Pickaxe dimensions

[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

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks all, good info coming out of the woodwork ;-)

Here is a photo of an AEC armoured demolition vehicle, showing the pioneer tools (is that the British terminology?) neatly stowed on the rear:
shovel, pick, helve (note that it doesn not have steel bands!) and crowbar.

117239335_1669001719947677_5584786975991362539_n.jpg

The vehicle in the photo is from contract T9291 covering Lorry 3ton Armd Personnel and Armd Demolition, 100 vehicles between the two types.

[Lynn Eades]

Hanno, The (later)WWII handle did not have the band at the grip end. The pick head end will have the steel sleeve, to go with the head shown. (at least, I've never seen one that didn't) The logic is that the long hole in the American one stabilizes the handle in the head, whereas the smaller and shorter hole requires the steel sleeve to stabilize the head on the handle. If the photo was bigger I think you'd be able to see the sleeve.