Pickaxe dimensions

[motto (RIP)]

The nomenclature being used confuses me. In Australia the implement being discussed is known as a pick. I have never heard it referred to as a pickaxe. No part of it is an axe. It has a chisel at one end and a spike the other.
The Americans seem to have settled on the pick mattock as their standard on board digging implement. That is what their vehicle mountings and standard U.S. pioneer rack were designed to take. They are not readily come by in Australia. I picked one up (no pun intended) in the Northern Territory where the Americans were involved in an exercise some years ago and it has been very handy around the property. I have found it to be a more useful tool than a pick.
Just as an aside, when we were staying on South Sea Common Portsmouth prior to crossing over to Normandy in 1984 there were a couple of reenactors dressed as MPs on gate duty who were carrying white painted pick handles.
I said to them I hoped the handles were balsa wood. The response was"they're not balsa, they're bloody good hickory". They took the job seriously.

David

[David Herbert]

Motto,
You are quite right that the term 'pickaxe' is misleading but certainly in the UK it is the normal general term for anything that even vaguely resembles a pick. Similarly I am used to the term 'mattock' being used to describe the American standard tool that has a spike at one end and a digging blade at the other.

This is like the use of 'crow bar' to describe any long bar used for levering things despite all the variants having correct specific names.

David

[Alex van de Wetering]

Hanno,

Excellent idea to open a thread on the Pick.....somehow we do have some good info on the Canadian shovel on the forum, but info on the pick was still limited.

I would also like to learn more about the Canadian pick and helve as used on CMP's, with a vision of finding a proper one for my C8.

Attached is a picture from Clive's factory photo's CD; this also shows the smooth wooden handle on a C8A.

Also note that there are multiple pictures of tool layouts (Clives CD has 3), one for each type of CMP so it seems.....but I guess they were all done in one picture session, as most tools are the very same ones, while only some items differ.

8445 Heavy Utility 508-291041.jpg

[Preston Isaac]

Seeing all the info on pickaxes, I wonder if anyone can identify this helve variation.
It seems a standard British pattern metal ferule at the bottom, stamped No 2.
The wooden helve has "51" in red paint.
The odd bit is the metal cap at the top of the helve, it is too wide for any British pattern pickaxe head to fit over it.

Attachment 115232

Attachment 115233

Attachment 115234

[Lynn Eades]

If you can't put the pick head over it, then it has been re- purposed, as some kind of rammer? Interesting.

[B. Harris]

For Further Deliberation:
The Canadian heads (Pickaxe), the only one I have seen has been manufactured by Welland Vane Ltd.
They were located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

Markings are typical..... W.V. and the date.
Also is 4 1/2 which is the weight of the head.
They will fit MKII and T16 Carrier mounting head, confirmed. Unsure of MKI fitment.

I have a head for sale on the exchange threads.

Cheers,
Harris

[Lynn Eades]

And here, just to add to the menagerie.
The smaller "miners" pick Made in Sheffield, Marked 2 1/8 (lb?) on the head and "universal on the steel of the helve. No date that I could see.
Back grounded by a standard helve to show size