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Sadly due to a spate of SPAM mainly from Russian and Eastern Europe I have had to stop further entries. If you wish to comment please go to my Facebook page.
If you have a genuine query please use the Contact Page.
January 2017: If you are the author of one of the many SPAM messages I have received over the past year or so - don't bother to waste your time - I just delete them without attempting to follow the links you post....
Comments
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Brilliant site. Thanks very much for putting this together.
Do you know how billhooks were sharpened? -
Congratulations on your in depth study of bill hooks. Such info is rare and hard to find here in the U.S. After spending some time on foreign study in England, I have a fascination with English country crafts and skills. Your site is quite a treat!
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Hi. Thanks for the great site! I am a collector of early American relics and own what I have long-considered a Rev War fascine knife . It is a bit different from those you show. I tried your email
link but it doesn't connect with my AOL.(my phone in New York is: 347-886-6087)
Please Email me your email address and I will send you pix. -
An huge work of collection for a very interesting site.
Bravo, Billman, and thank you for all this information.
I know you by "Outils Anciens-Art Populaire" (i am Jeff31190) and appreciate your knowledge.
Best regards -
Very interesting - I was looking for a billhook recently to thin saplings and discovered your fine site. I bought a sort of billhook in 1967 in Tenerife where they were used to harvest grain heads in
the small fields. A lightweight tool made in a rural community by a local smith who made his mark (4 indents) on the blade. It has a tree heather handle (erica Arborea) and cuts finger thick branches
so I think it was purely for the harvest? These fields are long gone as the people work in tourism these days. Once again a fine site and so pleasing to know that these useful tools are being
preserved -
Thanks for sharing your knowledge
If you dont mind: Ik made a link to your site on my website
Ron van der Sluis sr -
hello, I really like your site about Billhooks and other sharp tools, but i noticed there are no Dutch or Belgian HIEP on it, I could sent you some pictures if you like, best wishes for 2016, Jef
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Here "near" Cologne the edge-enthusiast will find the german blade-museum in Solingen (klingenmuseum.de), an ancient scythe-factory in Leverkusen (sensenhammer.de) and (werkzeugfabrik-krenzer.de) a
still working smithy -
A site with heart and brain behind. Here in Germany I use billhooks with leglong handles against blackberries, or armlong ones. Shorter ones are Schweizer Gertel, with a leather handle.
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I've collected knives for over 35 yrs. and changed direction several times. I shop the flea markets and antique shops and eBay I pick up interesting things and like to research. I have this billhook
and found your site in my research and it is very nice. My billhook if it is one has a different handle than what I can see on your site. I will follow up with photos etc. in the next few days. CARL -
Thank you for publishing this site. I am fascinated by the history of edge tools and am always ready to acquire examples and to use them. I am grateful to you for the advice offered - particularly
about polishing metal. -
Do you any information about Whitehouse Brothers (Bridgtown Cannock) we gave a lot of information on Cornelious Hitehouse
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I enjoyed your site very much. Thank you!
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Ton site est superbe ! On s'y régale les yeux et on y apprend une foule de choses...
Un vrai plaisir dont je te remercie.
Cordialement,
Sindâle -
Une serpe itallienne. I learned at a very early age (6+ And a little girl) to make kindling with a billhook when we stayed at my great Aunt and Uncle\'s house in Barnstaple, N Devon. How times have
changed. I have now been dependent on wood heating in my house in France for 20 years now, and my favourite weapon is still the billhook, though I had to get a new one a few years ago as the old one
went missing.
I also collect folding knives (laguiole type) from a coutellier in the Gers, who has made several fine knives with wood from our garden, and my mother\'s and father in law\'s gardens. They are very
precious, and I have constant pleasure choosing which one to use for dining or cooking.
Warminster.... Not too far from Abingdon. Might drag my aged Ma to see the 6000 billhooks one day if that\'s ok! -
Thanks for this site ! Very great work.
I am 25 years old, I am French and I still use billhooks "Serpe" sometimes when I cut some woods.
I didn't know that it was a so interessant tool.
I discovered your website today and what you are doing is great !
I particulary appreciate the "european vision" that you have !
Thank you -
Research to be proud of, a brilliant site. Very useful info indeed. I've been gently acquiring and using woodworking & greenwood tools for years, with a soft spot for edge tools in particular.
Using a Killick hook or a Howarth chisel spans the gap across generations in a single stroke, they are still the perfect tool for the job. -
Simply the best 'billhook' site on the universe
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AMAZING Info! Great Site! I am an avid blade Enthusiast and Brushooks are a new Favorite! Nice Collection! You're my Brushook Authority
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This article gives the light in which we can observe the reality. I like this kind of blog. Thanks for sharing informative information with us
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Very nice and useful information. Why not write a book about this particular subject. For today’s economic variation and be short of of opportunities, it actually will be a very hot topic. Thanks a
lot -
Great site. Very informative. Bookmarked as an ongoing reference. Thank you. Please keep up the good work.
