I had a great time at the recent Weekend in the Woods (run by the Coppice Association Northwest) where I taught five people to make a billhook sheath and one to make an axe sheath.
Two of my students are coppice apprentices with BHMAT – a charity based in the north of England dedicated to continuing the work of coppice merchant Bill Hogarth. The others are either coppice workers or work with wood.
I helped them all design their leather sheaths to perfectly fit their tool. Everything was carried out by hand from cutting the leather, burnishing edges, treating the leather, adding rivets and bolts and finally sewing it all together.
The billhook sheaths are designed to be worn on a belt so the billhook is easily accessible whilst working in the woodlands or hedgelaying.
What a lovely bunch of folk! I highly recommend Weekend in the Woods, which is set in beautiful woods in Silverdale, Lancashire. It’s only a shame we need to wait until May 2026 for the next one!
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