Posted 4 years ago
hotairfan
(385 items)
Six years ago, I posted a mortising chisel called a "twibill". I believe that the name comes from the twi ... means two, and the bill... means the chisel ends.
I went to a great farm primitives auction today and they had so-o-o many neat primitive hand forged items and primitive tools.
Although the prices were high, as can be expected for premium rare tools, I decided to stay to see if I could afford to buy the Besaigue that you see pictured above. They are extremely rare and this one was in exceptionally fine condition and was also 42" long. I never saw one that long, so I decided to wait for it to come up for bid.
I got to the auction at 8:00 AM to look around and the auction started at 9:00 AM. As they put other tools up up for bid, they worked around my Bisaigue. I would have liked to bid on other tools, but the bids were too high and I had only so much money on me and I truly did want to save my cash for the prize twibill type Bisaigue. Both the twibill and the Bisaigue were mortising tools. The Bisaigue is of French origin and appeared around the 12th Century. It was forgotten historically around the end of the 17th Century. The twibill came into use in 18th Century Great Britain. The twibill was used used by chipping at the mortise, while the bisaigue was used in a slicing motion while resting on the operator's shoulder and holding the tool with one hand on the blade and the other on the handle.
It was 4:00 PM when my tool came up for bid, and , fortunately for me, by then, most of the tool buyers went home. This left my with the opportunity to be the highest bidder. Surprisingly, it sold for half the amount that I was willing to bid on it because of the low attendance at this late hour.
This midievil tool is in excellent condition and is also signed by the toolmaker. Twibills and Bisaigues were used mostly in Great Britain and France, but were known to be used throughout Europe.
That is a great find!! Do you know how it was used? Or, for which trade? Thanks, Lou
Hi Iptools,
Twibels were used in construction since the Roman times. I believe it was used mostly by carpenters. The main purpose is to remove wood from a mortise joint that was bored into the wooden beams. I am told, and have read, that the sharp angle of the smaller end was to repeatedly strike the ends of the mortised hole thus, chipping away at the round corners of the bored hole. The longer, more knife like edge was used in a slicing motion to finalize the shape of the sides and ends of the mortice joint.
Thanks for the info. Was there a handle in the socket at one time?
probably, at one time there was a handle. the socket is tapered to hold a wooden handle tight. I don't believe that the handle was very long, maybe 12" to 14". You didn't swing it like a pick axe, you let the weight of the tool to do the work.
Thanks again!!
a little info found on this item. It is called "besaugue" pronounced "ba-sa-gwi".
It is of French origin and was used in the 17th-18th century. It is the french forerunner to the twibil which came tater than the besaugue. This chisel was used to slice and chip beams. When slicing, the tool was rested partially over the shoulder in order to gain force and control of the tool. This is the reason for it's length.
It never had a long handle, the small handle attached to the tool is as it was intended.
Finding and researching items such as this is why I find them so interesting. they seem to talk to you with their design, scars, and patina.
I call this silent speaking, " the ghosts of the past"