Fascine Knife

[rifleshooter2]

Ok guys. Here is this week’s project. A Fascine Knife. The knife I made has an 11 inch blade with an overall length of 17 inches the steel came from an old saw mill saw blade and is 1/8 of an inch thick. The handles are made from some walnut left over from an old pistol project and I aged the blade with a mixture of yellow mustard and soy sauce ( smells good I may have to try it on some chicken this weekend)

Andy

 

[RickD]

Looks wicked

 

[PitchyPine]

Whoa :shocked2: that thing looks dangerous.
Looks great. :thumbsup:

 

[renovato]

Great looking knife. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of it! I can sure think of a lot of uses around the yard for something like that. What was it originally used for?

 

[rifleshooter2]

It was used to clear brush and to help construct Fascine’s, which are bundles of brush about 9 feet long and 9 inches in diameter. They are used to help build fortifications. I tried it out on some brush in the backyard today, it sure does a job.

Andy

 

[renovato]

Clearing brush was exactly the use I was envisioning around my yard. Fascinating knife.

 

[ameling]

Nice fascine knife. Great classic shape.

Having used one and similar "choppers",a few notes to keep in mind.

Don't push how large of stuff you cut through with it. They will do the job, but take longer and more effort than just grabbing the axe for the big jobs.

That long length has its place. But most people I know who use one prefer a little shorter one. That's a lot of metal to be swinging around for any length of time. You get a little more control with a shorter fascine knife, and don't lose too much "force" either.

And watch out for "smacking" things with the side of the blade. I've known several fascine knives and a lot of machetes that got snapped in two by whacking something with the side of the blade - either on purpose or accidentally.

Have fun with your new toy. But also keep in mind that you now have it, and will be expected to use it for all those brush "cleanup" chores!

Mikey - yee ol' grumpy German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[rifleshooter2]

Mike thanks for the advice I did find out that it's best for light brush,the snapping I have seen before. The steel for this on came from a large bandsaw blade I hope that it will resist snapping but I will be careful, as for brush clearing chores I am the Officer in charge of the Artillery, I can always order my men to do it LOL.

Andy

 

[Blizzard of '93]

wow that looks authentic, reminds me of the current production 'woodsman's pal'.

 

[rifleshooter2]

wow that looks authentic, reminds me of the current production 'woodsman's pal'.

Well they say form follows function.

Andy

 

[50cal.cliff]

Wicked looking but I supect very effective too! Watch out for Posion Ivy while clearing that brush. :shocked2:
I am presently getting over battling a wicked case from my last brush clearing excursion! LOL :rotf: :rotf: Not really!

 

[John Tice]

Thats a neat looking fascine, nicely done. I also use a Woodsman's Pal (my grandfather's WWII surplus) and it is the best for clearing brush. The hook is handy for moving cut brush around as you work. I recommend using gloves with it. :thumbsup:

 

[Highlander73]

dont forget the chiggers n seed ticks
worst year ive seen for 'em.
That thing looks wicked. Good work :thumbsup:
highlander

 

[gene lovette]

whoa

 

[Brasilikilt]

Reminds me a lot of an old English style Bill Hook.......
With something like that, you'll be expected to start producing hurdles Wattling optional

All in all I think you did a great job!

 

[ameling]

A fascine knife is the same thing as the working tool called a billhook - just a different name.

When you build it with a socket type handle, you can mount it with a short or a long pole for a handle. With a long pole handle, the tool is called a slasher. But the weapon is still then just called a bill or billhook.

Many cultures had/have their variation of these. In the early 1900's, several axe companies made a full-sized axe with that curve "bill" on it - called a brush axe or brush hook. You can still buy them. But they tend to be full-sized axes, and don't have the same "look" as a fascine knife.

And if you do a little study of them over in Britain, there are regional differences in their shape/size. Some have a pronounce hook, some have the hook curved backwards. Some have that straight cutting edge on the back, some don't, and some have a little extende "axe" type blade off the back.

There's a look at some of the variations/varieties of billhooks/fascine knives in the book

Old Farms: An Illustrade Guide by John Vince
isbn 0-517-60556-2 pub in 1982

And the use of them in making hurdles and hedges in

The Forgotten Crafts: A practical guide to traditional skills By John Seymour isbn 0-394-53956-7 pub in 1984

And using them to build fortifications in

Picture Book of the Continental Soldier by C. Keith Wilbur (my copy is from 1969, so it doesn't have an isbn in it)

And a couple of the Shire Album booklets have info, like

#100 Agricultural Hand Tools by Roy Brigden

The style fascine knife or billhook that you made is close to those from Oxon or Kent.

Mikey - yee ol' grumpy German blacksmith out in the Hinterland


p.s. I have around a dozen or so originals floating about - in various sizes and shapes. And I occasionally use some of them, but more often just use my "corn knife" - rural farm version of a machete.