I know there are a lot of fans of the Bill Hook on here. I ndeed I have a a very nice Newton pattern one. But the hook does get in the way for more general "utility" work
So, when over in Wales a while ago, I was delighted to find a really good 10" Elwell Knighton pattern one for a song on an "old tools" stall in a market
The intention was to use it for general rough work around the farm and cottage - rendering logs into kindling (chopping sticks), hacking back undergrowth etc.
It did all these jobs with ease. Indeed splitting a 10" 4" diameter log of oak or birch is just a flick of the wrist.
I have become so attached to it I have decided to "promote" it to "out and about" use.
Now clearly this is not a "pretty" tool and its a big old lump of steel, so it wanted a sheath that was tough and strong
I asked Topknot to make me something in an almost "mountain man" style - as ever he didn't let me down
Notice that its stitched and also has the leather thonging for double strength
Notice the double layer of leather at the entrance to the sheath forming a sort of "chape", the brass buckle to secure it and the double layer of leather at the top of the belt loop to resist any wear from this heavy old tool
On the back, Andy has added a very nice feature for me - another loop at the bottom.
Why? Well the bottom loop is so spaced that the two straps that secure the side pockets of my pack can pass through them allowing the bill to be strapped to the side of my pack
Lastly of course, being Topknot, he added some tooling of my mark (oak) twined with BBs (ivy)
It makes for a great package and one that I can see being very useful from splitting wood, to cutting stakes or thatch and building shelters.
As always Topknot's wok is top drawer - and its nice to have something very "British" and suited to our land
Red
So, when over in Wales a while ago, I was delighted to find a really good 10" Elwell Knighton pattern one for a song on an "old tools" stall in a market
The intention was to use it for general rough work around the farm and cottage - rendering logs into kindling (chopping sticks), hacking back undergrowth etc.
It did all these jobs with ease. Indeed splitting a 10" 4" diameter log of oak or birch is just a flick of the wrist.
I have become so attached to it I have decided to "promote" it to "out and about" use.
Now clearly this is not a "pretty" tool and its a big old lump of steel, so it wanted a sheath that was tough and strong
I asked Topknot to make me something in an almost "mountain man" style - as ever he didn't let me down
Notice that its stitched and also has the leather thonging for double strength
Notice the double layer of leather at the entrance to the sheath forming a sort of "chape", the brass buckle to secure it and the double layer of leather at the top of the belt loop to resist any wear from this heavy old tool
On the back, Andy has added a very nice feature for me - another loop at the bottom.
Why? Well the bottom loop is so spaced that the two straps that secure the side pockets of my pack can pass through them allowing the bill to be strapped to the side of my pack
Lastly of course, being Topknot, he added some tooling of my mark (oak) twined with BBs (ivy)
It makes for a great package and one that I can see being very useful from splitting wood, to cutting stakes or thatch and building shelters.
As always Topknot's wok is top drawer - and its nice to have something very "British" and suited to our land
Red
I'm a big Billhook fan too and, like Mark (Buckshot) ground the hook off one of Jack's and it gets used for the majority of what I need to do. The old Elwell ones are top drawer (as are their spades - I've inherited my old man's which was a wedding present) and I've a Whitehouse of Cannock (Knighton pattern) which is excellent too.....and that's about 70 years old.
And a whopper of a chopper if ever I saw one 
