The term pickaxe is a tool used for digging and breaking up soil and rocks. It consists of a handle with a head made of metal, usually steel, which has a sharp point at one end and a flat blade at the other. The related term MATTOCK is also a tool used for digging and breaking up soil and rocks, but it has a different shape. It consists of a handle with a head made of metal, usually steel, which has a sharp point at one end and a curved blade at the other.