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What this fella doesn`t know about billhooks..isn`t worth knowing ! Genuine pleasant helpful chap..many thanks for your help Bob.Colin Bryers
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Great site, thoroughly researched. I just wanted something from B&Q etc. for coppicing but spent some time here taking in a world view on these tools.
Will check out the brocante shops next time in France. -
Love the site , good information.interesting comments and thoughts.
Best of luck and health.
Justrecieved a good brush axe
today . -
i just found you website and just getting to know my way around here from what i seen so far it fantastic keep up the super work i got to go now but i be back very soon best of luck to all you
people. graphics are very nice. it's a fantstic web site super job. -
As a collector of edged weapons in Australia, I found your site extremely interesting. The amount of detail in the research is worthy of a huge compliment.
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Awesome site, how long have you been working on it?
http://www.powercomars.com/ -
Great site! Since I was young, living in the countryside I have been fascinated from old agricultural edge tools.Your exhaustive work proved very useful and interesting for me. Along with axes and
machetes, I own some billhoks, both inherited from grandparents, or bought by myself. i look forward sending you some pictures soon! -
An exceptional site. Everything you could wish to find and so much knowledge. Thank you.
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I immediately bookmarked this site. Billhooks are uncommon in Australia although a very handy tool. Excellent info.
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The bill is a polearm weapon used by infantry in medieval Europe. The bill is similar in size, function and appearance to the halberd, differing mainly in the hooked blade form. Other terms for the
bill include English bill, bill hook or bill-guisarme. -
Thank You so much, this is really a fantastique site, very informative and inspiring.
It gave me the idea to make a Youtube video about my collection of Billhooks. I added a link to Your website in the video description.
The video url is
http://youtu.be/RPS1rq4JeyA -
Beautiful hand I think. With some improvements it could be better :)
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Hello, I am a blacksmith from Estonia. I visited your website, it was very interesting and educational for me. Estonian name for billhook is "Kiin" (like "Keen" in englisch) or "võsanuga" and its
means "bush-knife"
Sending some links to Estonia Museum, there are about a hundred billhooks and non-billhooks.
http://muis.ee/en_GB/museaalview/467902
http://muis.ee/en_GB/museaalview/1822116
best regards !
Mart -
I'm a hedgelayer. All I can say is what a WONDERFUL site, full of interesting pictures and words.
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Excellent website, great depth and range of information. We really hope you can come to Mells and spread the word next year! Jon Price
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what a great site and lovely bloke. Keeping England alive.God bless you mate
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Great site, should get the article up. Keep up the good work for dudley
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Really knowledgeable site Bob, well worth the visit for any reference issues with my customers. If anyone knows of an old FUSSEL catalogue i would be very interested. Thanks
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Fantastic Page! I recently Acquired a blunt rusty Nash Billhook from a Stall in Cardigan Market last month, You helped me Identify the style (Llandilo)! Shes all cleaned up now, with a lovely new
edge on her. I'm even keeping the Old woodworm holes and Short split in the bottom of the handle now I know the rest of the handle to be sound. It looks pretty good with these features! -
Very interesting site
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Looks like a great site Robert, I have not had the chance to look at all of it yet.
Can you tell me please, was/is the Fascine Knife the same tool as the Bill Hook? I have seen several types of each & find it difficult to distinguish.
Regards, Keith.
PS. I was born in West Sussex. -
billman, I have just watched some of the old archive film which you have here, bloody brilliant, it is lucky that people like you are collecting this information as it could be lost forever, keep up
the good work.
ps. the new site is great -
Edgar from Croatia. Great site, but in ISTRA (croatian county like Scotland) we use KOSIR (croatian name for billhook) long time ago.
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Great site, very interesting it's nice to see someone is saving these old woodmans tools, alas a dying trade, keep up the good work.
I have a few old tools that were my Great Grandfathers and well preserved in Warwickshire. -
Hello. Robert Marchant of Seal, Kent, Edge Tool Maker is one of my ancestors. Do you by chance have any further information on him or where I may try get more information about him and his
profession.
Kind regards, -
Very well done website.
I came across your presentation while looking for data for a late date Sheffield vendor/maker of Sheffield pattern braces (Marshall & Co.).
As a writer and student of boring tools for 40 years I can appreciate your hard work and skill in presenting this material. -
Greetings from OZ Fanastic site as a pioneer in the 42rhra 1815 and setting up a display of colonial tools, loads of great information. Was amused to find out you were a morris man and an old spot
man as well much impressed by the old spot when the Sydney Morris men did a tour back in 84 we are now defunct we disbanded rather than let females in
Jim Bradman -
Brilliant site - so much to browse and so helpful
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