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Has anyone any experience of using azada's?  They are used worldwide but for some reason havent really taken off in UK.  They are available on the internet for around £20 but before parting with my hard earned I thought I'd seek advice. 

Highly recommended.

 ??? What on earth..........? I googled to find games? Not nosy (really), what is an Azada :-\

Quote from: star on May 19, 2008, 15:18:57
??? What on earth..........? I googled to find games? Not nosy (really), what is an Azada :-\

aka a Chillington Hoe (although that too sounds a bit dodgy in this day and age).  It's like a broad bladed mattock, but single sided.

Brilliant for removing couch grass, for breaking up hard dried clay surfaces, and for tilling.

I probably use an azada second only to a fork in terms of general lottie cultivation tools.

I use a mattock they are cheaper about £12.00 in my local ironmongers

Brilliant tool, I have two too.  They make work so much easier and great to lean on when having a chat with your neighbour ;D

Sinbad

I got one last year and have found it very useful- used it at the weekend for earthing up potatoes- first for hacking at the rock-hard ground so i had something to earth up with, then for drawing the earth over the spuds. I have had trouble with the handle coming loose, but the nice man from the website send me a free spare handle and wedge to fix it.

http://www.get-digging.co.uk/

It does the digging without the lifting that goes for people with wonky backs or the pushing the spade into the soil which goes for people with wonky knees (like me). Once you get the rhythm of the arm movement going it's very fast and very easy.

Oh thank you all very much for explaining :D, sounds like a wonder tool. I have never seen one but I certainly like the sound of it ;D

Star just follow Caroline's link and you'll see them. That's where I bought mine too.

get digging is where mine came from as well,
it is awesome, i can even "dig" when i'm stuck in my chair, only had it a few weeks,  I'm so happy with it

lbb

Thanks Grawc,

i HAD SEEN THEM BEFOREBUT JUST DIDNT KNOW WHAT THEY WERE CALLED..................awwwwww caps lock againnn. They look extremely useful  ;D

Ive just got a one together with one of the forks and they are great - can recommend them.

These look great Im certainly going to buy the small medium 1 and the fork.

Thanks for bringing this subject up and supplying the link, I would never have known about them otherwise.  ;D

Had my 2 for donkeys years, a fork and a hoe, love em!

Yes Powerspade, i have a mattock too as well as the Azada. I use them for slightly different jobs.

The mattock for breaking up ground that the azada just bounces off and for digging up roots e.g. brambles.

The azada works quite well as a sort of scythe for clearing grass and weeds, it's good instead of a spade particularly if you're trying not to dig too deep. It 's good for earthing up potatoes as said earlier.

It's much easier on your back than a spade.

I spotted one in an ironmongers shop today and £12.50 later it belongs to me. I will try it out tomorrow on the big lumps of clay and see if it was worth the money.
I will let you know how I get on.

I have an old spade and I'm going to apply some heat to the part that the shaft goes into and bend it 90 degrees with a bit of luck I should have an Azada ;)

You'll need a longer handle too!

Quote from: Mr Smith on May 22, 2008, 20:14:18
I have an old spade and I'm going to apply some heat to the part that the shaft goes into and bend it 90 degrees with a bit of luck I should have an Azada ;)

I think you'll find you need more weight in the blade. Try it and see.