Ingalls Handpick and Viking Mattock Sizes and Specs: What to Know Before Buying

Ingalls Archaeological Supply (patiche.com) makes handpicks, walking picks, cane picks, and Viking mattocks for archaeological use, and the tools come in four sizes based on hoe width. The homepage states that detailed specifications live on the Handpicks/Patiches page and the Viking Mattock page, so that's where you need to go to compare before ordering. No prices appear on the homepage, so treat cost as something you'll confirm at purchase rather than assume.

What the site tells you about sizing

The only sizing rule stated on the homepage is that all tools are offered in four sizes determined by hoe width. That means the number you're comparing across models is the width of the hoe end—not overall length, weight, or handle type. If you already know what width you work with in the field, you can map that directly onto the four options.

Everything beyond that—exact measurements, materials, handle details—is deferred to the individual product pages:

• Handpicks / Patiches page — specifications for the handpick line
• Viking Mattock page — specifications for the mattock line

Why hoe width is the deciding dimension

Hoe width drives how the tool behaves in the ground. A narrower hoe concentrates force into a smaller edge, which suits tight units, delicate stratigraphy, and confined spaces. A wider hoe moves more soil per swing, which fits faster removal in open excavation. Because Ingalls organizes the entire range around this one measurement, the four sizes effectively span that trade-off from fine work to bulk removal.

If you're equipping a crew rather than yourself, this also means you can standardize on one or two widths and keep the rest of the tool identical.

How to choose, step by step

1. Identify your working width. Decide the hoe width that matches your typical unit size and soil. If you're unsure, start from the width of the tool you currently use most.
2. Open the matching product page. Go to the Handpicks/Patiches page for handpicks, walking picks, and cane picks, or the Viking Mattock page for mattocks.
3. Compare the four sizes on that page. Confirm the exact specification for each width before selecting.
4. Confirm price and availability at checkout. The homepage carries no pricing, so the product page or cart is where you verify cost.

Expected result: you end up with a tool whose hoe width matches your excavation conditions, rather than guessing from a model name.

Common sticking points

• Assuming the four sizes are lengths. They're based on hoe width, so a "larger" size means a wider hoe, not a longer handle.
• Expecting specs on the homepage. They aren't there—the site points you to the two product pages.
• Expecting a listed price up front. The homepage shows none, so don't plan a budget from it alone.

About the maker

Ingalls Archaeological Supply has been making these tools since 1985 and describes them as professional-quality products designed specifically for archaeological use. The same page notes that handpicks and Viking mattocks are marketed as gifts year-round, and that the company also offers two books by Bill Ingalls: Snakes, Rain and The Tet Offensive, a firsthand Vietnam War account with the author's own photographs, and Addicted to Love, a fantasy fiction love story.

Bottom line

Choose your Ingalls tool by hoe width first, then confirm the exact specification on the Handpicks/Patiches or Viking Mattock page, and check pricing at the point of purchase. The four-size structure is the whole selection framework the site gives you—use it as your starting filter.