An excellent tool. Absolutely invaluable for all types of woodland maintenance barring tree felling. My most versatile and useful tool. This is the third one I have purchased over 5 years due to losing one. You would think bright orange would be easy to spot but it seems not to be the case!Update - I have found the original, still in good condition after being buried in leaf litter for several months and now have three! We use these regularly, so I am well pleased to have one for everyone now.

Banana nemesis

Purchased to cut back banana tree and slice it up to put in compost.100% successful, makes short work of fronds and trunks. Haven’t tried it on really thick trunks yet, but good for at least 10cm diameter in a single chop..

Billhooks

It's called a brush hook. To me it's a billhook. I use these tools quite often. Most of mine are traditional, Blacksmith made items. They can be weighty and difficult to control until you get a 'feel' for them. I recently acquired a Fiskars and was quite impressed with it. It's longer 'grippy' handle feels secure in the hand. Although doubtful at first it would cut as well as my traditional Billhooks due to its lightness, it cuts well. This is due to the longer handle making the blade travel faster. Therefore, it cuts as well as a heavier blade with a short handle. Haven't had it long but I think it will become a firm favourite.

Good design

After comprehensive research I bought this Brush Hook to deal with overgrown shrubs, a curtain of ivy creeping from a neighbouring garden and sundry other vegitation. The Brush Hook is ergonomically designed to fit comfortably into your hand and sturdy, with sufficient weight to deal with a range of plants, small branches & shrubs. The sharp blade just sliced through all the "nasties" in my garden and I even used it to clean up small branches so that I could used them as pea sticks! I'm impressed with the storage case with a locking device that safeguards against accidents to hands/fingers when the tool is not in use. My advice: make sure that it is stored in a secure shed or cupboard well away from curious little people. Well done, Fiskars!

Light and functional

I find that Fiskars kit is always good quality and well thought out. Their axes are superb and this brush hook does not disappoint. It is far lighter than usual bill hooks and the handle is longer and oval for easy grip. As such it is very well balanced and allows for a very fast swing without having to train up first! Let's be clear, this is not a bill hook in the usual sense, but I find it less tiring and more accurate (without as much effort) than the classic models even though it doesn't have the pointy bit. The toe on the handle gives extra security to the grip.

Lightweight and well designed

This works moderately well as a machete hacking long grass etc. It really comes into its own hacking branches and such like. It is well designed and made by Fiskars and anybody wanting a tool that does a bit of everything, this is definitely for you.

Lightweight, long handle, perfect for weeds and thin branches

This is light. You could easily work all day long with it. It's ideal for long grass/weeds, branches, hedges. The long handle allows you to grip it with both hands for extra force when hacking into thicker wood. The handle is hollow and has a hole you can use to attach and secure a stick to give you additional length if needed. As long as you hone regularly and don't use it too much for heavy duty work it should stay in good shape for a long time. The 'sheath' it comes with is rubbish. Worth making/buying a proper one.

Low effort, high efficiency

Billhooks/Vesuri have been used for a long time to get real work done (they are not the fleeting vision of a designer), this tool was engineered not designed - and as such it works. Simpler is always better in real world, real use tools. This tool uses leverage, centrifugal force and gravity to cut. Much more civilized then secateurs or saws which need direct muscular effort, strong hands/shoulders and lead to fatigue and bruising if used for hours. Hook captures and contains as well as directing swings making this second nature to use. Very safe without pointy bits and blade is well protected by hook which works wonderfully to bring material to you effortlessly which means less bending, stretching and unbalancing/dangerous antics. Great balance, no hot spots on ... MoreBillhooks/Vesuri have been used for a long time to get real work done (they are not the fleeting vision of a designer), this tool was engineered not designed - and as such it works. Simpler is always better in real world, real use tools. This tool uses leverage, centrifugal force and gravity to cut. Much more civilized then secateurs or saws which need direct muscular effort, strong hands/shoulders and lead to fatigue and bruising if used for hours. Hook captures and contains as well as directing swings making this second nature to use. Very safe without pointy bits and blade is well protected by hook which works wonderfully to bring material to you effortlessly which means less bending, stretching and unbalancing/dangerous antics. Great balance, no hot spots on handle which is both comfortable and warm. Sheath is very safe and instinctual making tool easy to stow and with one design feature: a hole that makes sure edge does not wear/get worn by sheath. Steel is performing well and edge geometry works however as yet no experience, or need, to sharpen the tool. My parent have begun using it and have found the effort needed for pruning and limbing has dropped substantially and they don't need my assistance. They don't seem to grasp the innate mechanical advantages but no matterthey think it is "wonderful".

Modern Brush Hook

I used today for the first time. Sharp. I very much like the sheath that comes with hook. Secure storage. Topped and tailed hazel from an overgrown hedge. One chop and the hazel was cut down to size. I have another Fiskars brush hook, more like a bill hook. That's been used a lot but still retains a keen edge. What I like about this hook is that the bill is more pronounced, making it ideal to drag branches towards you. Thus allowing you to pick it up to chop. Definitely a tool that will accompany me on my grounds work here in Mid Wales.

Turf the shears, we've been doing it wrong for so long

I am in love with my Bush hook. It's the only way to clear weeds that are too big for a whipper snipper, great for general pruning and bird perch collection. It's really good for removing vines and Blackberry, when used as a hook it selectively just pulls the offending items out, you very quickly have a great big pile of vine and it's great for picking it up too. Works very well as an axe as well as a machete, yet it's very light at 450g. Obviously it's not the most ideal tool for felling small trees, but it can do it. It's so efficient at cutting compared to shears or loppers, just a flick of the wrist. You want to swing at about 45 degree to the grain, and the swing needs velocity, not weight. Would be great for taking camping, probably the ultimate survival tool. ... MoreI am in love with my Bush hook. It's the only way to clear weeds that are too big for a whipper snipper, great for general pruning and bird perch collection. It's really good for removing vines and Blackberry, when used as a hook it selectively just pulls the offending items out, you very quickly have a great big pile of vine and it's great for picking it up too. Works very well as an axe as well as a machete, yet it's very light at 450g. Obviously it's not the most ideal tool for felling small trees, but it can do it. It's so efficient at cutting compared to shears or loppers, just a flick of the wrist. You want to swing at about 45 degree to the grain, and the swing needs velocity, not weight. Would be great for taking camping, probably the ultimate survival tool. The tip of the hook is intentionally blunt in just the right spot that you can swing it blindly at a bush with rocks or concrete behind it and not damage the blade, something you would be foolish to attempt with a hatchet. I'm yet to cut myself with it either, the tip of the hook is very forgiving. I reckon it's bigger brother (xa23 I think) would be very useful too, but this little fella is probably bang in the middle of the sweet spot as an all-rounder. Build quality is fantastic too, made in Finland, like my tikka. We'll see how long the Teflon (or something similar perhaps) coating lasts, but while it's still there, there's very little reason to clean or oil the blade. Oh, though the bush hook may be considered too offensive to keep on the shelves at the green shed, it's inoffensive enough to be carrying in suburban Parkland while collecting perches and branches for the birds. Yes, various gangs have ruined machetes for most Australians, but for those of us not looking to do the wrong thing, the bush hook lives on!