Hi All

I've dug a large hole for a pond, using a digger, and now need a more subtle approach to finish it off. I'd like to use something like a pick-axe to help me shape the rim and get a bit of extra depth here and there.

Just wondering what the best tool for this job might be, or even if there might be a specialised implement of some kind. A normal fork and spade would do the job eventually, but don't have quite the power I need on what is pretty stony ground.

Thanks for any suggestions.

What you need is a mattock - like a pickaxe with a short broad blade - used by archaeologists all over the world. Don't know where you'd get one though, I'd like to know if you find out.

Mark

michael adams wrote:


A mattock.


I gto mine from Wickes for nto very much money and it's one of the best
tools I've ever bought. Way better than a spade for hard ground.

In article .com,
writes:
| michael adams wrote:
|
| A mattock.
|
| I gto mine from Wickes for nto very much money and it's one of the best
| tools I've ever bought. Way better than a spade for hard ground.

And for weed-infested ground, grubbing brambles and saplings and so
on. There are a dozen regular posters who swear by the things.
15-20 quid, and it will last out a couple of gardening lifetimes.

Mine came from SCATS, if I recall.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Nick Maclaren wrote:
There are a dozen regular posters who swear by the things.


count me among those.

The best value £20 I ever spent. Brilliant both for the brute force jobs of
breaking out trees or hard ground and for the subtle ground shaping job the
op has in mind. Truly great tool.

pk

Thanks Mark, you're dead right. If you Google for "mattock" you'll find 2 or 3 UK firms that will supply a mattock for £15 - £20.

Thanks again.

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:


In article .com,
writes:
| michael adams wrote:
|
| A mattock.
|
| I gto mine from Wickes for nto very much money and it's one of the
best
| tools I've ever bought. Way better than a spade for hard ground.

And for weed-infested ground, grubbing brambles and saplings and so
on. There are a dozen regular posters who swear by the things.
15-20 quid, and it will last out a couple of gardening lifetimes.

Mine came from SCATS, if I recall.

I inherited mine from my late uncle's shed. He inherited it from his
Irish father, it's at least 100 years old and still in perfect
condition, wonderfully balanced. I use it regularly and wouldn't be
without it.

Brides should put "mattock" on their wedding present lists, imho.

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~
Mine is of similar age but was originally an adze. Much better steel
and takes a fine edge. Yours could be the same?
Best Wishes Brian.

The message .com
from contains these words:
michael adams wrote:


A mattock.


I gto mine from Wickes for nto very much money and it's one of the best
tools I've ever bought. Way better than a spade for hard ground.

I got my two from the municipal tip. All I had to buy was the helves.

--

,,,
}»«üüüü(@
´ ´

The message
from "p.k." contains these words:
Nick Maclaren wrote:

There are a dozen regular posters who swear by the things.


count me among those.

And me.

The best value £20 I ever spent. Brilliant both for the brute force jobs of
breaking out trees or hard ground and for the subtle ground shaping job the
op has in mind. Truly great tool.

The best £4 - well, maybe not the best, but it was very good value. I
have a light one and a heavy one (and a pick) and the heads cost me
nothing. IIRC the helves cost about £2 each - but that was rather a long
time ago. I'm stingy - I use the same helve for the pick and the heavy
mattock. I'm disappointed that the eye of the lighter one is too small,
and three inches of the other helve won't cram into it.

I keep the light one very sharp and only use it on exposed roots

--

,,,
}»«üüüü(@
´ ´

The message
from Janet Baraclough contains these words:

I inherited mine from my late uncle's shed. He inherited it from his
Irish father, it's at least 100 years old and still in perfect
condition, wonderfully balanced. I use it regularly and wouldn't be
without it.

I acquired an adze which had been used as a mattock, and it took me a
week to fettle it. I had to drill, thread and peg in a new dowel spigot
- the original having been hacksawed off. (Hacksawn?)

Brides should put "mattock" on their wedding present lists, imho.

In which event, grooms should be very careful.

--

,,,
}»«üüüü(@
´ ´

The message
from "Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond contains these words:

/mattocks!/

Mine is of similar age but was originally an adze. Much better steel
and takes a fine edge. Yours could be the same?

Philistine!

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

Thanks for all the mattock endorsements, and the suggestion of Wickes. I've just come back from there with one of these tools - cost just under £20.

I won't get a chance to use it till tomorrow now, but it looks like exactly the thing I was hoping for.

I'll update you

Thanks for all the mattock endorsements, and the suggestion of Wickes. I've just come back from there with one of these tools - cost just under £20.

I won't get a chance to use it till tomorrow now, but it looks like exactly the thing I was hoping for.

I'll update you.

Ooops, sorry for the duplicate post. I'm using www.gardenbanter.co.uk to use the group these days, and I managed to hit Submit twice.

If people are unaware of gardenbanter, do take a look. It assembles all gardening-related newgroups in one place and uses a vBulletin interface - which personally I like.

Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:
The message
from "Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond contains
these words:

/mattocks!/

Mine is of similar age but was originally an adze. Much
better steel and takes a fine edge. Yours could be the same?

Philistine!

Oh dear! You mean he shouldn't be using his Disston saw to cut off
tree-roots below ground-level?

--
Mike.