Hiepen en snoeimes

The billhooks of the Netherlands and Belgium are similar to those from the neighbouring countries of Germany and France, but have distinguishing features that allow them to be placed appropriately. Dutch billhooks tend to have caulked handles, similar to those in the UK, and a straight blade; whereas Belgian billhooks usually have round handles like those from France and Germany, and often have a beak that is not sharpened.

 

In francophone regions they are often known as a 'serpe' or a 'courbet' whereas in Flemish regions the terms 'snoeimes, kapmes, hakmes or hiep (also heep)' are more commonly used...

 

In the Netherlands the terms 'hakmes & kapmes' are interchangeble with 'vleemes' (meat cleaver, which usually also have a straight blade - the latter usually have a squarer end and a hole for hanging, but this not unique, some 'snoeimes' are very similar). The term 'hakbijl' is also used, which has similar entymological derivation as the English word 'billhook'...

It is difficult to determine if his type of Dutch 'hiep' is for wood ('hout') or is a meat cleaver ('vleesmes').... It would probably serve both uses equally well...

A 'Gelders' pattern Dutch 'houthiep' with a typical straight blade and caulked handle

A modern Dutch 'hakbijl' with a plastic or rubbber handle,,,

Labelled as a 'bijltje' (hatchet),this type of socked handle is not commonly seen on Dutch 'houthiep'..

A Dutch 'rijshack' - unique to the Netherlands, this type of cranked blade is used to cut off osiers (willow) coppice growth at ground level ('griendwerk') The bundles of osiers are used to make reinforcement mats for the banks of rivers and waterways. 

Possibly a Dutch 'oogstkapmes' this type of cranked billhook is more commonly used for harvesting osiers, than the 'rijshaak', above. Also known as a 'serpe à osier', his type is found in northern France as well as in Belgium and the Netherlands..

Several variations of blade type, and methods of fixing them to the handle, can be seen in this image of 'werktuigen' (tools) of the 'billhook' type...

A Dutch 'griendwerker' holding a bundle of osiers and a 'wiedhaak' (see above)..

This 'griendwerker' is pollarding  a willow with a 'rijshaak'....

Dutch 'griendhaak' - all four shapes were used in the same area - at 150 euros they were a little too expensive for me, but the image speaks for itself...

Identification of regional patterns is difficult without catalogue or other evidence. This page is from the German maker, Muller & Sohn, and shows a few of the Belgian patterns that they offered...

These long bladed two-handed billhooks are from southern Belgium, near the French border. The bottom tool is a normal French 'serpe' with a 9" (225mm) blade for comparison. Their actual usage is still to be determined... One is stamped 'Seillieur à Fagnoles' another (not shown here) is stamped 'Bucheron, Fosse'... 

This image, sent to me by Jef Gielen from the Netherlands shows similar a 'hiep' to the above on display in a museum in the Ardennes.. The smaller one is typical of those from Belgium, with a small, thick and un-sharpened beak. The one to the lower right appears to be similar in shape to a French 'serpe de genie', a military billhook, commonly used in WW1 and often found in old trenches on battlefield sites. It is possible this is a relic from that period - they turn up regularly on ebay.fr - both as 'fouilles' found by metal-detectors and as pristine tools (date stamped as on English military billhooks).... The Battle of the Ardennes, between the Germans and the French, was one of the opening battles of WW1, taking place 21 to 23 August 1914. ..

The thick nose of this Belgian 'serpe' is just visible..

Two Belgian 'serpes' from the francophone region - found in a Brussells' fleamarket by a fellow collector.

This large billhook was also found at the Brussells' fleamarket....

Another from Brussells - the 'champignon' (mushroom) handle is similar to those from northern France..