How to get hold of a vintage mattock?

Is there any farm or farm sales (mechiney autions) sales come up within your area, sometimes farmers have a clear out

 

Be careful !
Often farm auctions sell at unbelievable prices, way beyond retail. Inexplicable.
Easy to get 'run' up.
Have a word at your local tip/recycling centre- may do forward orders if you ask nicely.....

 

Sounds like a version of a digging hoe. The authentic Chillington* hoe is a worthy tool. It cultivates much of the African continent and is still in production, I think. There are pressed steel copies which are generally best avoided
Digging Hoes , Chillington Digging Hoes

 

That is part of the fun of vintage gear, all the different variations, it is like a history lesson in folk traditions.

When I was interested in a billhook there were so many varieties for different regions. Ended up not bothering to get one as I thought that there seems little advantage over a hand axe.

Digging hoe seems like an appropriate name but looks nothing like those. Same angle of the head however it has three round prongs, like a usual garden fork would. Also a quarter circle curve at the end of the handle which I guess allows a nicer swing.

Edit: Oh yes, I see. Looking at more images some of the chillingtons do have the three prong like mine does.

 

Ah just looking at the trustpilot reviews it seems the bulldog company has been driven into the ground by another uncaring buyout.

Looks like little in it between that and cheap and cheerful no name chinese version!

 

You could also try a request on Freecycle. It's surprising what you can obtain on there .

 

Can anyone answer my other question on which is better for the other side of the mattock head; the vertical flat head or the pickaxe? Ok maybe there is no best but what does each one suit for each job better and I guess there will be preferences.

The pickaxe one seems like it would be a more versatile option and I can't really think of what the flat horizontal one would be useful for outside of 'grubbing' but pickaxe I could think would have use for general smashing! including the grubbing but also rocks or any other material that can do with some destructive force. The sharp point seems it would have many more applications that a flat vertical one.

 

I like the pointy end for getting between roots and gaining traction. It's a bit dangerous!

 

How so? I would reckon no more than other hand tools? Probably less so than one handed tools I imagine since both arms are behind the thing and probably not easy to hit yourself with it? Keep feet well away of course! but I would imagine the length of the shaft would generally see to that?

I have cut myself a couple of times carelessly using the sickle while holding the thing to cut with one hand and striking with the other. Did that while using the sickle as a makeshift debarker on a log and gave myself quite a bit of a gash on the holding hand.

 

Mine has a pick on one side and a blunt broad (2 in) blade (like an adze) on the other.
The blade side is useful for breaking up hardground, bludgeoning through roots getting under things and levering, gets more use than the pointy side which is used for getting under rocks and even breaking up rocks.
As for danger keep your feet ot the way, also when levering mind the back.
A sharp spade is a good tool for getting through smaller roots.
It's always a good idea to use tools for the job they were meant for, get yourself a drawknife if debarking many logs.
If using a sickle put the spare hand behind the back and get a holster for your secateurs so they are always available.

 

Just reread the title of the thread.

By the handle.

 

To add to the confusion I am just reading about pickaxes and they too have almost the exact same design as mattocks. I thought pickaxes, while some do I know, had only the two pointy sides but I see looking more they often have the pointy one and the flat one as well. This begs the question what the difference is between a pickaxe and a mattock.

One article is claiming that a mattock is 'gentler' and the pickaxe is the larger and more heavy duty of the two.

 

My pickaxe has a wideish flat face and another one 90 degrees to it,I think some have a spike.
But it's not as wide as a mattock and really has a different use, I mostly used mine for loosening large stones when digging holes or breaking up concrete.

 

When I was growing up council workers often used a "pickaxe" like my "mattock" pointy end for getting a start on lifting a paving slab broad end for breaking up ground underneath, when relaying the broad end was used to lower the slab into place and the wooden stub coming from the head was used to tap the slab down, then replaced with pneumatic drills and tarmac.