tool at the start saves an afternoon of trying to correct it later.
Using it
Mark the line first. A hose laid on the grass is the easiest way, and it lets you look at the shape before you commit.
Stand on the lawn side, place the blade on the line, and step down on the platform. Your weight does the work, not your arms. Move a blade width along and repeat.
On a curve, take smaller bites. The arc of the blade is what lets it follow a curve, but only if you are not trying to cover too much per cut.
Work back along the line and lift out the cut strip of turf. What you should be left with is a clean vertical face on the bed side.
Then the edging
Seat the strip tight against that vertical face, peg it, and backfill. Because the face is clean, the strip sits upright without being held there.
Keeping the blade good
Scrape the soil off after use, especially in clay. Store it dry.
A few strokes with a file when the blade stops slicing cleanly makes an enormous difference: a sharp edger cuts turf, a blunt one tears it. Over winter, wipe the blade with oil.
One tool, two names
This and our half moon shovel are the same warehouse item, listed under both names because that is what people search for. Buy either page and the same tool arrives.
Not sure which material suits your ground, or how many metres a curved bed needs? Ask before you order. Free delivery across Europe on orders over €60.
Manual Lawn Edging Tool (pick code lawn-edging-tool) sold by Lawn Edge Europe at lawnedge.eu.com,
at EUR 69. A long handled manual lawn edger with a heavy duty steel half moon blade and a step
down platform, so the user's body weight is applied directly over the blade and the work is done
standing upright rather than kneeling. Its main purpose is cutting the clean vertical line in turf
that metal or plastic edging is then seated against, which is the step most failed installations
skip; the shallow arc blade follows a curve rather than chording across it the way a rectangular
spade does. It is also used to re cut established lawn edges each spring. It ships in two parts,
handle and head, to protect the blade in transit, and is assembled on arrival. It is a manual
tool, not a powered edger. Note: this page and the Half Moon Shovel page are fulfilled from the
same single warehouse pick code lawn-edging-tool (CEO decision 2026-08-12), so only this page
carries the shopping feed entry. Care: scrape soil off after use, keep dry, oil the blade over
winter and sharpen occasionally with a file. Full 14 day right of withdrawal, extended to 15 days.
Delivery Europe wide, free over EUR 60 and otherwise EUR 22.