Billhook sharpened on one side only, why?

[imagedude]

I've just purchased an Elwell hook via ebay. The hook is only ground on one side (convex) and is flat on t'other side. Was this done for ease of manufacture or is there a valid reason for this type of grind?

[imagedude]

[Basemetal]

Could work well for flush cuts when limbing, also good for direction control. That would suit me, being right handed, for the stuff I'm doing wiith hedges right now (with my leuku).

[Longstrider]

Watching this one with interest as I have an Elwell Block Bill (straight edged bill'hook' with a small hook on the spine) that is also convex chisel ground.
It won't be for long though !

[roots]

Works in the same way as a side axe, for a right handed person that is.

[Leon]

I have one very similar to that pictured. I was told it was used when hedgelaying for cutting pleachers that were difficult to get at because of other stems growing very close to the one being cut. The steeper angle of attack required by a double bevel hook does make things difficult in those circumstances. I have only recently come by mine and haven't had a chance to experiment yet.

[Longstrider]

Mayhap I'll leave mine with a one sided grind for now then and see how it goes with an edge on it. Judging by the state of the thing when I got it, I'm still going to be starting out iwth a 60 grit belt when I get round to sharpening it though.

[Ookami]

The Japanese equivalent of the billhooks, the various nata, often also have a chisel grind. Apart from flush cuts, I think the chisel grind also aids in splitting kindling: b/c of the one sided bevel the blade tends to twist, prying the wood halves apart.

Much like good ol' Ray Mears suggests you do in his axe video (@3.38min):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tUUctg6dfk


Ookami

[Edgehog]

Nice looking hook that.

I'd say Leon is right here (interesting info btw).

I've seen a few like this & now I get the reasoning behind having a single bevel will get one when I can.

Longstrider - I think you'd be right to keep the existing grind, not least for it's historical integrity.

[imagedude]

Just purchased a Whitehouse hook and that has the same one sided grind.

[Leon]

Looks like the Whitehouse model has seen a tad more action than the Elwell I believe these are both Norfolk patterns (the Elwell certainly is - the model no. matches the drawing in this catalogue http://www.timelesstools.co.uk/image...0image%201.jpg).
According to a chap I was talking to last autumn, Suffolk pattern hooks have the same blade shape as Norfolks but have a socketed handle rather than a tanged one.
Can get quite addictive picking up hooks

[Billman]

Many billhooks from the east of England are single bevel (notably Norfolk and Kent) - they were available left and right handed and as stated, used like a side axe - they have advantages over double bevel in some situations, and if you need one with a double bevel I would suggest buying another one rather than destroy what was an intentional design feature.

For splitting kindling wood I have always found a double bevel better (I started cutting firewood as a boy in the 1960's and sold it off a handcart at weekends at 3d [approx 1p] a bundle). Similar single bevel hooks are also found in some regions of France - they are great for tasks such as sharpening wooden stakes, where you work on one side of the wood...