Photos Mattock. Let's see what you have

Miller '72

Miller '72

Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
2,450
I was given a newer India made 5lb Ludell pick Mattock from a friend's husband two years back.
Two others, older and possibly USA made, about a month ago for a dollar each at a garage sale just 3 miles north on my same road.
I had the one handle needed to hang the one from the garage sale. The handled mattock just needed a little TLC and BLO.
The friends husband's pick mattock needed rehanging and delacquered, filing for a solid grip.
Now I have three and I like 'Em. I have a use for each style but on two acres in CT...it's more than enough for a lifetime
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Oddly, I want and will probably seek out more...

Miller
 
I don't have a picture of it because it doesn't have a handle on it right now, but I've got a Z Zabarti tools adze eye mattock head that's got a real big and stout pick end on it.
As far as I know it's a later production example made by Vaughan & Bushnell after they bought the rights to the patent / company...ect, well later than the 80's when they came out.
 
Yes, the large file size of some of those images is giving me headaches, too. It would be nice if they were resized for the web. They would gobble up less megs of data and pages would load faster. GIMP is a good freeware program for manipulating images.
 
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Question on using mattocks. It can be a weeding tool, right? But it entails breaking the ground to kill the weed. At least that's what I saw in the movie "Cool Hand Luke." Remember how Paul Newman would swing it left and right with both hands while George Kennedy kept switching it in his hands?

So, isn't a mattock a bit too heavy for this purpose? I mean, I'd rather scythe a field than break it up. Grass and weeds all look pretty and uniform when trimmed.
 
Depends whether you want to trim weeds or get rid of them for good? However, you will find it quite hard to reach those pesky roots and cut them with a scythe :). So I'd say a scythe is a more specialized tool.
 
I will pick up one although I don't need one at this time.

I have a 10 inch one (eye-balling), though, all metal, that has proven very useful for many odd jobs. It will pry, pull, dig, break small rocks or cement etc. like a champ. Probably best 3$ I paid at the flea market.
 
Square_peg said:
GIMP is a good freeware program for manipulating images.
Click to expand...

Another option is to use a host like flickr that lets you choose a size to share:




Example of Miller'72s first photo in post#1 shared as Large 900 x 1600 and 291 KB (298,007 bytes):



Note: original is 2952 x 5248 and 4.27 MB (4,480,335 bytes)

BTW, I am not picking on Miller'72. I just used his image as an example as others have posted large (slow loading) images and I wouldn't be surprised if I may have done this myself.



Bob
 
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Question on using mattocks. It can be a weeding tool, right? But it entails breaking the ground to kill the weed. At least that's what I saw in the movie "Cool Hand Luke." Remember how Paul Newman would swing it left and right with both hands while George Kennedy kept switching it in his hands?
Click to expand...
Its substantial weed what justifies digging them with a mattock !

As far as Cool Hand Luke, I remember scenes of swinging grasswhips. Even sawing thru barracks floor with one, but never seen weeding with mattocks??
Btw, A scythe is a wonderful tool for cutting grass, weeds & light brush.

Too bad I cant do 'pics. Anyway I have both NOS, True Temper and Södefors Bruk mattocks. Both marked for Swedish Military.
The TT is ho-hum nothing special dropforged mass produced, Södefors is great example of handforged work.
 
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This is a little embarrassing. I might have a problem. Some 'ground busters'.

Ground%20busters.jpg


At the far left are railroad picks. Right of those are miner's drift picks. Next group on the ground are axe mattocks (cutter mattocks). On the far right are Pulaskis. Across the bottom are pick mattocks. Standing upright are a hoedad and grub hoe.

Pretty sure I'm missing a few in this photo.
 
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Square_peg said:
Ground%20busters.jpg

...
Click to expand...

Cast iron was discussed recently, and it looks like that small cutter mattock is the V&B "Handy Mattock Axe" which is made of ductile iron.

I've found that the version with 3 tines (instead of the cutter) is useful for digging/prying out blackberry roots, but it would work better if the tines didn't make sharp "Vees" in which the roots often get tightly wedged. The iron material seems oversized and clunky, though.

mattocktiller.jpg
 
Yes, that little one is a jippy ductile iron tool. I picked it up for a buck at an estate sale and I happily loan it to volunteers at trailwork or habitat restoration projects. Kids and some women like that tool.
 
Raining cats and dogs here right now, but I'll snap some pictures of the ones I've got when the downpour stops. My most used is a 4lb Tramontina pick mattock on a long handle, but I also have an Italian "Evercelli" pattern that has a huge hoe blade and recently picked up a Rinaldi mini cutter mattock they refer to as a hazelnut hoe.
 
rjdankert said:
Another option is to use a host like flickr that lets you choose a size to share:

Click to expand...

Thank you rjdankert.

I have been wrestling with Flickr now since yesterday evening so I can post pictures.
So far all (I think) I am able to do is post a link using Flickr.
I have created a few albums in Flickr however I am at a roadblock.
Thanks for helping I will try again.

Square Peg
That's an impressive collection
I like many, all of what you have pictured
 
Miller '72 said:
Thank you rjdankert. . .
Click to expand...
You are welcome.

Here are some screen shots of how I use Flickr:

Hit share in Flickr. Choose BBCode, select a size, and copy the link:



In BFC paste the link directly into the editor - you are done. You don't need to hit link, paste, and hit OK.

BUT if you do not want the description at the bottom of the picture, highlight the "second set of URLs" and hit delete:



You can also take the description out if you Preview... the post. Just use the editor, highlight the text and hit delete:


Bob
 
Square_peg said:
This is a little embarrassing. I might have a problem. Some 'ground busters'.

Ground%20busters.jpg


At the far left are railroad picks. Right of those are miner's drift picks. Next group on the ground are axe mattocks (cutter mattocks). On the far right are Pulaskis. Across the bottom are pick mattocks. Standing upright are a hoedad and grub hoe.

Pretty sure I'm missing a few in this photo.
Click to expand...
It looks really dry there.
 
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