How to get hold of a vintage mattock?

Too long winded to look for a used one. I will get a new wooden one. Now I can post links how about this? You mentioned Ash or Hickory for the shaft and this is beach, will that do? The other bulldog one recommended earlier is ash but that company has atrocious reviews now.

​

Hmm never heard of it even though I was alive, probably in nappies, and did watch some of the more popular 80s shows on repeats. 90s I would be my formative years. Everything downhill, culture wise, since then in my view.

 

It probably doesn't matter too much so long as it is straight and tight grained, I have chisels, screwdrivers and saws with beech handles plus a couple of mallets where the head is beech.
Traditionally in the UK ash was used for spade handles, shafts, broom handles, hoes, hockey and hurley sticks, oars and similar. The wood is fairly easy to work, it can be coppiced and so is available as long straight poles. It is strong and has got good impact resistance.
Hickory was used for similar things in the US.
The need to have good straight grain is why I like to buy the handle in person so I can choose and get one I like.

 

Hickory is probably the best, grown and managed almost exclusively by the native American Chickasaw people. Used to be second grade for tool handles, primary reserved for ski manufacture . Carbon fibre a lighter alternative.

 

If you have a choice go for English Ash and get a spare; as by the time as by the time you need a second one Ash will be near impossible to get.
Hickory would be my second choice.
I have tried glass fibre handled tools, but not carbon fibre, the glass fibre felt wrong the balance was wrong as the handle was very light and it didn't feel comfortable; I expect carbon fibre woukd be similar.

 

The reference was to skis, Nigel.
I am unaware of use for percussive tools, I find fibreglass suffer from failure at fixing, and they sting when used in anger !!

 

I'd never heard of hickory for skis before, I know it was used for Lacrosse sticks.
Graphene is now being incorporated into skis as well.

 

I dont think Hickory is very common in the UK, not really sure why, I think it likes warmer summers, I have a small tree which has grown very slowly.
It was often used for hammer handles rather than Ash until they mostly went metal with leather.
My Dads spade which I still have has an Ash handle from the very early 60s plus my Grand dads fork.
I have an axe that has a Hickory handle but that is fairly modern.

 

All of my garden tools, bar saws, pruners and trowels have ash handles, some are older than me and very dark through use.