Can anyone name this?Is it a Cane knife?

meako

meako

Gold Member
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Sep 4, 2006
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Hi
This was partially buried in my garden.It belongs to the elderly lady next door.
I took it to the wire wheel to remove the thick coating of rust.
Do you think the handle is original or would it have been longer like a two handed billhook?
With that in mind it has great heftability with the present handle which appears as old as the blade.
Any thoughts info much appreciated.
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It's not a cane knife. ( I have worked in the cane fields) Here it is called a slasher. I think in parts of the U.S. it may be called a sling blade.

regards...Frank
 
Cheers Frank
I've used what we call a brush hook-more curved and less "beak".
Slasher-i like it.
 
I think their called Fascine knives but we also call them brush blades here in the U.S.
 
More slashers, from a vintage tool seller in the UK. The one in the lower photo looks almost similar, but is made by Elwell.

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As Steve mentioned, it's pretty clearly a slasher to me. Looks like it's been cut down for use as a billhook but the long socket with multiple fastening holes and the lack of a "beak" on the end of the handle gives it away.

Edit to add: Number 861 in the pic above is gorgeous!
 
Those are some nice (nasty) looking tools. Somehow they seem even more menacing than my brush-hook.
I knda want to get one and call it, "GET OFF MY LAWN!!!"
 
My scythe does that, and mows it besides! Always fun watching folks do a double-take when they see me mowing with it. :D
 
Thanks guys. You just can't beat the technology of this thing. It has lain outdoors for years. A bit of a brush up and it will work again.I'll look out a longer handle.
cheers.
 
William Gilpin, Wedges Mills was a UK edge tool maker based in Cannock Staffordshire. This is a socketed billhook - probably a Kent pattern. (If I can find my Gilpin catalogue I will see if pattern 820 is listed). Billhooks were (still are) the 'maid of all work' for coppice work, hedge laying, pruning etc... Often called 'fascine knives' in the USA. Slashers were similar longer handled tools, but usually with strapped handles not socket fitting. A quick look on ebay uk under billhook will find images of socketed tools most weeks. For more info see my website billhooks.co.uk....
Similar can be found on the S&J Catalogue pages shown at http://billhooks.co.uk/app/download/5779402333/Spear++Jackson.pdf
 
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