what bill hook do you use

[woody paul]

Hi Hedgesparrow; The first one is made by William Swift not Wilkinson and the second one only has 1941 stamped in it.

[hedgesparrow]

hi thanks for that not a name i have heard of but a chap who collects them will. will get his no and give him a bell. the old hooks are so interesting. made so many patterns and some slightly different from other makes. some of the bigger firms took over smaller foundry's and some where just local blacksmiths making them around there forge.

have a no of hooks i need to find out there patterns and dates.

if i see any hooks at car boots or the like i try and buy them never can have to many.

[woody paul]

Picture 2; WS then a crown WS don't now if it's a royal crest.

[hedgesparrow]

when you restore it do not use a angle grinder on it it looses its temper. i use a drimmel with a stone and a fine file then finish of with a canoe stone.

i also before i sharpen them use a electric wire brush with a metal polish to bring them up. once finished i run a oily rag over them to stop them going rusty.

[Graham]

here's mine - actually i dont know the make - maybe someone can tell me. its a bit heftier than it appears in my meaty paws!

its in embarrasingly poor fettle though, bit of oil and a buff required

 

That's a Gilpin's Stafford pattern. They were from Wedges Mills, Staffs about 5 miles from me.

[Quickthorn]

That's a Gilpin's Stafford pattern. They were from Wedges Mills, Staffs about 5 miles from me.

 

Yes, I'd agree with that. I think Leicester and Warwickshire patterns are similar.

 

I just use a Morris Yorkshire for everything. A lot of people find these too heavy for single handed use, but I find the weight works for me. I've got a few older single handed ones of unknown make, but they don't seem to hold an edge that well.

 

I'd never buy a Bulldog billhook, if they're still like the ones I've used in the past. They're not forged, but stamped out of plate steel. Once you've ground or filed them back to be useable, they never seem to hold an edge.

[hedgesparrow]

thats the trouble with some of the new edge tools cut with a plasma cutter. unlike the old ones. wrought iron with carbon steel in middle then forged so it had a good hard edge.

and for price of the new ones you can get a good old tool for not much more.

just paid for a 9inch ewell hampshire devon pattern 1936 £30 from woking old tools. you would think it was new. totally restored with a severe sharp edge.

and a spar hook £30. not worth buying a new unit unless from a blacksmith when you can get them for this sort of money.

i thought when i just started laying that my bill was sharp. until the old cutters looked at it. words where put it back in your truck. but learning from them how to get a good edge i spent many hours taking the shoulder down then sharpening the edge with dremmel. then finish off with a flat canoe stone. it is now a sharp tool and has been passed by the old cutters as usable.

like a chain saw a blunt saw is a dangerous tool. and would never use it blunt same with edge tools make it hard work to use and become a danger to the user.

[penfold]

ws will probably be wilkinson sword.

[arbmark]

That's a Gilpin's Stafford pattern. They were from Wedges Mills, Staffs about 5 miles from me.

 

Many thanks graham! I'll have a look in daylight tomorrow - it rings a bell or two and I bet the letters will fit......

[digga]

was allways taught by the old guy i learnt most of my coppicing from a sharp tool earns you money a blunt one costs you money very true wether its a hand tool or a chainsaw his tools where allways razor sharp and had to learn to get mine the same if i was to use them working with him