Hedging in England

[John A. Larsen]

I watched a bunch of videos on You Tube on traditional Hedging being done in England. One was made in 1942, one experienced older man and his "Land Girl" a young woman who was part of the "Woman's Land Army" who in this case worked on farms to replace men who had gone off to war. The man had a billhook, that looked a lot like the Baryonx Machete that 42 Blades sells, except it did not have a "Point" at the tip of the blade. Lots of various methods to "Hedge" depending on what part of England you were in. All had sharp billhooks of one kind or another. John

 

[T.McGee]

HAH! aint got a hedge anywhere near me - but I do love watching the videos - even found one that was a hedge competition - also it made me want to get a bill - the one I got was a forged Thai one that has a socket handle - I used a hickory sledge handle that I worked to shape - I use it for all my yardwork

 

[I'mSoSharp]

I posted that video a while back in the thread below, I agree it's a bit "special"!

When people knew what a Billhook was & pipes weren't removable......

......and before intensive farming saw hedgerows as things in the way of bigger fields. Land girl - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Land_Army Just need to find some Jodhpers & a Land girl & I'm good to get laying........ :)

www.bladeforums.com

In the UK just about every county (region) had it's own style of Billhook in a huge variety of shapes, some single & some double edged but most with a hook, normally named after the county of origin.
Being born & raised in the UK this was nothing new to me, but after moving to Spain many years ago I've also picked up different shapes from Spain, France & Portugal & I imagine all European countries have a variation or two.

French/Italian (Leborgne) style & British (Elwell).

A Portuguese variant for grape vines.

French (Revex).

.

 

[Old Axeman]

The picture labeled Portuguese variant we called a grafting knife. You use the hook to cut off a section of vine or a small new growth branch from the donor tree or vine, then use the small hatchet looking blade to split open the recipient branch or vine to insert the donor section.
I still have mine and still use it on my fruit vines and trees.

 

[I'mSoSharp]

The picture labeled Portuguese variant we called a grafting knife. You use the hook to cut off a section of vine or a small new growth branch from the donor tree or vine, then use the small hatchet looking blade to split open the recipient branch or vine to insert the donor section.
I still have mine and still use it on my fruit vines and trees.

Great, do you know the origin of the design? Where abouts are you?

.

 

[Old Axeman]

I do not know the origin of the design. I got mine from my maternal grandfather in Oregon, where he had a berry farm and fruit trees. I now live on the Big Island of Hawaii. There were a lot of Plantations here in the past. There was a large Portuguese population that came to work the plantations. I have seen similar tools to yours in the junk shops and yard sales here. I have also bought a couple of old hatchets that have been identified as Portuguese. One of the hatchets has a haft that looks original and made from some kind of fruit wood. Good luck with ID on these great edge tools.

 

[I'mSoSharp]

I do not know the origin of the design. I got mine from my maternal grandfather in Oregon, where he had a berry farm and fruit trees. I now live on the Big Island of Hawaii. There were a lot of Plantations here in the past. There was a large Portuguese population that came to work the plantations. I have seen similar tools to yours in the junk shops and yard sales here. I have also bought a couple of old hatchets that have been identified as Portuguese. One of the hatchets has a haft that looks original and made from some kind of fruit wood. Good luck with ID on these great edge tools.

Great story & information. .
In Portugal like Spain hatchet heads were often bought without handles so homemade handles were the norm & vary hugely.

I picked my Billhook up in central Portugal at a second hand market in the Alentejo region that's famous for wine with lots of vineyards so these tools are common.

This link https://www.billhooks.co.uk/ has been posted before but it's a great site showing the huge variation in Billhooks not only in the UK but other countries from around the world.

.

 

[Will Power]

Really enjoying this thread and chanced on it by accident but it ties in with my liking for Traditional knives. The video of hedge laying from 1940s was fascinating. Not only a far off time but showing an age-old skill that's likely all but vanished now that mechanical hedge-cutting is the norm or rather, hedges have been grubbed up

Hedges are a truly beautiful thing, offering wind-break from soil erosion (a big problem in many European fields now) but offers a habitat for an abundance of wildlife: nesting song birds, voles, hares, pollinating insects, butterflies and those that prey upon them - hawks owls and other birds. Beneficial for stock too as resting places and natural fences, the sight of thorn hedges in full bloom is wonderful in spring.

In the film the skill and use of tools is impressive, the 'slasher' working from bottom to top of the hedge to create a triangular thickness , the Bill-hook being wielded effortlessly and the whole process of layering. Yet it took a hardy type to do that of a winter's day in the cold & rain, wind biting, and battling with thorns that can get under your nail even with hedging gloves , people were lean and agile in those times too.

All agri tools and implements are fascinating particularly as their use may now be much of a mystery.

Thanks, Will

 

[rjdankert]

Bob

 

[stevewest]

Wish I had a piece of property with an Osage Orange tree line. Would be fun to try this with that species. I would need a lot more energy than what I’m operating with now, tho.