Do you love billhooks?

[markheolddu]

Hi do you love Billhooks but feel left out?
Does it get to much when everybody gets out their shiney SFAs and your billhook is dull and pitted?
Are you feeling left out because you dont have a snappy leather sheath but carry yours in a sack.

I understand I love billhooks to.

BRING BACK THE BILLHOOK:You_Rock_

Mark

 

[Shewie]

Can't say I've ever used one, am I missing out ?

 

[hiraeth]

I have had one for ages and far prefer mine to an axe. Got given an old one last week which i need to rehandle. The previous owner was about to throw it in a skip.

 

[deenewcastle]

I've been looking at these since Rancid Badger asked for help with coppicing. What is the purpose of the secondary blade on a double bladed version?

 

[locum76]

I don't yet but I expect I'm going too. I've got a kilometer of hedge to lay soon.

 

[Prawnster]

I spent a few hours building a natural shelter once using a billhook.

Hated it. I longed for an axe or campknife.

 

[Tony]

I like bill hooks, they're excellent for many things and can chop as well as most smaller axes. it's worth the time developing some skill with them.

 

[dwardo]

I found an old one on a friends land. Spent ages putting an edge back on it whilst sat around the fire. I used it for a few hours for general camp chores and it was brilliant!

The my friend turned up saw what i had done with the old billhook, said "thanks for that" and took it away

Not found one since..

 

[bushblade]

I remember they became quite fashionable, for a while, on BCUK a few years ago.

 

[MartiniDave]

I use one sometimes. Like everthing else its horses for courses. Very good for trimming, splitting etc. I find it best to maintain a coarser edge on a billhook than say a knife or axe, as the edge is easily rolled (by me at least!)
I use mine a lot on the shoot for keeping rides clear and cutting flushing breaks in cover crops, mostly use axe and knife for bushcraft though.

Dave

 

[phaserrifle]

hmmm, I've been looking at getting a big knife/"chopper" recently.
if I recall right my grandad has a couple of billhooks sitting in his garage, slowly rusting. I might ask him if I can pinch one (or both) and clean them up.

I could allways grind the hook part off to make a more conventional if I didn't like it......

 

[MartiniDave]

Phaserrifle,

The hook is very useful for splitting things like hazel wands down for weaving hurdles etc. See below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U08AiNxq17Q

Dave

 

[EdS]

Can't say I've ever used one, am I missing out ?

yes to be honest. When gathering sticks/branches and kindling for the fire (most weekends) I tend to use a billhook rather there than a SFA. Although I've jsut strated using a parang from time to time now.

If I use an axe it tends to be a felling one for splitting logs.

 

[Shewie]

yes to be honest. When gathering sticks/branches and kindling for the fire (most weekends) I tend to use a billhook rather there than a SFA. Although I've jsut strated using a parang from time to time now.

If I use an axe it tends to be a felling one for splitting logs.

Well when I eventually get back over to see you I wouldn't mind seeing one in action.

 

[Ogri the trog]

See below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U08AiNxq17Q

Dave

Did I hear that right?
£56 for one hurdle, I'm in the wrong trade!



Ogri the trog

 

[brancho]

I used to prefer the billhook we had for chopping sticks as a kid over the axe we had.
I have not used one in nearly 30 years since we got gas fire.

 

[launditch1]

I like using billhooks alot and i cant say i feel left out?I doubt anyone i know would care less what my axe had stamped on it...an axe is an axe.
They both have their place and uses.If youre lucky you can pick up decent hooks for very little.
I was umming and ahhing at the SFA's at a wood fair this year and backed down,bought a antique W.Swift hook and nice lil' folding knife instead.

 

[John Fenna]

My relationship with Bill is a private matter that need not concern you Mark!

Oh I see what you mean...actually I could be quite keen on the one you brought up to the last BNO - or its brother....

 

[markheolddu]

This is great I dont feel like the odd one out, Even though I am odd and often out.
I might put up pics later if I can find any.

Mark

 

[Toddy]

I've got two and a sickle (cheers Jojo ) and a machete (cheers Warthog1981 ) and I use them all.

I think it really depends on what you're doing with them. Green stuff, like hedging, hurdles, clearing brash, bracken and the like, they're brilliant. I've even roughed out a blank for burned out bowl with one. They're pretty good for making kindling too Pretty neat at tidying up logs as well, and no' bad at the debarking.

cheers,
Toddy