****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
As several others have mentioned, this is a great tool for the job.Having used a handful of cheaper, steel models over the years and many, many dogs, only to recycle them [the scoopers, not the dogs], it finally occurred to me to buy something more robust.This IS “robust,” but for a few design flaws.1 - the grips WILL come off. I used some pricey automotive weatherstripping cement to keep them on. That was about nine months ago. So far so good.2 - don’t just SCOOP. Open the “bucket” a few inches and press down into the grass some, then as you close them under the dog’s stool, pump up and down about 1/2 inch until you “tease” everything into the bucket. This will leave almost nothing in the grass for you to find when you go out in your lawn later either barefoot, or in your slippers to drag around the house and your carpets.3 - the cross-bolt is just wrong. seriously underrated for the size/material. it WILL break. The screw holding the two-piece bolt in place is only something like a #8 screw.This IS great for flinging “stuff” well over the fence and into the woods (if you’re so lucky). I’d like to see it made into an Olympic sport.What I did to FIX the cross-bolt was easy. First, do NOT use stainless steel. SS and aluminum will corrode like crazy when placed together. While I’d LIKE to use an aluminum bolt, nut and washers, the local hardware store didn’t have a 1/4-20 bolt that long, so I went with #8 yellow chromate plated (which is what the military uses on aluminum HMMWV bodies).Take the broken bolt to your local hardware store, and buy a 1/4-20 partially threaded 2-1/2” bolt, a couple of washers, and I used a lock nut but a regular nut and some threadlock should work great.If this breaks down further in future, I have some thick-walled aluminum tubing in 1/4” ID I’ll cut and make bushings for the aluminum handles, running the bolt through those.I’d give it a five but for this fatal flaw. I expect, compared to the others I’ve used, I’ll get my money’s worth.11-14-2021.I’m beginning to think this may last longer than I do, will definitely outlive the dogs.Since doing the bolt repair i5 has worked nearly flawlessly. Lately there IS some problems getting the “blades” to mesh properly, a little wiggling of the handles sorts this out quickly. I may need to go to the aluminum bushing I mentioned to tighten it up, but in the meantime, as a hedge against inflation (and future use considering we own three large dogs, two 75-85lb shepherds and a 120lb black lab/water buffalo mix any one of which poops bigger than a chihuahua), I’ve decided to buy another as I’m all about supporting American-made plus, I’m considering making flinging poo an olympic sport.Hey, if “LUGE” can be a sport, why not?I love using this thing, it picks “dog droppings” off the grass with a little jostling of the scooper to get the toothed and smooth edges UNDER the poop, and with the trees and fence in our back yard, it’s a challenge to fling the waste into the woods and NOT impact the trees. I swear if this were an Olympic sport I’d take home the gold for America.As a patriot, a descendant of Irish slaves, an American, I can sling shei* with the best of ‘em, my great uncle Jack better than me by far ‘n away while he was living and allegedly long after as pouring the traditional bottle of poteet upon his grave (no, not passed through me kidneys first, boyo) I could swear I heard him telling one long tale after another as I drank MY bottle of the dew there beside his resting place.My wife hasn’t quite gotten the hang of it yet, as the side of the shed is often coated with her poorly aimed shots. Flingin’ poo’s just not in her DNA, I reckon.Keeping it clean hasn’t been an issue as I learned the slugs come out at night and clean the blades for me through 3 seasons, in winter, stuff’s frozen solid and doesn’t leave any residue.As things go, and things wear out, this is seriously one of the best all-time mechanical investments I’ve ever made.You could do worse. Buy once, cry once, as my uncle Jack used to say.I upped my original rating to 5 stars, seeing as the company’s adopted my fix. Glad to help.
