Did I buy a left-handed billhook?

[treetree]

Just picked up a decent billhook from an antiques shop. Obviously wasn't paying too much attention, as I've just realised that the metal has only on bevelled edge. If I hold the billhook in my right hand, with the curve curving to the left, then the upper side is the non bevelled side (or the side with the makers stamp).

Is this a left-handers billhook and will performance be affected if I use my righthand, or will it make no difference?

Thanks in advance
TT

 

[FGYT]

if it is handed then that would be a right handed one ie if you hold it edge down the bevel is on the right thasthte way it works with food knives etc

 

[woodgrain]

Duncan is right, sounds like a right handed bevel to me. I have a Morris Knighton pattern with a single right hand bevel. Grand for carving instead of an axe or side axe.

Graeme

 

[mrmike]

This would be made for easy sharpening by a 'righty'. If you sit down and lay it flat on your left leg with the hook part pointing to the right, the bevel will be uppermost. You now only have one side to sharpen 'properly', holding the sharpening stone in your right hand.

Hope this helps

 

[mrcharly]

No, not for easy sharpening, it's for the cutting characteristics.

It's like using a side axe - you can cut by sliding the hook along a branch and take off a side branch very cleanly.

 

[ged]

No, not for easy sharpening, it's for the cutting characteristics.

It's like using a side axe - you can cut by sliding the hook along a branch and take off a side branch very cleanly.

The idea being that the blade can slide along the branch without the cutting edge making any contact with it. Try it left handed with the other side on the branch. You'll find the edge will bite in.

 

[mrmike]

The idea being that the blade can slide along the branch without the cutting edge making any contact with it. Try it left handed with the other side on the branch. You'll find the edge will bite in.

I stand corrected
Hadn't thought of that...

 

[ged]

...Hadn't thought of that...

TBH I mightn't have thought of it either, if I hadn't been left handed. My grandfather did a lot of cabinet making in his spare time, and even when I was a toddler he was always very disappointed that I was left handed. He thought people who are left handed couldn't do anything with their hands. He used to take things from me if I'd picked them up in my left hand, and put them in my right hand, saying "Thou not goin' t'be kak-handed!" The same sort of thing happened at school, and it's a miracle I didn't grow up with more personality defects than I have.

But I found that what granddad thought was a problem with a left-hander was more a problem with the tools, or at least with their makers. It's amazing what you find when you're, well, just a little bit different, even if it's only as different as one in ten of the population. Try using a pair of slightly worn right-handed scissors in your left hand (you'll have to try very hard to find left-handed ones, but they do exist). Try using any angle-grinder left-handed. To the best of my knowledge, left-handed angle grinders don't exist.

A while back I bought an old book in Oxfam, just for kicks. It was published in the year of my birth by some knighted gentleman. The title is "The Backward Child" and chapter five is headed "Left Handedness".

 

[Biker]

Try using any angle-grinder left-handed. To the best of my knowledge, left-handed angle grinders don't exist.

Having a left-handed daughter I was able to buy her some left handed scissors, I didn't need to go to a special needs shop either. We found she was OK so long as we spoke slowly to her and showed her how things were done a few times, she's coping well with this problem, and I'm not ashamed of her at all.

As for the grinder, are you talking about the small 4 inch diskcutter? If so you can flip the guard around and swap the handles over to make it kack-handed, the only downside is the on/off switch is underneath instead of near your thumb.

I'm guessing a chainsaw, and toe-cutter would be a major P.I.T.A. to use, but like all left handers living in a right handed world I'm betting you can adapt accordingly. I worked with a left handed carpenter as my workmate for a few years on building sites, we complimented each other soooo well. So having this problem has it's upside too. Stay patient they'll find a cure one day.

 

[falcon]

In terms of using the billhook, why don't you put it through its paces chopping and splitting and let us know how it performs. I can see that specialist tools and techniques may be an issue for lefties but, as a billhook user for scrub clearance, trimming and firewood preparation (very limited requirements I know) I'm struggling at the moment to see what difference it might make....

 

[ged]

Having a left-handed daughter I was able to buy her some left handed scissors ... and I'm not ashamed of her at all.

From which I deduce she doesn't read the BCUK forum.

As for the grinder, are you talking about the small 4 inch diskcutter? If so you can flip the guard around and swap the handles over to make it kack-handed, the only downside is the on/off switch is underneath instead of near your thumb.

From which I deduce that you've never tried your idea. I have quite a few angle grinders ranging from 4" to 9", but the size doesn't matter. Give it a try, and get back to us telling us what you find. (Hint: it's all about where the fragments of metal go. )

I'm guessing a chainsaw, and toe-cutter would be a major P.I.T.A. to use, but like all left handers living in a right handed world I'm betting you can adapt accordingly.

Yeah, you get used to adapting. What's this toe-cutter thing?

... they'll find a cure one day.

I think they've given up on me.

