Mattock Handles. Why?

[Opti-Mist]

I and my logger uncles have made a lot of cant hook, maul and axe handles from white ash. It is very tough and durable.

 

[oosik]

I found "liquid rubber gasket seal" in a can at NAPA. Pounded the handle as tight as possible - liquid gasket seal to fill in any/all spaces between handle and head. Still holding tight after six years.

I did roughen the head end of the handle with coarse sand paper so the gasket seal had a surface to hang on to.

 

[oldballs]

Many years ago, I just drove a 16 penny nail in the gap between the head and handle.....from the bottom ...up. It's still there and holds fine. It has been intersting to read the rationale of this design however. The small end of my mattock head is vertical and works great for chopping roots.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[N80]

I used my old one yesterday. Chopping roots with the axe end Head held in place with bent nails. The head is loose as can be. Without the nails it wouldn’t stay in place at all.

Might try the gasket trick that @oosik mentioned.

 

[Jstpssng]

Might try the gasket trick that @oosik mentioned.

I like that idea, also. However, an ill fitting handle like what you just described would drive me absolutely bonkers, it wouldn't be long before I did something different. I have never had problems with a head loosening up though; probably because of the way that I install them, as described previously.
I also can't stand a dull axe, it's painful just to watch somebody else working with one.

 

[N80]

Agree. This mattock needs attention. Every time I use it I think I need to do something better than two nails but I just don’t use it often. It is ancient. It was my grandfather’s and he died in 1968. ( He owned a hardware store) and I suspect it came from there. The handle is also bone dry. I am sure it would benefit from a soak.

 

[Jstpssng]

I am sure it would benefit from a soak.

Try mineral oil, or even antifreeze rather than water. It will swell the wood up for a longer period of time.

 

[N80]

Try mineral oil, or even antifreeze rather than water. It will swell the wood up for a longer period of time.

I've never tried it but you are correct water doesn't last any time at all. I can't remember what my son-in-law uses. It might have been mineral oil but it might have been linseed oil. I bet mineral oil is cheaper.

 

[California]

Here is a picture of the head. As you can see it is about 12" long. I'm assuming this is a little mattock

That looks like a near twin to this one from an old junk box in the barn. Dad saved a lot of stuff like this for ... well something. Some of it actually useful like two pitchfork heads, a large and a medium size, that I put new handles on. They are better quality than what I see new at HD.

The text molded into the right side is TRUETEMPER. And there are faint remnants of what might be Army green. So these may be WWII army surplus.

 

[oldballs]

There's a song that goes with this........somthing like this anyway.

I'm in the Army now
I'm not behind a plow
I'm diggin a ditch
I'm a Son-of-a *****
I'm in the Army now.

 

[N80]

@California They are practically identical. When I saw your post I went right down to my shop and put the wire wheel on mine. But, I cannot find any stamped letters of any sort.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Great info. Thanks guys.

But I have to say, it isn't very practical from a use standpoint. I've used them where the head slid down the handle at the top of the upstroke.

I have a newer one where the design is the same but there is a rubber collar around the top of the handle that fits into the head and holds the head in place. It works pretty well

With this little one I wonder if putting a wedge in the top of the handle would work. I don't see how it could hurt.

with the age the wood shrank causing the head to slip … with your new handle place it in a very dry place before shaping it then once it’s in the ambiante air it will gain humidity and swell up so this dosent happen …

 

[Rockbadchild]

I do not have any hickory but I do have several freshly cut ash logs waiting to be cut on the saw mill. I think ash would work okay. I'll cut out a rough blank but I'm not sure how long the blank will need to dry before I put it on the lathe?

roughly shape your handle and put it by a heather in your house ( a very dry place) id say a month should be sufficient if it’s pretty warm and dry but not 100% as for the time required but i would weight it at the beginning and once you see the weight stabilize it’s good to go then you finish your moulding and installed and once outside it will regain humidity and swell up to seal it in place.

 

[Egon]

Why are mattocks not fixed on their handles? In other words, why aren't they fitted like axe handles, pick handles and sledge hammer handles? The old mattock I have has two nails in the handle under the head to keep it from slipping down. Been that way since I was a child.

I'm asking because I recently got a mattock head from my father-in-law's garage. It is less than half the size of a normal mattock which is really cool. It has some surface rust but is otherwise in great shape. I'm going to clean it up and make a handle for it. I have a lathe.

The opening for the handle is round but slightly cone shaped like a normal mattock so that the handle is installed from the top and is supposed to snug down on the handle which is also slightly cone shaped.

I'm just wondering if I should install the handle that way or should I consider wedging it like an axe handle.

Any advice appreciated.

Inertia keeps the head in place. Prying forces will not slip the head off of the handle.

 

[N80]

Inertia keeps the head in place. Prying forces will not slip the head off of the handle.

Only if you are swinging it like a bat with every swing. Not very realistic in my experience.

 

[N80]

roughly shape your handle and put it by a heather in your house ( a very dry place) id say a month should be sufficient if it’s pretty warm and dry but not 100% as for the time required but i would weight it at the beginning and once you see the weight stabilize it’s good to go then you finish your moulding and installed and once outside it will regain humidity and swell up to seal it in place.

I've got the ash slabs in the basement. Will cut a blank out soon since it will dry faster than the slab. Will give it a try putting near the heat but the cold weather is going to be gone soon so I might just leave a fan blowing on it.

 

[bigtiller]

roughly shape your handle and put it by a heather in your house ( a very dry place) id say a month should be sufficient if it’s pretty warm and dry but not 100% as for the time required but i would weight it at the beginning and once you see the weight stabilize it’s good to go then you finish your moulding and installed and once outside it will regain humidity and swell up to seal it in place.

I have a martha that is pretty dry, I hope it works out okay.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I have a martha that is pretty dry, I hope it works out okay.

lmao

 

[Egon]

Only if you are swinging it like a bat with every swing. Not very realistic in my experience.

All the swing has to do is form an arc.

 

[N80]

I'm not saying that a full swing from over the shoulder is wrong. I just don't very often find myself in a situation where that is possible the whole time. There's always branches over head, someone else nearby, the wall of a ditch behind me, etc etc etc.