Cant Hook Recommendation

[The Mad Hopper]

Good morning.

I work with a Disaster Response team and was recently was in western NC cutting up and removing trees downed by Hurricane Helene. Most of the logs we handled were 24" or under but ocassionally we would come across one over 30" We realized we would have benefited by having a cant hook not only there but other places where we have served. Searching around I have come across wood , aluminum, and steel handles with the most common sizes from 48" to 60" in length. What cant hook would you recommend?

 

[sand sock]

i have a dixie log peavy, it might be 60 inches. i dont use it as a log jack. it can be a nice to have but not a essential. i'd much rather carry a massdam rope puller/ 12 inch plastic wedges and a gfb scandinavian forest axe.

 

[moxiemaul]

A peavey is often more convenient than a cant hook, you can poke it into the dirt so it won't fall over and get lost. I have a 48", works down to about 20" logs, gets a better and more convenient grip on larger stuff. On hard ground/pavement a cant hook is maybe preferable- my dad gave me an oddball old cant hook that mounts on a mattock handle which is great on smaller/shorter pieces. Got mine from the original company- https://peaveymfg.com/

Some say you can jam a peavey into the ground up against one end of a log to keep it from moving, and so force it to pivot if a 2nd one is used at the far end- I think it'd work but I'm mostly always solo out there so haven't tried it.

 

[HavinFun]

https://woodchucktool.com
I have the Timber Pro two leg lifter, it is the best. Heavy duty aluminum made in USA. Also get their Hookaroon, invaluable for rolling logs around.
For lifting the manageable rounds, the LogOx log lifter. Another absolutely invaluable tool for moving the rounds, made in USA. I hope you’ll be able to buy them as I’m sure there has been an incredible demand as of late. Might try CL for used. Both with lifetime warranties.
Good luck and Godspeed for your work.

 

[sean donato]

I have a log rite cant hook, 48". I frequently wish i got the longer handle, but it fits in the truck box nice and is pretty handy for smaller logs. Much over 30" it has some issues gripping vs ripping bark off with the hook.
https://logrite.com/Item/48inch-cant-hook
Again, I'd go with the 60" handle, and possibly the mega hook if I was dealing with 30"+ logs regularly and didn't have equipment to move the larger logs. Smaller stuff is pretty manageable even with the shorter handle, a 24" oak w/12 foot of stick will roll right over.
I've never really been a fan of a peavey, but the nice thing about the log rite is you can swap tips if you don't like one style or another.

 

[Hermio]

For bucking logs, I like the Woodchuck tool products. I also have their peavey, but I don't find it useful. For logs the size you are looking at, a longer handle is better. I would go for at least 60". But the Woodchuck products are strong enough that you could add several feet of a cheater pipe if needed with no fear of breaking them using all of your bodyweight.

 

[irhunter]

A peavey is often more convenient than a cant hook, you can poke it into the dirt so it won't fall over and get lost. Got mine from the original company- https://peaveymfg.com/

+1 for a peavey from the original company. I'd get the 66" handle and the biggest hook they sell.

Roy

 

[moxiemaul]

Concur with longer handle being helpful with the peavey. I've run into a few cases where I really did need something like a cheater pipe on my 48". It doesn't take a lot of length for even a 2' diameter log to start getting heavy enough to need more leverage- even moreso when trying to get an elliptical log to roll or if there are crotches etc.

I have some 30+" diameter elm to buck this weekend- probably should figure out a cheater pipe in advance to bring with me. Splitting that stuff is going to be some work no doubt...

 

[Hermio]

Concur with longer handle being helpful with the peavey. I've run into a few cases where I really did need something like a cheater pipe on my 48". It doesn't take a lot of length for even a 2' diameter log to start getting heavy enough to need more leverage- even moreso when trying to get an elliptical log to roll or if there are crotches etc.

I have some 30+" diameter elm to buck this weekend- probably should figure out a cheater pipe in advance to bring with me. Splitting that stuff is going to be some work no doubt...

Yeah, Elm is stringy and a bear to split. My hydraulic splitter protests every time I split it, and I used to split it by hand. A longer handle is helpful also when moving smaller logs that are bowed. A 20' long log, 18" diameter when still green can weigh up to 2200 lb. If it has a 12" bow in it, it will take a torque of 1100 ft-lb to roll it, or a force of 275# at the end of a 4' lever arm, 220# at the end of a 5' lever arm, or 183# at the end of a 6' lever arm. And we don't really apply force at the end; it is usually a few inches from the end, so even more force is needed. I would guess a 4' cheater on the end of a 4' Woodchuck toll would be no problem for it at all. I have had two men pulling on mine at once; no problem. BTW, I have bent several other log lifters/cant hooks. I think I may have bought them from Northern Tool or some other big online retailer. But I am sure Woodchuck is not the only one that makes a good product.

 

[moxiemaul]

Yeah I was surprised by how substantial the peavey's handle was when I got it. Having used it a few times, not surprised at all.

Back in the old days we only had my dads funky old cant hook and another equally ancient one- so we always ended up cutting down logs to shorter lengths. Pretty tough when the fallen tree is buried in brambles and rocky mud and you're trying to get the saw through every 6' feet so you can use the other tools...

At least this elm is on clear ground and a bit of it is still in the air so I can make some firewood cookies to reduce length and weight. Its was half-alive when the trunk failed from wind, a neighbor's yard but at least it didn't hit anything. They tell me we'll have a bunch of folks out to haul branches and stack... that'll be nice.

 

[diver64]

I bought a Logrite with the 60in handle. I also got their logstand which I found very useful working by myself. Used them several years and they seem to hold up well.

 

[Mad Professor]

Get a get a BIG peavy with longer handler than you think you'll need.