Old matlock

[Bmerck]

Just wonduring how old this could be ? Can you tell by the shape or size ?

 

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[SD51]

Just a guess, but I noticed your mattock has a diamond shaped area where the wood handle presses into.



Our mattock has an oval shaped area where the handle mounts.



I believe yours might be the original design, but can't confirm it!

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

The original design? The ancient Sumerians believed the god Enlil invented the mattock. The "original" design appears to have been made from antlers just after the last Ice Age. It's so old a tool that no one even knows the language origin of the name.

That said, his does appear to be a forged and chisel split eye design. It's also more a "cutter" mattock style (aka "grub axe") than a pick head mattock. So it is from the time of blacksmiths; and made by a smith that didn't have/use a standard handle mandrel. (But that covers a long, long time).