Sickles & Billhooks

[3/4Flap]

We mostly associate large knife cultures with East & SE Asia. But the billhook & sickle are prevalent in Europe even today.

I've made a few and had good success with them building hunting blinds, clearing trails, cutting light firewood.

Here are a few I've forged.

 

[Marshwheeling]

I have been using billhooks in my yard a lot. Thet are handy for cutting along fence lines and walls. My favorites are from Rinaldi, getting hard to find, however. They feature stacked leather handles and the hook on the pommel like the one in your second photo.

 

[ameridaddy]

car springs? lawn mower blades for material sources?

 

[Chubbs103]

Some folks call it a sling blade, I call it a Kaiser blade.

 

[Chubbs103]

Emmmm Hmmmm

 

[THE PILGRIM]

My Filipino Negrito Bolo is mostly likely a car - truck spring.
When you have limited choices, the Wise make the best choice.
Actually, when you have unlimited choices, the Wise make the best choice.
One of them universal truths.

 

[3/4Flap]

I have been using billhooks in my yard a lot. Thet are handy for cutting along fence lines and walls. My favorites are from Rinaldi, getting hard to find, however. They feature stacked leather handles and the hook on the pommel like the one in your second photo.

There are some good ones from Italy.

I wrote a piece on Italian billhooks a while back.

Knives 2022, 42nd Edition

 

[3/4Flap]

car springs? lawn mower blades for material sources?

I use chainsaw bars, log processor bars, millsaws, vehicle suspension springs, landside plow blades mostly, occasionally old wrenches and such, tested to prove heat treatable.

Have never used lawnmower blades.

 

[Frank46]

I have an old British golok short machete that I use to do the trimming with. Start off with a file then stone the edge. Also use one of the slashing axes that looks like a shepard's crook but has cutting edges on both sides,wears me out and at 76 ain't no spring chicken. Frank

 

[30-30remchester]

I have never used a billshook or even heard the name before. The only one hand sickle I have ever used was the typical type found in hardware stores. 3/4 circle sharpened only on the top edge. I used one of these in youth quite often harvesting wild alfalfa for my domestic rabbits. One particular occasion I missed my cut and drove the tip through my sneaker and into my big toe. No big whoop. However, because I was cutting in an active cow pen the blade was nasty and my big toe got infected and swollen up to the point, I couldn't wear my normal shoes. My mother saw this and got concerned and made me put mercurochrome on it. It eventually returned to its normal size. Are these billhooks used in the same manner or are they brush cutters?

 

[Peak53]

Here are a few I've forged.

I really like your style.

 

[3/4Flap]

I have never used a billshook or even heard the name before. The only one hand sickle I have ever used was the typical type found in hardware stores. 3/4 circle sharpened only on the top edge. I used one of these in youth quite often harvesting wild alfalfa for my domestic rabbits. One particular occasion I missed my cut and drove the tip through my sneaker and into my big toe. No big whoop. However, because I was cutting in an active cow pen the blade was nasty and my big toe got infected and swollen up to the point, I couldn't wear my normal shoes. My mother saw this and got concerned and made me put mercurochrome on it. It eventually returned to its normal size. Are these billhooks used in the same manner or are they brush cutters?

The sickle w/ the long wooden handle is used similarly to the one you described. The others are used primarily for woody brush and the like, often that which you might use a hatchet on tho the billhook is more versatile.

 

[Frank46]

The one i described has a cutting edge on both the inside and outside. Sometimes they are also referred to a slashing axes. I sometimes use it when cutting grass and brush that I can't get with the bushog on my tractor. Or tilt the bucket all the way back on the tractor and put it reverse and drag out the grass or brush. Y-Tube has some videos posted by the manufacturers, or just by guys using them. Frank

 

[3/4Flap]

The one i described has a cutting edge on both the inside and outside. Sometimes they are also referred to a slashing axes. I sometimes use it when cutting grass and brush that I can't get with the bushog on my tractor. Or tilt the bucket all the way back on the tractor and put it reverse and drag out the grass or brush. Y-Tube has some videos posted by the manufacturers, or just by guys using them. Frank

Roger. I know the type.

Here's a large one I forged. Intended it for ground brush but it really shines on limbing standing trees (as for cutting shooting lanes in front of our deer and elk blinds on the ranch). It is massive and dangerous, frankly, and really I need to reforge it to improve its balance.

 

[30-30remchester]

Instead of billshooks we referred to the as bank blades.

 

[3/4Flap]

Doesn't bank blade refer to a 2-handed tool exclusively? Billhook varies but commonly now is a one handed tool. Historically I believe it was also included among the poled military blades like glaives and halberds.

 

[Frank46]

Massive and dangerous is an understatement. Anything above my head gets the pole saw treatment. Got a few pecan trees with low branches. But don't want to mess with them as the nuts will be ripe for picking soon. Frank

 

[ISCS Yoda]

We mostly associate large knife cultures with East & SE Asia. But the billhook & sickle are prevalent in Europe even today.

This was very interesting and I've learned a few things but large knife cultures and Texas go hand in hand so I'm not sure that first point is actually correct. Never mind the Randall knife fanatics we all know and love.

With respect to Texas, especially now, when there is no such thing as an illegal knife in Texas and we can carry anything, Bowie knives are the obvious Texas large knife. Nobody actually carries large knives like that as a general rule but raise your hand if you own one............

I thought so............