 

[Biker]

Yeah, you get used to adapting. What's this toe-cutter thing?

Answers to your question in order.

Nope

You're right I haven't, why should I, I'm right-handed?

Toe-cutter is one of those big disk cutters you see used to cut paving slabs with, often with a 2 stroke engine. Also used to cut steel depending on the disk. Also known to cut toes as well no matter which cutting disk is fitted.

I have a mate of mine who is right handed, but while at primary school had a left handed friend, so he got it into his head that being left handed was kinda cool, so he taught himself to write using his left hand as well. he's now in his late 30's and is totally ambidextrius(sp?) I so wish I'd done that.

 

[shaggystu]

....From which I deduce that you've never tried your idea. I have quite a few angle grinders ranging from 4" to 9", but the size doesn't matter. Give it a try, and get back to us telling us what you find. (Hint: it's all about where the fragments of metal go. .....

i have angle grinders down as being the second worse tool for a left-hander to use, they're quite simply dangerous, although not quite so dangerous IMHO as an electric plane. with the angle grinder you wear a great big mask/goggle combo and get used to working in a constant shower of molten metal, with the electric plane you either do pretty much the same thing, in wihich case you really can't see what you're doing, or you can fit the little bag onto the plane to catch the shavings, in which case you have to put your right hand underneath the plane to hold the bag out of the way so that you can see what you're doing. i'm left handed, and i've spent quite alot of time working with all sorts of power tools including both grinders and planes, i have no idea how i can still see (through both eyes) that all my fingers are still attached (to both hands).

as for left handed scissors, dress making shops would be the way forwards there, they seam (sorry, couldn't resist it) to realise that us wrong handed types need scissors that are a bit different to normal.

stuart

 

[shaggystu]

chainsaw/toe-cutter (STIHL saw) are fine, they both throw the woodchips/metal filings/stone chips/whatever out to the front of the machine as they cut, angle grinders and electric planes both throw the waste out to the side, the right side, the side where my eyes are, squinting

stuart

 

[mrmike]

chainsaw/toe-cutter (STIHL saw) are fine, they both throw the woodchips/metal filings/stone chips/whatever out to the front of the machine as they cut, angle grinders and electric planes both throw the waste out to the side, the right side, the side where my eyes are, squinting

stuart

You must be holding it funny mate, as both the chainsaw and stihlsaw that I use at work discharge waste to the rear of the machine.

Also, I think that the bigger problems with chainsaws and southpaws is that the front handle is at the left and the chain is on the right. Very unsafe to use left handed (even if the front handle was somehow relocated) unless you aren't particularly bothered about having legs for very long!

 

[shaggystu]

You must be holding it funny mate, as both the chainsaw and stihlsaw that I use at work discharge waste to the rear of the machine.

Also, I think that the bigger problems with chainsaws and southpaws is that the front handle is at the left and the chain is on the right. Very unsafe to use left handed (even if the front handle was somehow relocated) unless you aren't particularly bothered about having legs for very long!

you're right of course, they do both eject waste to the rear of the machine, i think that what i was trying to get at is the fact that both chainsaws and STIHL saws get rid of their waste away from your face, the machine is between you and the waste. with an angle grinder or an electric plane the machine is only between you and the waste if you're using it in your righthand, if you swap it over and put the tool in your left hand the waste is now heading straight towards you.

chainsaws are a tool i've always been comfortable with, i think that with big two handed tools you're forced to use them right handed, with something small like an angle grinder you can easily use it with one hand so you do so, and then you notice the problems

 

[mrcharly]

Angle grinders . . .

I always use them so that the shower of bits heads away from anything that can be damaged. Paintwork, anything flammable, glass. So I end up using them with either hand on the trigger. Helps survive the vibration when you're using one for a 10 hour stint.

 

[treetree]

Many thanks for all your help; I'll keep hold of it until I can get some use of it and see how it feels during the hedgelaying season. Gave hedgelaying a go for the first time last December during a training day, and would thoroughly recommend one of their training days.

http://www.hedgelaying.org.uk/ (National Hedgelaying Society)

TT

 

[mrmike]

you're right of course, they do both eject waste to the rear of the machine, i think that what i was trying to get at is the fact that both chainsaws and STIHL saws get rid of their waste away from your face, the machine is between you and the waste. with an angle grinder or an electric plane the machine is only between you and the waste if you're using it in your righthand, if you swap it over and put the tool in your left hand the waste is now heading straight towards you.

chainsaws are a tool i've always been comfortable with, i think that with big two handed tools you're forced to use them right handed, with something small like an angle grinder you can easily use it with one hand so you do so, and then you notice the problems

Think we might have discovered a niche in the powertool market here...

Dragon's Den??

 

[mountainm]

Think we might have discovered a niche in the powertool market here...

Dragon's Den??

Reverse the polarity on the motor - can't be too tricky to mod.