Im looking to buy a bill hook does anyone have experiance of them ,and which brand /maker would be the best quality?
which billhook?
- Thread starter h2o
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It's a bit like asking which knife or which axe I guess. First I'd decide what sort of billhook you want and what you want it for, then decide if what you want is available new or second hand.
Do you want two handed and heavy? Light? Hook on the blade? Two blades? Round handle?
For second hand, I'd guess the more common that are likely to be good quality are Elwell and Brades, though there are other good makers out there.
Do you want two handed and heavy? Light? Hook on the blade? Two blades? Round handle?
For second hand, I'd guess the more common that are likely to be good quality are Elwell and Brades, though there are other good makers out there.
Elwell, Brades, plus harrison, Wm Swift, Nash, Skelton, Morris's of Dunsford, Gilpin's, Staniforth, Parkes etc are a few more British makes. Personally I'd go second hand. I agree 100% with Mirrius, do some analysis about your intended uses, prefeneces, budget, experience etc to narrow the field down a bit. I recently got 2 hooks a large 2 sided Cornelius whitehouse it will cut biggish hazel poles easy. Plus a smaller one (cant remember the make right now) I removed the worn straight edged side and made it into a nice little spar/trimming hook for detail work and splitting poles/rod's etc
Search ebay, there are loads of good old ones there & they often go for good prices too.
You'll have to put in some work putting a new edge on it but that is all part of the attraction to me. Modern made hooks seldom have a good edge out of the box iether.
You'll have to put in some work putting a new edge on it but that is all part of the attraction to me. Modern made hooks seldom have a good edge out of the box iether.
I would suggest always buying an old one over a new one (unless you get me to make it for you 
) as the geometry of the new ones is pants and doesn't work nearly as well as the old ones. Just be aware that you may need to do a little grinding to get the edge back, but then a new one needs work too. Of the new hooks, the morris's are the only reasonable ones and they aren't a patch on what they were 40 years ago
) as the geometry of the new ones is pants and doesn't work nearly as well as the old ones. Just be aware that you may need to do a little grinding to get the edge back, but then a new one needs work too. Of the new hooks, the morris's are the only reasonable ones and they aren't a patch on what they were 40 years ago 
