Blacksmithing: making billhook knife

I make a traditional scandinavian design billhook. No power tools. Open the full video description for more information.

I forge the blade from leafspring, make the handle from birch burl and the sheath from birch bark. Use tung oil.

A billhook is just a big knife used in many parts of the world – here in Scandinavia is billhooks mainly used for debranching… but you can use it for all kinds of things – it’s a very multifunctional tool. Billhooks comes in all kinds of designs. The design I show in this video have I seen a a few old examples of in Sweden and Finland – all hand made and not mass-produced. Some with center grind and some with single bevel. The hollow part/fuller is something I added to the “original” Scandinavian designs I have seen.

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A few quick questions:

1. Why the fuller/forged hollow part?
Stiffening the blade, less surface area when sharpening and cutting – that makes it more effortless to use and maintain.

2. Why the offset handle and the offset end with a scroll?
The offset end with a scroll prevent stabbing accident and damage of timber when using the end for push/pull timber. It also add more to hold on to as a secondary handle if you example want to use it like a “drawknife” or mount it as a “stock knife” + the scroll does a great job of hooking on to/wedge branches while moving them abound with the billhook and the hole can also be used for hanging the tool on a nail etc. The offset handle makes room for your hand while splitting wood and just in general + makes a guard so your hand can’t slide up on the blade and hurt you.

3. Why burl wood and cord?
Burl makes the strongest wood and able to withstand a lot more hard use before splitting compared to just normal straight grain wood. The cord makes the handle less likely to split.

4. What oil do you use?
Tung oil – but it’s not critical, in this case didn’t I let the oil harden any way. If you don’t have tung oil or similar just use the same you use on food. You cal also just not use oil at all – it isn’t critical.

5. What “power hammer” is that?
Treadle hammer and here is a video only about the hammer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmru3hXj47U

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Location: Denmark – on my properly.

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Website including gear list and other basic information https://www.runemaltebertramnielsen.com

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Video gear: Nikon D7000, Nikon 50 1.8, Røde videomacro, iMovie.

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