About Razor-Back Tools

Tough Tools for Tough Jobs

In 1936, the Razor-Back brand was launched by an employee of Union Tools who envisioned a better shovel. Today, Razor-Back is the leading brand of hand-powered landscaping tools for professionals in the United States—and a market leader worldwide. Every Razor-Back tool is the product of bold innovation and a lot of hard work by people who use them day in, day out—just like you do.

The People Behind Razor-Back

Razor-Back became part of the AMES Companies in 2006 and is manufactured here in the United States. Our employees use a combination of advanced manufacturing equipment and skilled hand craftsmanship to ensure that every Razor-Back lives up to its name.

A Better Shovel: The Birth of the Razor-Back Brand

More than 75 years ago, Edward Durrell envisioned a new kind of shovel that was thicker along the spine. His shovel was stronger yet lighter than other shovels. It wore “with the point” for serious, long-lasting digging power. He named it “Razor-Back” after North American wild hogs, which have a tough, raised spine, a hide like steel, and the habit of ripping up fields like bulldozers.

Razor-Back: An Evolution of Innovation