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Billhook Forged from Tool Steel with an Ash Handle
TrewTrewornan · CC BY-SA 3.0
Forge

Created by

Forge

14. October 2026NO
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Billhook Forged from Tool Steel with an Ash Handle

The billhook is the hedgelayer's and coppicer's blade for saplings and small branches. The blade is straight by the handle and curves more and more toward the end, and it is sharpened on the inside of the curve. Forge a 20–25 cm blade with a tang, harden and temper it, and fit an ash handle. The picture: a Devon pattern billhook made by W. Gilpin in 1918.
Intermediate
A day

Instructions

1

Draw the tang

Heat the bar and draw a tapered tang at one end, a little longer than the handle.

Materials for this step:

Flat Tool Steel BarFlat Tool Steel Bar1 piece

Tools needed:

Blacksmith ForgeBlacksmith Forge
AnvilAnvil
Cross Peen HammerCross Peen Hammer
Blacksmith TongsBlacksmith Tongs
Welding GlovesWelding Gloves
Safety GlassesSafety Glasses
2

Forge the hook

Draw the blade to 20–25 cm and thin it toward the edge side. Curve the end over the horn, straight near the handle and curving more toward the tip.

Tools needed:

Blacksmith ForgeBlacksmith Forge
AnvilAnvil
Cross Peen HammerCross Peen Hammer
Blacksmith TongsBlacksmith Tongs
Welding GlovesWelding Gloves
Safety GlassesSafety Glasses
3

File the edge

Let it cool slowly in the ashes, then file a bevel on the inside of the curve only. Keep it fairly thick so it does not bind in green wood.

Tools needed:

Metal FileMetal File
4

Harden and temper

Heat the blade to cherry red and quench in water. Polish it bright, then warm the back and quench again when the edge turns purple, tougher than a knife.

Materials for this step:

WaterWater10 liters

Tools needed:

Blacksmith ForgeBlacksmith Forge
Quench BucketQuench Bucket
Blacksmith TongsBlacksmith Tongs
Welding GlovesWelding Gloves
Safety GlassesSafety Glasses
5

Ash handle

Saw and shave an ash handle 12–15 cm long. Drill it, burn the hot tang in, and peen the tang end over the butt. Oil the handle.

Materials for this step:

Ash BilletAsh Billet1 piece
Linseed OilLinseed Oil0.02 liter

Tools needed:

Hand SawHand Saw
DrawknifeDrawknife
Hand DrillHand Drill
Blacksmith ForgeBlacksmith Forge
Cross Peen HammerCross Peen Hammer
Blacksmith TongsBlacksmith Tongs
6

Sharpen

Hone the bevel on the stone and take the burr off the flat side.

Tools needed:

Whetstone 1000 GritWhetstone 1000 Grit
7

Edge angle

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Materials

4

Tools Required

12

This blueprint makes

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Billhook

Free

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