Hello all,
It's a bit of a long shot as the use for this is probably going to be something regional, obscure & long lost in history!
I found it in the south of Spain (Andalusia) & haven't been able to find anyone who knows it's use.
As can be seen it has a "hatchet", sharpened on one edge as a hatchet would be but it also has the long part on top which appears to only have been sharp at the tip, like a chisel or scraper except shaped, not sure if that's intentional or poor sharpening. It tapers nicely.
18" long (the image isn't at an angle, it's straight on the taper making it look as though it's not).
(https://i.imgur.com/Qqc9Xrb.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/VKzlXJj.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/M6nnJxT.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kmyCIN1.jpg)
Marked (just!) as CARRASCO HERMANOS (Carrasco brothers).
(https://i.imgur.com/GBO39KH.jpg)
This is certainly a strange one! 😉
Have you checked what they grew in that region? It might be a harvesting tool.
check the "billhook" collectors club on Facebook. they find some odd stuff
Quote from: Auggie07 on September 12, 2022, 05:23:05 PM
Have you checked what they grew in that region? It might be a harvesting tool.
Yes I think it's a harvesting tool but what?
I've Googled all I can think of but I'll run through them.
Now & historically -
Oranges & lemons
Grapes
Olives
Advocados
Cotton
Tobacco
Sugar cane
Chirimoya (custard apple)
Mango
Sunflowers
Asparagus
Chestnuts
Almonds
Walnuts
Figs
And of course, not a fruit but cork from the Holm oak. It's not a cork tool.
I'm sure I'll have missed something....... 😃
Thank you.
Quote from: skipskip on September 12, 2022, 06:07:00 PM
check the "billhook" collectors club on Facebook. they find some odd stuff
Thanks, I'll try that.
I've contacted "Billhooks UK" which is an amazing website but I'm not sure it's still in operation as I haven't had a reply yet.
There was a chisel like tool used for harvesting asparagus, but I have not seen one with a cleaver on it though. It could be a possibility of a local variation.
How about coconuts?
Quote from: wvtools on September 25, 2022, 05:08:08 PM
There was a chisel like tool used for harvesting asparagus, but I have not seen one with a cleaver on it though. It could be a possibility of a local variation.
Thanks.
Yes, I've seen a long chisel type blade for Asparagus & I think so far this is the best guess, I imagine the cleaver could be for leveling up a bunch? Maybe!
Quote from: amecks on September 25, 2022, 08:15:26 PM
How about coconuts?
We don't have coconuts growing here but of course the tool doesn't necessarily have to come from this region.
Thanks.
How about tobacco?
An awkward tool to use, but I can envision, first slice off then chop up in small pieces. Like maybe corn stalks for fodder... or sugar cane.
Joe B
Quote from: Yadda on November 03, 2022, 06:12:07 PM
How about tobacco?
I don't know, do you have any examples of tobacco tools?
Quote from: JoeCB on November 07, 2022, 04:48:29 PM
An awkward tool to use, but I can envision, first slice off then chop up in small pieces. Like maybe corn stalks for fodder... or sugar cane.
Joe B
It does look awkward to use doesn't it 😄.
There was sugar cane grown here but the only sharps I've seen used for cane are machete type blades...