mattock axe

Mattock axes typically pair a pointed or pick-style end for breaking hard ground with a flat hoe or grub-hoe/axe edge for loosening soil, cutting roots, and prying out rocks.

Heads are made of steel and handles are made from ash wood; some listings specify oiled ash handles for added finish and protection.

Mattocks are used for loosening and breaking up hard ground, pulling rocks, clearing weeds, digging trenches, cutting roots and vines, and can also help split wood or clear ground on camping trips.

Smaller models — for example items listed with about a 16‑inch handle and an approximately 11.75‑inch head — are described as better suited to confined spaces and tasks performed from a squat or on your knees.

Many mattocks include a hanging hole at the handle or shaft end so you can hang them on a wall or keep them off the ground for easy, dry storage.