Small sickle chopper -- Southern Indian (?)

Billman · 5th November 2010, 05:49 PM

Yes, all of these tools bear more than a superficial resemblence to the European billhook (only called a fascine knife in the USA). Working tool/weapon/ceremonial use must depend upon the context - but the billhook became the bill (halberd or pike) of the English foot soldier - and most when called to arms by their lord probably took their working handbill to the village blacksmith for a spike or hook to be welded on, and the tang changed to a socket for a longer handle - and off to war they went - if they survived they probably had it made back into a handbill. I saw a few that are obvious conversions from billhooks in the York museum (UK) some years ago...

But, I digress - even working tools were decorated (c.f. the billhooks and axes from Austria, Hungary and the Alpine regions of France and Italy) and handles could be plain or exotic, see: http://outils-anciens.xooit.fr/t1883...r-une-lame.htm (bottom of page) and http://outils-anciens.xooit.fr/t997-...htm?q=serpette

A working tool could thus become weapon or an object of beauty....

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5th November 2010, 05:49 PM	#12
Billman Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 129	Yes, all of these tools bear more than a superficial resemblence to the European billhook (only called a fascine knife in the USA). Working tool/weapon/ceremonial use must depend upon the context - but the billhook became the bill (halberd or pike) of the English foot soldier - and most when called to arms by their lord probably took their working handbill to the village blacksmith for a spike or hook to be welded on, and the tang changed to a socket for a longer handle - and off to war they went - if they survived they probably had it made back into a handbill. I saw a few that are obvious conversions from billhooks in the York museum (UK) some years ago... But, I digress - even working tools were decorated (c.f. the billhooks and axes from Austria, Hungary and the Alpine regions of France and Italy) and handles could be plain or exotic, see: http://outils-anciens.xooit.fr/t1883...r-une-lame.htm (bottom of page) and http://outils-anciens.xooit.fr/t997-...htm?q=serpette A working tool could thus become weapon or an object of beauty....