Hello from a froggy enjoying billhooks.

[Cyclope]

I stumbled upon this forum, searching for any crazy/stupid/unexperienced bushcrafter using a billhook, instead of any of these (expensive and) impressive bowie/machete/parang/whatever rambo-looking blade. And I finally found that I was far from alone.

I am not a bushcrafter myself. Just a man hoping to wander into nature without breaking it. And always a great (and clumsy) woodworking fan. I don't think doomsday is for tomorrow. I am not very preoccupied by a BOB when all hell will break loose.

Why a billhook? Well... As I am a professional firefighter, I just use axes for many things, especially breaking and entering, but not for anything relating to nature. In fact, in the only vehicle dedicated to fire in natural spaces, we have a very bad shaped one, that I never used; but we have 2 very useful parisian-shaped billhooks. I split wood, sometimes even with a little hatchett. But axes, culturally, they are just not for that; I know, it's quite strange. And, well, my double-edge billhook is just enough for most of the tasks I need doing; and it's more civilized in our much wandered forests...

I like your vision of bushcraft on this website. Humble, open; I have read some threads and articles and never got bored once.

I hope my english is not that bad. And maybe we will even talk about axes, who knows.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Hi, welcome and enjoy. You'll have to post a pic of the parisian shaped billhook, I'm intrigued.

 

[forrestdweller]

welcome!

i have'nt used billhooks myself yet (lack of opportunity), but various other types of long blades for gardening/farming/forestry work/bushcraft activities- my two favourite types are the parang and nata...

 

[Toddy]

Hello and welcome to BcUK.

Very practical tools are billhooks don't think I've seen a Parisian shaped one though. Interesting

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Goatboy]

Hello Cyclope,
Welcome to BCUK, I hope you continue to enjoy yourself here.
I'm a big advocate of billhooks, having used them growing up and also as a constant companion when I was a forester. A very useful tool that evolved through history to do many tasks very well. And much better suited to northern hemisphere woodland than machetes.
As to your English it's very good, certainly better than my ashamedly poor French. (I was surprised I managed to get by with what little I could remember when last in your beautiful countryside.)
Like the others I'd love to see your billhooks as I don't know if I know the pattern from the name. Sad that more folk don't know how useful they are, but I think there is a certain amount of "fashion" involved with the popularity of certain axe brands.
Adieu,
GB.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[John Fenna]

Hello and welcome!

 

[Brynglas]

Hello, welcome. I'm a fan of billhooks, and have used them much more than an axe in the UK. A great practical tool.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Welcome.

I purchased a vintage Irish Brush Cutter at the weekend and because once in the hand I realised it will do far better what I hoped to achieve with a large machete. It's the make with the wee hedgehog stamped into the blade.

Plan to make a nice leather guard for it.

K

 

[Mesquite]

Hello and welcome to the forum

 

[didicoy]

Hello and welcome aboard. Over the years I have collected many billhooks. Often my favourite ones, are those that have been gifted to me from the older generation. It's a basic tool that has established a regional variation here in the UK. Often having a County type name given to them. Less common billhooks, are the two handed ones. Yorkshire billhook for example. The blade is often the same size and shape as the standard type, but a longer length handle, affords more force and swing. I still see good makes of billhooks for sale at carboot sales, for less than £10 each. I saw a Spanish gardener on TV, using a billhook to trim conifer bush new growth off, he was using the tool in a upwards motion. Cutting edge to the sky. He was getting a good clean cut with little effort. The Staffordshire billhook is my favourite type i use for hedgelaying.

 

[ozzy1977]

Hello and welcome.