On 24/07/2013 00:38, Christina Websell wrote:
"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 23/07/2013 19:08, Christina Websell wrote:
I dug one up in my garden a while ago, very rusty and with no handle.
I got a kind friend of mine to sharpen it on her grindstone and have it
back
suitable to slash anything in its path. Just need a new handle and watch
out those brambles ;-) My friend says if I can get a new handle, she
will
cut the top stop off and put it on for me.
Here we call them "hedge splashers"
Mine has a top blade too.

They are an amazing price to buy on the internet:
http://www.timelesstools.co.uk/billhooks3.htm

Tina


Those are collectors items, I suggest you try a google search for Bill
hooks they start at around £15 on ebay.
The shape depends on where they come from, and thus their use.
I seem to remember that the Norfolk bill had a flat spine so that the
blade was used to cut hazel or willow pieces used to hold the thatch on a
house whilst the back (Spine) was used to hammer them into the thatch.
Whilst the Sussex bill was used to cut Hazel the curved blade whilst the
back was a straight blade used to cut the hazel to length for hurdle
making.
At one time there were well over 100 different patterns in use across the
UK.

Mine has a curved J blade and a square blade on top. Now very sharp, just
need a handle for
it to make it easier to use.

The person who sharpened it moaned about the rust but did a really good
job and I have to be very careful otherwise I might lose my fingers.

Tina

The handle end of the blade should taper to almost a point.
This was inserted into the handle then the sprig that was protruding
from the back of the handle was hammered over to fix it