Handling a socketed billhook?

[philaw]

I just bought a socketed billhook like the one that's hopefully shown in the picture below. I can find a handle easily enough. Can anyone give me a tip on how to fit it in a way that will give me confidence? Friction fit alone seems risky. The only time I did one I banged in a little nail above the handle and it did the trick, but seemed clumsy.

https://i.ibb.co/g4HX9qg/IMG-20210215-203740.jpg

 

[Buckshot]

There's usually a hole drilled into the metal tube exactly for the nail you mention.

 

[philaw]

There's usually a hole drilled into the metal tube exactly for the nail you mention.

Thanks! This design always has the socket cut down a bit on one side, possibly for the same purpose. What do you think of drilling a little hole in the end and knocking a bit of dowel in? I feel like a round wedge makes sense.

 

[demographic]

Any socketed one I've seen have a hole in the socket for a rivet to go right through the handle.
Well, technically any I've used have been more of a hooked hedge slasher where the blade and socket are both a lot longer.
A blade of perhaps 16 inches and overall length of maybe two foot six?
I've got one in the shed that my brother kindly donated when he moved house* to somewhere with out his own shed.



*Code for he uses my shed for off site storage using the pretense of lending me something.

 

[philaw]

Any socketed one I've seen have a hole in the socket for a rivet to go right through the handle.
Well, technically any I've used have been more of a hooked hedge slasher where the blade and socket are both a lot longer.
A blade of perhaps 16 inches and overall length of maybe two foot six?
I've got one in the shed that my brother kindly donated when he moved house* to somewhere with out his own shed.



*Code for he uses my shed for off site storage using the pretense of lending me something.

A tight friction fit plus a rivet would certainly do it. I guess I could drill through it, but locals (I'm in China) must have a way of doing it. I'll take the blade to a tool shop when it arrives and try to find one that's a good fit. At the same time I can ask the shopkeeper what people normally do. They ought to know.

 

[demographic]

Yeah, I'd just been looking at the photos you posted on your other thread about the area and people. Interesting to see how other people do things and most people are happy to help a person out if they ask so I'm pretty sure they'll have a way.

 

[philaw]

Yeah, I'd just been looking at the photos you posted on your other thread about the area and people. Interesting to see how other people do things and most people are happy to help a person out if they ask so I'm pretty sure they'll have a way.

I've seen enough of these things and I think the rule is that people who use them as tools here care about them about as much as British people care about screwdrivers. They just seem to bang a handle in and not worry about it, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[Dave Budd]

Chances are that if there is no hole in the socket for a pin, then it isn't designed to have a wooden handle at all and the socket is in fact the handle.

You could fit one happily with good epoxy, but a pin is easier.

 

[philaw]

Thanks, Dave. I think the best bet is for me to do a good friction fit and then use some kind of pin or wedge. I'm pretty confident that locals always fit them with a wooden handle, but I haven't seen enough up close to be sure if they use anything else besides, like an adhesive or pin. I actually have epoxy in the house, but feel a desire to do it old school.
Edit: I'll post back here and share the advice I get from the tool shop and my results.

 

[Laurentius]

I have a socketed slasher, it has not one but two holes large enough to put a coach bolt through, which is what I have done with a wingnut on the other end, making it easily removable in the event I want to use it on a different handle.

 

[philaw]

I have a socketed slasher, it has not one but two holes large enough to put a coach bolt through, which is what I have done with a wingnut on the other end, making it easily removable in the event I want to use it on a different handle.

Seems like I'm not the only one that doesn't think a friction fit is enough.

 

[Laurentius]

Seems like I'm not the only one that doesn't think a friction fit is enough.

The last thing you want is the blade flying off into the middle of a bramble thicket.

 

[philaw]

The last thing you want is the blade flying off into the middle of a bramble thicket.

I was thinking more about it flying off into a group of family and friends lol.