Rustic old pickaxe

[raincrowe]

I found a rusty old pickaxe head at a flea market last week but this is one that is slighty different from the other pickaxes
The shape seems to have been altered on the forge by a blacksmith or perhaps made at the factory for some special purpose
Does anybody have any information?...... All Information would be appreciated....

[raincrowe]

Just Saying!!.....One train of thought was this tool was used to break ice from the river's and streams in winter season!!...
Here is some different types of axes!!
https://www.trees.com/gardening-and-lan ... a%20chisel.

[Modern Slip Joints]

My first thought was if the axe end was larger, mostly thinner, broader and shaped like a regular axe it would be a fireman's axe. Your idea that its axe end is for chipping hard ice may be correct. Way up north, and down south, winter waves crossing ships leave behind layers of ice. If that ice is not chipped off the acumulating ice can capsize large boats. Maybe your tool was nauticle? Or could it have been a miner's tool?

It is a good conversation piece. However, replacement hickory tool handles cost two to three times what they cost pre-pandemic so that's all it's likely ever going to be. A cousin has replaced handles starting with tree branches. They function O.K. for ocassional use and he'll never have to worry about them being stolen.

[raincrowe]

Thanks for great response!... I didn't know about the ships having to chip off the ice will have to research that some more!!
I have another Pickaxe type with a short handle... it's a lightweight axe type easy to carry and can be used a walking cane if needed
The folks in West Virginia call this a genseng hoe as it has a digging end plus an axe type for cutting roots
I'm not sure if this was made just for this!!

[Modern Slip Joints]

Apparently that is a lighter version of a root cutter matock. Standard traditional Matocks fit the same hickory handles as picks. On one side they have wide digging blades. The other side is either an axe like root cutter or the thinner side of a pick. Root cutter matock or pick matock. I inherited a light boy's axe size pick matock that its previous owner used for gardening as opposed to serious digging. I don't know its correct name or what handle it fits.

The US military issued one hand pick matocks. Mine has raised lettering that reads "US PLUMB 1944." Its 17" handle comes off like a railroad pick. It weighs 33 ounces without its belt carrier or frog. My guess is they named them something like entrenching tools. I bought it for gardening but decided since it's uncommon and well preserved I won't use it.

[wlf]

Thanks for great response!... I didn't know about the ships having to chip off the ice will have to research that some more!!
I have another Pickaxe type with a short handle... it's a lightweight axe type easy to carry and can be used a walking cane if needed
The folks in West Virginia call this a genseng hoe as it has a digging end plus an axe type for cutting roots
I'm not sure if this was made just for this!!

If that's a ginseng hoe, it's beyond industrial strength. Too heavy to lug through the woods.

[raincrowe]

Lol...I was thinking the same thing...The person who told me from West Virginia said that what his father used to dig ginseng with a tool like that!!
I can see where it would be awkward!!
Do you have any others tools to show what is used?

[wlf]

That's my fingers on the left in the bottom picture.My nephew made this one, but they're all similar to your enlarged mattock .Knife for size reference.

[eveled]

There was an awesome time when things weren’t standardized and blacksmiths made tools to their whims. Or their clients whims. Wonderful weird one off head scratchers were the result.

Even factory made stuff was more or less hand made.

Look at these hammers for example. I don’t need to own them, but the pictures were worth saving.

[FRJ]

Does anybody have any information?......

I don't have much to offer but going years back in my memory I recall something like this being a bark peeler.

[raincrowe]

That's my fingers on the left in the bottom picture.My nephew made this one, but they're all similar to your enlarged mattock .Knife for size reference.

I can see why they think it's a ginseng hoe the shape is the basically the same!!

[raincrowe]

There was an awesome time when things weren’t standardized and blacksmiths made tools to their whims. Or their clients whims. Wonderful weird one off head scratchers were the result.

Even factory made stuff was more or less hand made.

Look at these hammers for example. I don’t need to own them, but the pictures were worth saving.

IMG_6730.jpegIMG_6729.jpegIMG_6728.jpegIMG_6727.jpeg

Wow.....I've never seen anything like the hammers didn't know that they existed!!

[raincrowe]

I have another tool with a slight different shape!!
It's has a name but can't make it out....maybe someone can!!
By the way what would this be used for?