Picks, mattocks, Pulaski's, adzes, etc....

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We have a shovel thread but so far no thread for these impact tools. Figger'd I better start one. :D

Please show us your work horses. Got a gnarly old pick in the shed? Share a pic. I'll start.

While I had the forge hot a few weeks back I decided to re-point an old pick head which I had purchased at an estate sale. It just looked like a good heavy, sturdy pick. Turns out this old pick had a surprise for me.

Old_pick.jpg
 
It has a forge-welded point! This is an oldy! Old picks and axes were sometimes made by welding a tip of high carbon steel into a body of lesser steel. That practice went by the wayside as steel technology advanced and high carbons steels became easier and cheaper to produce.

In this image you can see the carbon steel bit sandwiched in the body steel.

Another possibility is that this pick was just repaired and added on to at some point. It used to be common practice, when a pick got worn out, to just have the local blacksmith add a bit more tip to it. I talked to one old blacksmith who had done this before.

Forge_welded_pick.jpg
 
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It's got me wondering, this thing might have been made before the turn of the 20th century. The maker's mark is partially obscured. Maybe one of you tool experts and identify it for me.

OGANCo_logo.jpg
 
Another old axe that's on my 'to be restored' pile. This one is an axe mattock. Not a lot of axe left. There's a maker's mark on it but it's obscured by the rust. Hopefully I'll be able to read it once it's been cleaned up.

Axe_mattock.jpg
 
I've got a 3lb. Tramontina pick mattock with a long 45" handle. A much lighter and more efficient tool that I can use without stooping! I love it.

Here's a shot of it with my semi-custom Predator Tools "Big Red" shovel and my Ames potato hook. All three are invaluable tools around the farm.
CIMG9804.jpg
 
I like that little pick mattock.
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I've got something similar but on a short handle - little one hand pick. I'll post a pic later.
 
It's a sweet rig! After every swing you have to lift the tool, and cutting 2 lbs. off the head helps you out a lot! All the power of a normal pick gets added back in thanks to the handle length, too! :D

Really cool old pickaxe! I've never seen one old enough to have laminated points! I bet that was someones prized possession back in the day.
 
This ain't a grubbing tool, but....... since you put adze in the title I cannot resist :D It's an old plumb, never used much until it founds it way to me. The handle is ash, made myself.

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Thanks for the detective work, Steve.
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There was a lot of coal mining going on in this area at the turn of the century and beyond. I suspected it might be from the mining industry. Now if I can just find a logo to verify it.....
 
I did a little more research and found that Klein-Logan was bought out by Woodings-Verona in 1967.
 
G-pig said:
This ain't a grubbing tool, but....... since you put adze in the title I cannot resist :D It's an old plumb, never used much until it founds it way to me. The handle is ash, made myself.

Picture289.jpg
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Sweet! The adze is the holy grail of impact tools. I WANT ONE!!!!!!!
 
I stumbled upon this old thread and realized that I hadn't posted a picture of my own adze in it. This is a True Temper with it's original handle which I sanded and coated with tung oil. I love this tool.

Adze_7.jpg
 
:drool: The handle is every bit as gorgeous as the head is, too. They just don't curve handles like they used to--the subtlety is all gone.
 
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