Like the billhook they were used for cutting saplings (e.g. willow, hazel or chestnut) that were bundled up to make fascines or woven into hurdles, or gabions.
The man, who was in his sixties and armed with a billhook, had rescued an armed marksman and his companions from marauding wolves after their gunpowder had been depleted.
Another very close relation is the meat cleaver -- sizes and handle-fixing of these are often very similar to billhooks.
A tool of similar origin is the billhook.
The hoe and the billhook refer to agriculture and winegrowing.
The edge of a billhook is not bevelled to a very narrow angle to avoid binding in green wood.
It turns gradually more northward, resembling a billhook in plan.
The main difference is that the bear was holding a billhook.
