New and second hand billhooks
New or secondhand billhooks can be bought on line from auction sites such as eBay or from one of the many specialist sites that supply them. Included are links to manufacturers' websites, although you will probably not be unable to buy direct from them. Farmers' suppliers, such as Mole Valley Farmers in the South West, are also a good place to look...
Some second-hand ones found in French brocantes in 2010
My apologies for the terrible layout of this page... 1&1 supposedly allow direct pasting from MS Word, but all the tabs jump all over the place, and if I try to correct them the whole line disappears. Also unable to change the type face to match the rest of the page....
Suppliers and makers of new Billhooks :
UK :
Simon Grant Jones: http://www.simongrant-jones.com/
Hand forged to order – Expensive but the BEST I have handled!!!
John Beavis: www.olivemeadforge.co.uk/billhooks/
From May 2012 John's old site is no longer on the web
Hand forged to order - no other details, but images on website look superb
Dave Budd: http://www.davebudd.com/otherwork.html
Hand Forged to order – no other details
Nick Westerman: http://www.knivesbynick.co.uk/tools.htm
Hand Forged to order – no other details
Andrew Kirkham: T: 01709 363127
Hand forged to order – no other details
Greenman Ironwork:
Steve Darby T: 01403 710460 M: 07771 521115
Hand Forged to order – no other details
Michael Stanton: T: 01783 810063
Hand Forged to order – no other details
Spear and Jackson:
http://www.spear-and-jackson.com/products/garden-tools/agricultural/hooks-and-slashers
Bulldog:
http://www.bulldoghandtools.co.uk/bulldog-cutting-tools_bulldog-hooks.html
Richard Carter: http://www.richardcarterltd.co.uk/
Morris (Dunsford): http://www.woodsmithstore.co.uk/shop/
Richard does not sell direct to the public – no website
Martindale: http://www.ralphmartindale.co.uk/
Tyzacks: see Burgon and Ball
Burgon and Ball: http://www.burgonandball.com/
Jenks and Cattell: now a subdivision of Bulldog Tools
Green blokes:
http://greenblokes.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2
Italy :
Angelo:
http://www.angelo-b.com/ab/catalog/default.asp?tcat=459&
Leonelli : http://www.leonelliattrezzi.com/catalogo.html
Panzeri : http://www.panzeri-tools.it/attrezzi_agricoli.htm
Rinaldi: http://www.flli-rinaldi.it/roncole-accessori.asp
Falci: http://falcitools.com/It/Home/Home.aspx
(limited range of billhook shapes)
France :
Talabot: (MOB) TALABOT OUTILLAGE - BP 1 81160
SAINT JUERY CEDEX France - Phone : +33 563 450 789
Gouvy: http://www.gouvy.fr/frame-oe.asp
Leborgne (Fiskars): http://www.leborgne.fr
Revex: REVEX FORGES SA - Les Forges BP 9 38140
RENAGE France - Phone+33 4 76 91 16 13 :
Netherlands:
Smederij Harm Struik: http://smederijharmstruik.nl/?page_id=38
Austria:
Muller:
http://www.mueller-hammerwerk.at/hammerwerk/index.html
Feiner:
http://www.feiner.at/produkte/forst/sichel.htm
see spanmesser, braxe, häpe & sichel
Germany:
Oschenkopf: http://ochsenkopf.com/de/contact/index.html
Stubai: http://www.stubai.com/index_englisch.htm
Mirko Guenther: handmade praxe, gertel and hippen
http://www.damastklinge.de/damastklinge_texte/de_hackef.htm
Adler: http://www.adler-werkzeugfabrik.de/ a manufacturer of forestry and other edge tools, offering a small range of regional shapes of billhooks (search under produkte/forstwerkzeuge/hepen).
Arne Paysan: http://www.isentosamballerer.de/02CWerkzeug.htm historic reconstructions by the smith at the Isentosamballerer museum (expensive at 120 euros)
Switzerland
Fitzi C Schwarz: http://www.werkzeugschmied.ch/forst.htm
Finland:
Fiskars: http://www3.fiskars.com/ (sold in US as Gerber, in UK as Wilkinson Sword - a new model of brushook intriduced in 2014)
Metallituote Saarela: http://www.metallituotesaarela.com/metsa.htm
Harmän Taonta Oy: http://www.harmantaonta.fi/paasivu.htm
A small independent maker - Highly recommended
Spain:
http://loboartesemia.es/ 12-herramientas-antiguas- a small blacksmith's site with a limited range or reproduction foceta
Flores Cortés don Benito s.l. http://www.florescortes.es/modules/mimodulo3/pdf
‘catalogue jardineria y campo’
López de la Isidra: http://www.lopezdelaisidra.com/sub.aspx?f=14&s=112
see corvillos and tajamatas
R Rocamora: http://portalganga.es/r_rocamora/index.php/main_page/product_info/cPath/8/products_id/11
Portugal:
Ferfor http://www.ferfor.pt/index_ferr.php?lg=PT#4
very limited range available
Ferramentas ACM: http://www.ferramentasacm.com/viewprod.php?pid=41
very limited range available
Almeida & Marques, Lda: http://www.vitorex.eu/catalogo.php?familia_id=8
Used or Second Hand and New (UK):
John French: T: 01424 772371 M: 07887652693 juanitofrances@yahoo.co.uk
Ian Swain: T: 01342 842075 M: 07810 771122 ian@theluddite.com www.theluddite.com
Peter Hanman: T: 01435 860760 M: 07966 176015peter@thetools.wanadoo.co.uk www.hanman-tools.co.uk
Gerry Dawson: http://www.secondhandtools.co.uk/index.htm - post The Toolbox and Pennyfarthing Tools
The Toolbox: http://www.thetoolbox.org.uk/ - originally founded by Gerry Dawson
Pennyfarthing Tools: http://www.pennyfarthingtools.co.uk/ - originally founded by Gerry Dawson
Stan Jordan: Grove Road, Corsham, Wilts - +44 (only open Saturday mornings)
Handles of Old Woking: Contact: Mr Clive Gunning: 29 High Street, WOKING, GU22 9ET (UK) – Phone: +44 (0)1483 773 461
Timeless Tools: http://www.timelesstools.co.uk/
Old Tools: http://www.oldtools.co.uk/tools/edge_tools/billhooks/billhooks.pg1.php
The Vintage Garden Store: http://thevintagegardenstore.com/thestore.aspx
TFSR: http://dotnetv2.development1.sequence.co.uk/3to3/1127/1140/1248?diablo.lang=cym
Woodsmiths Store: http://www.woodsmithstore.co.uk/shop/Products/Tools/Billhooks,%20Slashers%20and%20Grass%20Hooks/
The Old Tool Store: http://www.oldtools.free-online.co.uk/billhooks.htm
Richmonds: http://www.richmondsgroundcare.co.uk/index.php/site/product/category/axes_and_slashers/P12/
Kellam Knives: http://www.kellamknives.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=430
1066Tools: http://www.1066tools.co.uk/tools/billhooks.html
Tony Murland: http://www.antiquetools.co.uk/about.php
Bristol Design: http://www.bristol-design.co.uk/
The Toolnut http://www.toolnut.co.uk/products/billhooks