>> generic hemostats
>> The grooves on blades hold weed.
Thanks for that idea! I don't usually need that much precision, but I would always appreciate a good grip on a weed.
I'll try some needle-nose Vise-Grip pliers I have. They are bigger and cheaper than hemostats, and have very deeply grooved gripping surfaces. I can even "dial in" a specific gap between the jaws so I don't just cut the root where I grip it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYD9A/
I must have bought mine at Harbor Freight many years ago: I wouldn't have paid a whole $6 for that!
My favorite weeding tool for big weeds with deep roots is a spike bayonet. It can be plunged deeply into hard rocky soil without much force, then "swizzled around" in a circle so the whole root pops out like an apple core after using a corer.