Billhook sharpening and care for working in the woods.

Billhooks are versatile and efficient tools capable of precision. The curve leading into the 'bill' helps shear through side branches and through stems and can be used for splitting or riving hurdle weavers or thatching spars. The shapes vary with locality and have evolved to be efficient at a particular job. The entire edge needs to be sharp all the time, so you should be able to sharpen in the woods, little and often. That means you just need to take a stone (travel light!) and some cutting fluid to keep metal particles from clogging the stone. Water works well and is safe for shared tools. A blunt hook needs more effort to use, is more likely to 'bounce' and be more dangerous than a sharp one. This is how I sharpen my own tools for my own use and explains the cross section of edge I aim for to cut and to split and why that shape: It's not what you might think. Not instruction, but information. Sharp things always need to be treated with respect so think carefully about it and decide for yourself so you stay safe and enjoy working in the woods. Only a jacket died to make the covers seen in this video, it was my jacket and was beginning to fall apart at the stitching. As for me, "I'm immortal.....well so far!": Jack Shit, character in Bloodrunners cartoons by Andy Sparrow.

[@thegreenwoodelf8014]

Brilliant thank you 🙏🏻

[@neil6662002]

Many thanks. I just fitted a new ash handle to my ancient bill hook and had never learned about its use and care. I just bodge along in life. But this was splendidly informative and will greatly improve my technique and safety.

[@anemone104]

Thankyou for your feedback and kind words. Glad to be of help. Sounds like you're using the hook?

[@MarkyBigSmoke]

Found that extremely interesting and informative, thank you.

[@anemone104]

Thankyou!

[@juliusnicolas]

Thank you! Just what I had been looking for to take care of my precious old Black Forest billhook (Säßli). I love this tool to bits.

[@anemone104]

Thank you for your comment and glad my post was helpful. Not heard of Sassli (sorry this keyboard only has English characters) as a maker. Know nothing about German traditions. I'd love to know more.

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

Yup 👍 I use the regular sycthe stones. Then i deburr using naniwa curved stones ☝️ naniwa stones are great a deburring, a step before leather stropping ☝️

[@bigoldgrizzly]

Another thing I find handy for a quick touch up in the field is a butchers steel. I cut mine down to 6 inch [with an angle grinder] and it fits in the pocket easily. No good of course for removing nicks or reprofiling a blade

[@WildernessTamed]

Old cigar stones are mainly only used on old English scythe blades. The newer more refined Austrian blades ( which most scythers now use)require canoe whet stones.

[@benscottwoodchopper]

this is great, well explained

[@anemone104]

Thank you!

[@jacobvilliam534]

Can you please do some more videos in billhooks I just watchet this and the two others you made. And I think they are really good content 😀

[@anemone104]

Thank you! You will have noticed that the way I care for and use a hook differs from the recommendations of other youtube posters. I work with hooks in the woods to do a job and these are the ways I was taught. It is up to the user to work out the best way for them after thinking things through and taking care not to damage themself or others.
There will be more content coming in the winter. I plan to make some handles and fit them. That big Southern Counties style hook with the split handle needs a new one, for instance. There was also a side axe that made a 'cameo' appearance in the 'sharpening' video. And the froe probably needs a look at.....

[@jacobvilliam534]

@@anemone104 im looking forward to those videos. Is there Any way to find out which billhooks is a one handed and which is two handed. And how long the handels should be on a two handed billhook

[@anemone104]

@@jacobvilliam534 I only know the UK tradition. Here most hooks are used one handed with the other hand used to hadle the work. For cutting hazel coppice, you bend the stems over to make the cut 'run' - you cut at an angle. For riving (thatching spars, hurdle rods) you start the split, the bill on the hook widens the split and the off hand works to apply tension to the uncut rod. The split runs towards the tension, so with practice you can keep the split in the centre of the rod.
The Yorkshire hook is usually used single handed but can be used two handed. As I'm not a big guy I tend to use it 'strangled' - held on the steel socket close to the blade. Unless I'm felling with it. Then I use both hands to put a birds mouth into a small tree and the felling cut with a bowsaw. Fast and easier tahn using the saw to do 3 cuts rather than the one. Small trees only.
For one hand, think 4-5" long for the handle. Two handed, double it. It is rare (usually counterproductive) to try to cut straight down onto a workpiece, you usually cut at an angle - easier one-handed.
Always cut so that the workpiece is between you and the hook and the hook swings away from you. See the video!

[@barkershill]

@@jacobvilliam534 not sure I have understood your question correctly but on the two handed Yorkshire style the blade has a socket into which the handle is fitted , the one handed styles have a tang which is pushed through the handle

[@falfield]

Well explained, but I couldn't see the detail of the drawings, which was a major impediment.

[@joshuadelisle]

Thank you for this. I'm planning on forging my own bill hook, made a bit fancy with some embellishment. I've recently gotten into coppicing and making charcoal. I wondered what your thoughts are on the use of the curved blade compared to a straight blade like a machete? Cheers J

[@anemone104]

Hi Joshua, depends what you want to do with your edged tool. Did you watch this post? th-cam.com/video/haa-_ikF-gY/w-d-xo.html . This explains what the curved edge does: very good for severing side branches and cutting through small diameter stems. A straight blade is better for cutting against a block: the back edge of a Yorkshire pattern hook (or the smaller Staffordshire) does this. Of course the end of a machete curves the other way and operates similarly to the 'hook' to sever small diameter material. There is also a vid on the thingy about handles. Thanks for the comment and I hope this helps.

[@joshuadelisle]

@@anemone104 thank you I'll check it out. I'm just curious on the science of the curve and weather there is an optimum curve design. I also thought it may help with snedding branches while the tree I as on the ground by achieving the correct angle of attack from a standing position. Will check the links. Cheers J

[@anemone104]

@@joshuadelisle Hi J, there are so many local pattern variations in hooks that people collect them. I have found that a gentle curve and short bill is good for cutting standing crop and cutting out product from felled material. A longer bill and sharper curve is used for cleaving (eg riving weavers for hurdles or splitting thatching spars) where the bill does the work. So it's a compromise to get a tool that does two separate jobs as well as possible. Unless you use a Sussex adze for riving, but that's another story.

[@bigoldgrizzly]

Get the best of both worlds Joshua, ...try a Yorkshire Pattern hook. Curved hook on one side and straight blade on the back - like the one shown in the video at 4:17
These are my 'go to' hooks for general use. I'm sure a 'Joshua Pattern' hook will turn out just fine, If in use it is found lacking, redesign and make another ;