Pop culture: brands and names: weed whippers

Self-tutoring about brands, product names, and nostalgia: the tutor reflects….

Yesterday, facing yard work with renewed vigor, I had to fix the weed whipper. Yet, what is a weed whipper? Technically it’s a “string trimmer:” a powered hand tool you hold above the ground that removes weeds with a fast-spinning line that cuts them down. It’s typically used at a boundary area where a lawn mower isn’t practical.

Weed Eater, Weed Wacker, and Whipper Snipper are all names people might use (and are all trademarked, I believe). Yet, combos are often used: weed whipper, for instance. I looked up “weed whipper” today online; the hardware stores had no problem recognizing that query. On the other hand, my research tells me Weed Wacker is a famous name, but I’m not familiar with it.

I recall ads for “Whipper Snipper” back in the late 70s. At first, there was nothing of the kind; one summer they showed up everywhere. Obviously we never went back, although the name might vary.

How exactly I fixed the weed whipper is another story, which I hope to tell soon.

familyhandyman.com