Mattock handle replacement

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Pondoro2310

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Apr 13, 2014
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Got a new handle for an old mattock (a pickaxe style head). As expected it slides up and stops, there is no danger of it flying off. But it does not fit tightly, the shape of the eye and the handle are a bit different.

Do I 1) just use it and let it deform the wood until it fits tight?
2) File the wood a bit to seat it tightly?

I can't take pictures for a while, but visualize it "catching" at two diametrically opposed points and not fully contacting the wood all around. If I removed a bit of wood where it catches the whole head will slide further down but should still be far from coming off.
 
It's best to file (or rasp or sand) the contact points until the head is well-seated. It probably will take multiple attempts (filing, reinstall, check for high points, remove, file some more, and repeat as necessary.)

Someone once suggested rubbing a crayon inside the head, to easily see the contact points after the head is removed, and then it's a matter of filing down the colored areas and repeating until evenly seated. I tried this once for a particularly bad case and it worked well. But the head usually makes marks on the wood anyway, without the crayon, and you can just go by that.
 
That's good advice from Steve. The only other thing I can offer is that you may not have the correct size handle for the eye of your mattock.
 
A little graphite from a pencil inside the eye does a neat job of exposing the high points though the inside of a used head usually has enough crap in it to mark the wood anyway.
 
"15 minutes" was about right. I seated the head, removed it and there were three rust spots on the handle. One low on one side and two higher on the opposite side. I filed them off with a wood rasp and repeated the process. It took about five or six repetitions, the last two with a file rather than a rasp. On the last two I also paid attention to the angle of the head, removing a bit more on the side that would make the head sit straighter. It is tight and straight now. I need to sharpen the head and find someplace to dig! (Someplace that I actually want a hole.)
 
How much of the handle should remain proud (stick out) of the top of the head?
On one hand I imagine a fair amount as this keeps the head on the handle.
On the other hand I have a cutter mattock and thus will be used to trench/dig so too much and it will start hitting the dirt once the trench gets deeper than the blade length.
 
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