Share your agricultural billhook

[drac2k]

Great information; the tang goes all the way through the handle like yours. How old do you think my example is; are they still made? In this day of electric power tools, it is hard to imagine that they still are.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by drac2k

Great information; the tang goes all the way through the handle like yours. How old do you think my example is; are they still made? In this day of electric power tools, it is hard to imagine that they still are.

Hi David,

You still can buy such sickle knives new so it's difficult to say how old yours or the other shown examples are but I guess they are minimum from the mid of the last century, maybe much older. Attached are pictures of examples I found online.

Regards,
Detlef

[drac2k]

Thanks for the information Detlef, those are some lethal-looking tools.

[C4RL]

This is a fabulous site about Billhooks~ https://www.billhooks.co.uk/. (I hope it's OK to link..).
An incredible collection & amount of information.

Most of my stuff is in storage right now but I've found images of some of them.
The first three images are of an old English Elwell blade I found and re handled, centre is Elwell's catalogue image. Just about every region/county in England had it's own shape of Billhook at one time, pattern's usually named after the county, the same with hammers.

Fourth & fifth image is a Portuguese style billhook that same as Fernando has shown already, many variations like it are typical of the Alentejo region, this one was used for grape vines.

Sixth images is a French Leborgne (& Elwell again), similar to Sajen's image above, I've also seen them branded Rinaldi, which I believe is Italian.

[C4RL]

The first image is a French Revex "Billhook", I use the term Billhook loosely because this french pattern can be as near the shape of a Cleaver as a Billhook as can be seen in the second image (not my hooks...). But are common in France.

The third & forth images are Spanish, these are debatable going towards sickles & long handled slashers.... thought the big pair are heavy, definitely not sickles.

Fifth & six images are of a cutter that isn't a Billhook but I'm putting it here in the faint hope someone might recognise it!
Found in Spain & stamped CARRASCO HERMANOS I've tried in vain for years to identify it, I even found an old "Carrasco brothers blacksmiths" company still in business & thought I'd solved it till after them asking all the old workers about it they told me they didn't make it..... AHH...
A harvesting tool, sharp on the edge that looks like an axe and the tip of the long chisel part, the sides of this were not sharp.

[Sajen]

Hello C4RL,

Wow, thank you very much for posting this interesting link which I think isn't against any rules.
And as well for sharing parts of your collection which you have partly very nicely restored, congrats!
And sorry but I never have seen such a tool in your last images before.

My one I bought some time ago on a German online platform, it appeals to my eyes and I remembered my childhood when grandma used a similar tool in the garden. It was very rusty, I cleaned it with steel wool and oiled the handle, the wood was very dry. I plan to sharpen the edge again.

Regards,
Detlef

[C4RL]

Hello Detlef, I very much like your "Hippe" and understand the way a tool can have memories attached.
And maybe enjoy using it when you have it sharpened. 👍