If you had the choice between a billhook with a hook or one without a hook for general bushcraft tasks which one would you chose?
Which one?
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Without. I have both and there are advantages to each design. But as a general purpose tool, my Elwell Knighton pattern is far more flexible than the more conventional Newtown
Knighton
Newtown
Red
Knighton
Newtown
Red
I don't know the name of the one I have, slightly hooked tip, but I've used more than a few over the years and I tbh I think if you're only to have one, find the one that the balance feels *right* for you, regardless of the hook or not.
Some are just too blasted heavy unless you spend half your life wielding one, and others are kind of whippy. It needs something you 'can' get some force behind if needed, but light enough that you don't need to lock your wrist and hand, into a cramp to use it, for hours on end.
cheers,
Toddy
Some are just too blasted heavy unless you spend half your life wielding one, and others are kind of whippy. It needs something you 'can' get some force behind if needed, but light enough that you don't need to lock your wrist and hand, into a cramp to use it, for hours on end.
cheers,
Toddy
funny this should come up, I've been thinking of starting the same thread myself!
I've been trying to come up with a bushcraft billhook for a while but I can't decide on hook or not. for some things the hook is very useful but for others it does tend to get in the way (although the use of a chopping block can sometimes get around that). Then there is the issue of the shape and curve or the hook; is a gentle curve for the front 1/3 or 1/4 more generally useful, or is a tighter curve right at the end of a straight blade better?
On balance I've been thinking I shall have to make two, a straight bill with no hook AND one with a small hooked bit on the end bit like a bristol pattern. It's a case of horses for courses really, as well as personal preference. One thing is sure though, I won't be suggesting double edged ones! dangerous to use in experienced hands!
I've been trying to come up with a bushcraft billhook for a while but I can't decide on hook or not. for some things the hook is very useful but for others it does tend to get in the way (although the use of a chopping block can sometimes get around that). Then there is the issue of the shape and curve or the hook; is a gentle curve for the front 1/3 or 1/4 more generally useful, or is a tighter curve right at the end of a straight blade better?
On balance I've been thinking I shall have to make two, a straight bill with no hook AND one with a small hooked bit on the end bit like a bristol pattern. It's a case of horses for courses really, as well as personal preference. One thing is sure though, I won't be suggesting double edged ones! dangerous to use in experienced hands!
I've been using a C.Whitehouse on the allotment and enjoyed using a great deal,now i have a Elwell Knighton but not had a chance to play with it yet.
Dave, are billhooks hard to make compared to knives and axes, i mean size,weight,balance so on.
Dave, are billhooks hard to make compared to knives and axes, i mean size,weight,balance so on.
compared to a general purpose knife or axe, yes, bloody hard work! 
Especially hooked varieties.
If I wanted to make them like modern manufacturers do, then it would be pretty easy as they are either uniform thickness (basically a billhooked shape but with a convex scandi grind
) or at best they have a distal taper (thicker at handle than tip) but no taper across the width of the blade. Getting a blade that size and shape straight is interesting and as I don't do much grinding I have to forge to finished, which may make my life more difficult. Getting the weight distribution right is a matter of working out what the tool is for partly, not all are that front heavy.
To make a Devon pattern for example I start with a bit of bar 1 1/2" x 1/4 or 3/8". The distal taper is put in, which also widens the front portion. Any blade is bent into a curve so that as the bevels are forged in it can straighten to the right shape. With a billhook the straight bit is bent like a banana and the hook end has to be bent a lot further around (looks kinda like a curved J). Bending a flat bar on edge like that is a serious PITA. Then it gets hammered out into a V cross section and the final shape of the hook is tweaked to about right. Then I draw the tang out, which is the easy bit!
Unfortunately, like axes, people think of a billhook as just another tool and don't want to pay the sort of money that they would for a knife of the same size, strain and complexity
I may do a photo tutorial next time I make one.
My normal everyday hook is one based on a 3rd Century hook and doesn't have too much hook on it. The front sin't as wide and weighty as most billhooks which (combined with the shallow hook) means its not as good at coppicing and hedge laying as say a Bristol or Devon, but for snedding and bushcraft it is pretty darn good. Its also not as much of a pain to make as a very hooked blade
Especially hooked varieties. If I wanted to make them like modern manufacturers do, then it would be pretty easy as they are either uniform thickness (basically a billhooked shape but with a convex scandi grind
) or at best they have a distal taper (thicker at handle than tip) but no taper across the width of the blade. Getting a blade that size and shape straight is interesting and as I don't do much grinding I have to forge to finished, which may make my life more difficult. Getting the weight distribution right is a matter of working out what the tool is for partly, not all are that front heavy.To make a Devon pattern for example I start with a bit of bar 1 1/2" x 1/4 or 3/8". The distal taper is put in, which also widens the front portion. Any blade is bent into a curve so that as the bevels are forged in it can straighten to the right shape. With a billhook the straight bit is bent like a banana and the hook end has to be bent a lot further around (looks kinda like a curved J). Bending a flat bar on edge like that is a serious PITA. Then it gets hammered out into a V cross section and the final shape of the hook is tweaked to about right. Then I draw the tang out, which is the easy bit!
Unfortunately, like axes, people think of a billhook as just another tool and don't want to pay the sort of money that they would for a knife of the same size, strain and complexity
I may do a photo tutorial next time I make one.
My normal everyday hook is one based on a 3rd Century hook and doesn't have too much hook on it. The front sin't as wide and weighty as most billhooks which (combined with the shallow hook) means its not as good at coppicing and hedge laying as say a Bristol or Devon, but for snedding and bushcraft it is pretty darn good. Its also not as much of a pain to make as a very hooked blade
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