Cant Hook Handles

[Ralphie Boy]

I need... okay I really want a cant hook. They can be had with handles made from wood, fiberglass and aluminum and in lengths to 60". What is the better choice of handle materials or does it not make much difference other than price. Longer is always better... right??

 

[Sisu]

I prefer wood, as I like the feel and I can always make a replacement handle if needed. But that is something of personal preference.

The length of the handle depends on the application. My cant hook is short handled (approximately 4') and suits my needs fine for firewood purposes. It is light weight, making it easy to carry and transport. If I were logging, a longer handle would be more appropriate.

 

[Boog]

I originally had a 4' wooden handle on Dad's old one that I inherited. When the wood finally rotted away at the base and let go, I searched for something really big to give me a lot of leverage, and also big enough to fill the metal base. I found my weapon after searching unsuccessfully amoungst the normal handles available, a standard wheelbarrow handle! Long and strong, its definitly heavy, not the kind of thing you are going to "carry" out back to the woods. But I never carry stuff out there anyway, I'm always loading up one vehicle or another with gear when I go out to work. I was able to taper the bottom just about perfect and filled the small void left with figerglass resin for extra strength.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'd be lost without my cant hook. For example, this morning I finished loading the big rounds from a pin oak. Out of curiosity I weighed a couple rounds that were 12' up from the butt. Average weight of 130 lbs. Wonder what that butt log weighed?! I have a terrible back and it hurts a lot. Yet, I was able to load all those by myself. Without the cant hook, there is no way I could have done that.

For me, it is a wood handle. Ours is 4' but we want to add a 3' also. Aluminum can be lighter and fiberglass heavier but nothing can compare with the wood handle in my book.

Without looking it up, it seems to me that Gempler's had some of the best prices on the cant hooks. Prices seem to be all over the board and shipping can add a lot because I'm thinking they have to be shipped via UPS or Fedx rather than USPS.

 

[MasterMech]

I have the aluminum handle variety. (Log Rite/Stihl) in a 4' length. Wood? Fiberglass? Why?

It might make a difference that I am more than capable of repairing the aluminum handle, should the need ever arise.

 

[zzr7ky]

I replaced the wood handle on my old cant hook with an 8' piece of Hickory. That got cut to about 6 1/2' so it will lay easily in the truck bed.

 

[Dune]

I have the aluminum handle variety. (Log Rite/Stihl) in a 4' length. Wood? Fiberglass? Why?

It might make a difference that I am more than capable of repairing the aluminum handle, should the need ever arise.

Why? Grab a nice chunk of aluminum without gloves on a cold winter day.
While I too can repair aluminum, I can even more readily repair wood.