The documented job is “How to Prep a Deck for Refinishing — The Complete Step-by-Step Guide”.
✕CHOOSE A DIFFERENT TOOL WHEN
Straight-down heavy deck and floor drive. The bend that wins overhead works against you when you want to push straight down with full weight — that is the straight XHD 12072's job.
Prying with the pole, or striking. A pole multiplies torque; do not use it to lever or pry (that snaps handles and bends shanks), and never strike a chisel scraper. Prying is the 45600's trade.
Rabbets and fine detail. At 3 inches on a pole it is a broad-surface reach tool, not a channel or profile tool.
The edge only bites when the bend meets the surface at attack angle, so set and hold a consistent pole rake; if the tool skates, change the angle, not your grip strength. Direction: push along the pole; short controlled strokes overhead, longer pulls on reachable flats. Two hands on the pole, weight and shoulder behind the stroke. Edge care: high-carbon steel, fixed and filed — dress square with a mill file when it dents; wipe dry after wet or misted work to prevent rust. Overhead discipline: eye protection, drop-zone control, and — because reach amplifies mistakes — never overextend a pole to where you cannot control the edge.
Asked before buying
BUYER QUESTIONS, ANSWERED BEFORE YOU ORDER
Why is the blade bent?
So it still bites when the pole is raked up at a ceiling; a straight blade would skate flat on that angle.
Bent 12070 or straight 12072?
Bent for ceilings, high walls, gables, and out-and-up reach; straight for driving straight down onto decks and floors.
Is a pole included?
No — it threads onto any Acme-standard extension pole, sold separately. It also works hand-held.
What about popcorn ceilings?
Test pre-1980s texture for asbestos first; if positive, it is an abatement job, not a scraping job.
Do I need eye protection?
Overhead, yes — everything you scrape falls toward you.