Billhook gallery!

[Samon]

I think it would be great to have a gallery specifically dedicated to billhooks!

It'll be a great way to display the many many differeing types and styles out there and a good starting point for newcomers and googlers to hear a few things about why we use and like them.

So, I'll start..

My stick tang Elwell, very heavy but a great chopper!



And my latest, a socketed Cornelius and whitehouse..




Now let's see yours!

 

[jondavy]

Far right is my Brades 198 9" which is great for just about everthing, next to is the sheath that I recently made for it.
Left is a new addition, an Elwell 4583 10".
Both were owned by family members and discovered when clearing out sheds.


Jon.

 

[Pete]

Here's mine:

An Elwell 9 inch Leicestershire double sided billhook. The straight side is (mis?)sharpened as a side axe type. Perfect for hedgelaying!

 

[Samon]

Nice!

any more dudes/dudettes?

 

[copper_head]

Not managed to find one yet, but I do want one . Carboot will come up trumps eventually.

 

[Leiflet]

Here's mine:

An Elwell 9 inch Leicestershire double sided billhook. The straight side is (mis?)sharpened as a side axe type. Perfect for hedgelaying!

Now there's a thought.

Cheers,
Leif

 

[British Red]

Elwell 10" Knighton pattern


Elwell Knighton Bill Hook by British Red, on Flickr


In Sheath by British Red, on Flickr

 

[dwardo]

My hook.
Wonderful tool and great for roughing out bow staves.

 

[bob_the_baker]

My hertford pattern hook

 

[Samon]

very nice!

 

[ozzy1977]

Here is my collection,
1, Morris spar hook
2, C Whitehouse sparhook
3, Staniforth Severquick
4, Unknown 8 1/2'' Suffolk patern
5, Elwell 8'' Suffolk
6, Elwell 9'' Suffolk (1947 broad head arrow War Dept)

 

[HHazeldean]

I've got the staniforths one too! I've never seen another one before! A really brilliant tool, only just started realising the potential of a billhook!

 

[swotty]

Here's mine a Cornelius Whitehouse dated 1914, I did a bit of research a little while ago and believe it might be a trench billhook!

 

[Bladeophile]

What amazing old tools. I'd give them house room any day!! But I'm curious about the logic behind the blade shape. (I've never used one.) Essentially it does the opposite of a Kukri machette towards the end of the blade - and we all know what one of those can do. So can someone explain to the uninitiated - how these things do their job? Many thanks in advance.

 

[Samon]

They are heavy, short and have hooked ends usually. They are made for hedge laying, and are good for working in the woods - like a heavy machete/long axe.

They blades are single bevel ground, and allow for side cuts to do the hedge laying and the hook allows for removing other branches and general purpose pulling/cutting.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Restored skip find and home made mask. 9" Brades.

 

[Bladeophile]

Thanks Samon - Think I need to see a vid of someone using these in the woods E.g. hedge laying etc. That was a great skip find and restoration! Don't you just love finding gems in skips?
Can you give me 3 or 4 most notable makers of these billhooks? Would this tool replace say......... a medium size axe?

 

[Bladeophile]

OOOpps my bad! You already gave some makers names below.

 

[Samon]

Would this tool replace say......... a medium size axe?

seeing as cutting down trees in our limited woodland is a wasteful thing to do I'd say yes, it can replace a medium axe quite nicely.

It can split easily, cut well and be used to clear brush like a machete. Infact, alot of people prefer them over an axe, but I'm still unsure.. however that is just my taste.

My billhook is actually up for swaps atm bladeophile, so if you're interetsed in getting a good one let me know! Socketed handles are stronger, and can be rehandled easily!

 

[Bladeophile]

Jondavy's pattern billhook the Brades 198 9" - the blade and handle shape look very efficient to me.