Bill Hook or Khukuri

D

DDS

Joined
Apr 16, 1999
Messages
286
Mr Mattis :
I was wondering if you had any experience or feedback from the customers that you have sold bill hooks to? I am looking for a tool for trail cutting (please see my thread in Blade disc. or Himalayan forums) Would the bill hook be a better choice than a Khukuri in your opinion? Last night, I read a review in an old issue of Tactical Knives touting the chopping abilty of the bill hook in competition with many hatchets and large custom camp knives/axes. It won hands down,per the author. I am sure this is a very personal debatable topic as I have received many varied opinions.As as dealer of the Martinni Bill Hook , what do you think?

Thanks,

Dave
 
I've only sold one or two of those billhooks, and the only feedback I've had is from my son-in-law to whom I gave one, who uses it to deal with brush and branches from time to time on his job as a log truck driver. He says it comes in terribly handy. He can use the hook end of the blade to reach up and pull stuff closer, then hack-slash. And he's used to handling hatchets and axes, so the hatchet handle on that thing works for him.

The big round curve at the front end of the billhook also comes in handy if you swing at brush or weeds down near the ground. The dull part is what hits the dirt and rocks, not the edge.

But it's more of a machete substitute than a khukuri substitute - better for brush clearing than firewood chopping - and it's not the handiest thing to carry. If you have a belt carry sheath for it, it's still more like carrying a sword than carrying a big knife. More likely to be kept in a vehicle or the garage.

And the billhook is a very "industrial" sort of tool, without the character of an H.I. khukuri. Now if I could just get used to a khukuri grip ... Gotta practice.
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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
Mr Mattis:
Thank you for your feedback. The information provided will help me better make a decision.
Regards,
Dave
 
I don't have exprerience with khukuris but with vesuri (singular) = bill hook I have.

There are long and short ones. With long bill hook one (handle about as long as in axes and about 40 cm blade) can cut down trees up to 20 cm as fast as with an axe (after learning how not to stick it in wood as the thinner edge with that momentum digs really deep in wood). It is no problem to cut trees(pines and birch) up to 5 cm diameter with one hit. Smaller (20-30 cm handle and 30 cm blade) is obviously more in khukuris calibre and good for trail cutting and yard chores etc.

If you are going to whack wery much coppice(this word was in my dictionary) the big one is must to have.
With bill hook one can work near ground without fear to destroy edge. My exp. comes from about two weeks of 8 hours of day use with both sizes. My GMother owns some 100 hectares forest in Lapland and it is/was normal to cut coppice(birch, willow..) away about 10 years after pine plantation. when I was about 14-15 I and my GFather cleared some areas... Nowadays this kind of work is done with clearing saw.

People still buy vesuris and Fiskars = Gerber has introducerd a small bill hook model in their black sporting axe collection.

 
Just wanted to drop my $.02 in...
My friend and I just returned from the NRA Convention in Charlotte, NC where we made the acquaintence with the folks in the Kellam booth. Real nice people and very accomidating. I asked to look at the billhook and the kind lady said she didn't have one in the show but had a couple in the van. She was most apologetic about this, and promised that if we were to come by the next day she would have them at the show. Sure enough she did. We each bought one of the short handled versions. My friend is not easily impressed with any cutlery tool unless it "feels" right and is superbly functional. Not to mention (though I am about to) he is notoriously tight with his cash. When he hefted the billhook I saw that smile that said, "This is going home with me.".
I had seen these tested in Tactical Knives magazine and really wanted to handle one myself.
While my friend will use his to prune back the blackberries and vines from around his barns and driveway, I will be devising a way to strap mine to my rucksack for camping. If I can talk my wife into taking the Cold Steel Shovel, I'll volunteer to break trail.
The only concern I have is that the thing is so darn sharp, I really need to make a sheath to cover the blade or solidly attach the blade guard to prevent accidental exit from my pack.

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Where no law exists there still must be justice- Dan Mahoney
 
Tommi: Thank you for the feedback. Obviously, you have experience with the bill hook and I will take your comments to heart. I am coming to the conclusion that I should probably buy both a Khukuri and a Bill Hook!
The bill hook can do the dirty ground work and I can save the Khukuri for the branches/limbs.Thanks again!

J.J.Magnum: Thanks too! Did you have a choice of the 3 handle lengths available?
Did you have a chance to handle each size and decided on the shorter handled model? If so, was it better balanced or just felt better? Thanks for comments.

Thanks guys!

Dave
 
We were shown two styles, one with about a 12" handle and one with about a 18" handle. The balance on the longer handle just didn't seem right to me. Then again I have used axes with similar handle lengths which did not work as well (for me). I'm more of a Tomahawk type guy as opposed to a lumberjack
wink.gif
. You have to remember that the head of the tool is of substancial length as well (unlike an axe). The handle contours really appealed to me and I seem to get more control with the shorter handle. I guess if I had alot of tree pruning to do the longer one would work, but for what I intend it for the short will work just fine.


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Where no law exists there still must be justice- Dan Mahoney
 
J.J. Magnum: Thanks! Now all you have to do is have a nice Kydex sheath made up for it and strap it to your pack! Dave
 
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