>>970755don't use leather, do a wooden handle
a very easy way to do it: take a dry wooden branch of some hard wood like beech, ash or hornbeam and drill a hole through the center, it doesn't have to go all the way
then you heat the tang of the billhook with a blowtorch and push it into the hole, it will burn its way through the wood and will adhere perfectly
to secure the handle peen the tang on the end with a washer, then shape the handle as you wish
on mine the washer is also a hook so I can hang it in the woods and it doesn't slip out from the hand, tho it can hurt your little finger if it gets suddenly pulled away
