Topic: asian hoe

[ACE]

They must be good to be used nearly all over the world, but which is the best I can get here in Europe. I need my tools to work as hard as I do so it has to be really heavy duty.

I am reluctant at the moment to dig with a spade after my knee replacement, later on I hope I will be back to normal. It does'nt help at the moment when I have loads to dig. I have been using a mattock with great success but it has a narrow head and takes for ages.

While I'm here I will ask other knee replacement folks if they find they can get back to normal digging without worrying about their knee.

[Ellen K]

OK, I'll go first:

http://www.chillingtontoolsonline.co.uk/digging-hoes-and-handles-c1

I bought a trenching hoe and handle from here ^^.  Good bit of kit for hacking up clumps of weeds and for digging a spud trench, earthing up etc.  And it got the approval of a few of the Vets on the site (which is high praise, against all the gimmicky stuff I've spent good money on)

[Melbourne12]

We bought a medium weight azada from http://www.get-digging.co.uk/index.html and it's proved invaluable.  Not a complete replacement for fork and spade, mind, but must be one of the top 5 tools used on our plot.

They also do heavier duty ones.

[Paulines7]

I don't have any problems digging.  My soil is very light but I often have to dig out deep nettle roots. 

The answer is to keep strengthening your leg muscles by exercise, ACE. 

Did they send you to physiotherapy for a few weekly sessions after your op?   If not and you feel you are not progressing as well as you should, you could ask your GP if they could refer you. 

I didn't get offered any following my first knee replacement but when I had the other knee done, they sent me on a course.  It really helped. 

According to what I have just read on some websites, light digging can begin six weeks after the op. 

[ACE]

My knee is not giving me problems, apart from swelling up when I overdo it and the niggling pains at night, what I don't want to do is undo the work they done on it by stressing it before it is fully heals it has only been 4 months since the op and preparation, planting, etc needs doing now.

The main problem is me. I do go at things like a bull at a gate. A gentle bit of digging would turn into a mission, Iv'e had a lifetime of working like that and it is hard for me to take it easy. The azada would be just the ticket as I could swing it all day long using my upper body and save the possible damage to my knee.

Anyway back to the hoe. The heavy duty one looks good, what are the handles like? they look narrow, how does it compare to a pickaxe handle diameter which is comfortable for me.

[grannyjanny]

We have an azada. It was absolutely brilliant when we were clearing the plot. It did things a spade & fork couldn't. My friend lives in Portugal so when her sister went to visit she brought one back for me for the princely sum of £5.

Have you any friends in Europe Ace that could send you one. Worth its weight in gold.

[Ellen K]

The handle I got with mine is long and study.  It's wood and closer to a rolling pin in thickness rather than a broom handle but it is round not oval like a pickaxe.  It's slightly flared at the bottom and I've found it easy to get a tight fit with the hoe head but that is a common complaint with this design, that the head comes loose on the handle.

I can post exact measurements tomorrow if needed.

Related: Amazon are selling this with free delivery, looks good at the price and maybe can be bought through A4A Amazon Shop:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-GT52-Digging-Hoe/dp/B000LFXV2I/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

[Melbourne12]

...
Anyway back to the hoe. The heavy duty one looks good, what are the handles like? they look narrow, how does it compare to a pickaxe handle diameter which is comfortable for me.

I just measured our one (the medium size), which has a one inch diameter handle.  It's not shaped in any way.  That is indeed quite narrow, but I don't find it fiddly to use.  The heavy duty one may have a thicker handle.

[ACE]

I looked at the heavy duty one  on amazon it stated out of stock, but the cheapy one is worth a punt, one of the girls  can have it if it is not suitable for me. Thankyou everyone.

[Digeroo]

Have you thought about a Chillington hoe.  I used to have one but someone nicked it.  But I found it great when I was trying to tame a plot like concrete but I have no experience of whether it puts pressure on the knees.

http://www.chillingtonhoes.com/canterbury.html

Also Lidl have an azada on special from Thursday

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/index_18680.htm though in picture itlooks a bit flimsey.

[pigeonseed]

I have an azada, I bought it at get digging when I had joint problems and couldn't use a spade or fork easily.

With the azada you can clear ground faster, and I find I don't personally want to go back to a spade now. Only thing is the angle it cuts at, because you swing it, it doesn't always gets to the edges easily. But you can use a spade for those bits if needed.

Stay patient ACE, I'm the same as you, I never know when to stop, and then end up making it worse. It's better to be patient and think of the long run. (well you know, not literally a long run...  ::))

[ACE]

The amazon one came this morning, nice bit of kit. I gave it a bit of wellie for about 4 hours and if it will put up with the treatment it got this afternoon, it will last forever. A nice weight and a decent handle, I don't know how Amazon do it at that price plus free postage.

[Bill Door]

Ace on your word I have just bought one.  Been thinking about it for a while.

Thats my one impulse buy for the year!

Bill

[ACE]

Ace on your word I have just bought one.  Been thinking about it for a while.

That's my one impulse buy for the year!

Bill

You won't regret it, at that silly price it's a good cheap tool even if you only use it occasionally.

[Bill Door]

Hoe arrived last night.  Tried it this morning.  Don't know if i am using it right or whether i am expecting too much.

However, not easy using on my stoney soil that hasn't been dug for at least 10 years.

Tried using it with the handle about 45 degrees to my body moving to the left (am righthanded).  I managed to get down about 3 inches with a lightish swing buit to go any deeper required a bit of a heave.  I soon tired but persisted by changing jobs every 10 mins.

I expect it will be good on previously dug soil but my other half plot is too wet to dig just yet.

Any suggestions Ace?

Bill

[ACE]

Dig a deepish spit across the plot with your fork, then use the azada to dig and pull into the spit/loose soil. Don't get greedy and work it a few inches at a time in front of the loose along the row and back until it starts getting shallow again then repeat.

[petengade]

The write up looks good, I dont know when he will have time to use it ;D ;D ;D

This digging hoe was a dream come true. I always wanted to bring one from my country after a desperate search in shops, and finally found that Amazon.uk had it. My friends at my local allotment have seen my tool and everybody wants it, now I have to order three more pieces for friends

Guess its my dirty mind

[Bill Door]

Ok got you.  I was being a bit greedy  :o))))

I used it on a bit that I had rough dug and taken the large stones out.  It worked fine.  I will give it another smack tomorrow.

thanks

Bill

[Ellen K]

Not just you Petengade, some of the reviews made me smile:

If you are in the market for a good tool, this will do everything you want etc.

As Mae West would have said: a hard tool is good to find.

Hope everyone who now has the tool gets to grips with it  ;D

** goes so sit on cornykev's naughty step **

[cornykev]

Oi       :P