Aussie Lapidary Forum
LAPIDARY => Ask a "Silly" Question => Topic started by: Lyn on May 01, 2019, 08:06:39 PM
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Hi
We are wanting to buy a couple of Estwing rock picks. It looks like here are a few different ones available. Probably going the 22oz, but not sur whether to go long handle or short handle.
Question - if you have one, do you have long or short handle?
Cheers Lyn
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Hi Lyn, it depends on what you want to do. I have a mattock for working harder ground and a short handled lightweight mattock for tighter areas. I also have a geo pick but admit, I don't use that a great deal these days, the light mattock I find better to use. Mine is from Bunnings if memory serves me correct, the Estwing ones are a bit harder to find here and hence expensive to buy online and get posted.
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Hi
We are wanting to buy a couple of Estwing rock picks. It looks like here are a few different ones available. Probably going the 22oz, but not sur whether to go long handle or short handle.
Question - if you have one, do you have long or short handle?
Cheers Lyn
I purchased a heap of Estwing gear from the states when the dollar was good. Prices were so cheap. The larger paleo picks are pretty good, I have yet to break one but I now mainly use picks I have made myself(might now be cheap copies of them out of china). The smaller hand picks I prefer the longer handle one with a pointy tip. One main reason is less rock chips hit your fingers compared to the short handle ones, chips cut if your not wearing gloves. The longer handle also gives more leverage and you don't need to bend over as far. The shorter handle ones are better for lighter more accurate work.
I can find the supplier if your interested, was really good to deal with but shipping might not be worth it for just one. If you want some pictures comparing the ones i have let me know. My favorite Estwing tool is a 4lb hammer. The gad bar is nice but I did break it and had to weld back together. Now I'm a bit gentler with it and use spikes from a cutup crow bar.
CheersMB
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I was just having a look, I was dealing with the owner who looked after me with shipping but a good few years ago and I think he has retired and his son is running it.
https://www.wylaco.com/index.php?route=product/isearch&search=estwing&description=true
With the aussie dollar where it is I really don't think it worth buying the Estwing picks unless you really want one. Cheapest on Ebay is $80.90aud for a long handle one in Australia.
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This is the short handled mattock I find invaluable when fossicking, a lot cheaper than an Estwing.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/hart-680g-1-5lb-mattock-pick_p3360364
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This is the short handled mattock I find invaluable when fossicking, a lot cheaper than an Estwing.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/hart-680g-1-5lb-mattock-pick_p3360364 (https://www.bunnings.com.au/hart-680g-1-5lb-mattock-pick_p3360364)
That looks pretty good Bucket. Oh how times change, I was buying the large Estwing paleo picks for about $50 each delivered and smaller hammers/picks around $25 average.
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Yep, great little tool and small enough to carry 'just in case'.
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There are cheap chinese versions available, but don't even think about it, cast Iron rather than steel.
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There are cheap chinese versions available, but don't even think about it, cast Iron rather than steel.
Oh, best avoid the copies then.
In general am finding Chinese products as a whole are are getting better or I'm getting better at filtering out the rubbish on Aliexpress.