I did for one. Got it in 1978, one of the original types with a single traction rope, and this Len Sell geezer giving you the bollox on it, who obviously never used the gear in his life.....not! Still, true to form it did give me that 'rip trees out by the roots' feeling the first time I used it. Perfecting the technique on several bonsais, I rapidly graduated to small shrubs and rotten tree stumps within days of receiving it. Within a week, I had managed to rip open the box with my bare hands, and actually get to use the damned thing. Mastering the instruction manual, (no ebooks in those days!) I did manage to improve my strength on the sliding scale, but it was nothing like what they promised of course. Personally, I think the sliding red plastic ring was far too heavy for a novice, but I digress.
