Tough, long-lasting, rigid - I use these to divide garden plants like irises and trolius right in the planter, to take out stumps by cutting through the roots buried in the ground, and for limbing - replaces the chain saw for all but tree trunk cutting and where too far from house to get an extension cord. Can also be bent back straight in a vise several times without breaking, and resharpened easily with a dremel tool with abrasive cutoff blade after cutting roots in the ground. My neighbors love them - I think they have used them more than I have.