How do you handle a hookaroon

[Jere39]

Spent a couple days at our mountain cabin and found my buddy's home made pickaroon very handy. So, I did some searching and found them more expensive than I expected. Found a couple on eBay, and the prices were even more expensive. Missed out on several auctions in the final 15 seconds when the price doubled or tripled. Then I found a nice example of a vintage Lamb 0601 head only and managed to squeeze it through an auction that ended on Father's Day.

It came quickly, and was just what I was looking for, sans handle:




I have an Ace Hardware affinity card, and it was loaded with enough $$$ to fund a nice, unfinished Hickory "Boys Axe Handle" in 24" length. Picked it up last night, and spent an extra hot afternoon today sanding and shaping the handle for a perfect fit. I like to use some good waterproof carpenter's glue on the wedge, drove it in, sawed off the excess, cleaned up the head, and have a very nice tight fit:




I used some aged Mineral Oil that had been deemed unfit for consumption about 30 years ago for a hand rubbed finish on the handle:




The new to me tool is drying for a couple days, and it is too stinking hot for actual Timber work anyway, so this will just be a conversation piece for a while till the weather breaks and the mood strikes.

So, what do you call them: Hookaroon, or Pickaroon?
I've had one person suggest if the tip is hooked, it's a hookaroon and if it's straight, it's a pickaroon. But most of my reading finds the names interchangeable.

More interestingly: How many of you use one? My friend who welded up my log arch made his own, and uses it for moving rounds around when he is running his splitter. But, he also uses it to reach into the bed of his pick-up to grab and drag things to within reach. Hmmm.

 

[Thornton]

Nice

 

[svk]

I call it a pickaroon. I have a couple but don't use them much.

Cool looking tool. Great job on the handle.

 

[nitesite]

Hello. My first post here. Greetings!

I have two pickaroons.

One is the 32" aluminum straight handle but I never use it because the tube diameter is two inches across. It's just a bit too fat. The pick is nice and sharp though.

My other is made from a forged pick/mattock I got from Lowes for $20 which I cut off the mattock blade then ground the forged pick to make a good hook. I kept it cool enough during the grind that it never turned blue so it seems to hold up well. It has a long straight handle, and I would love to swap that out one day for a 24"-26" Boys Axe handle. I have a 5/16" roll pin driven sideways thru the steel head and hickory handle so that I can pull really hard with it.

Occasionally I use it for for stacking/lifting some camping firewood, but mostly grab it when I am splitting hickory and oak and pecan for BBQ smoke wood. Saves a lot of bending over as I split and lift stuff.

Today I had to limb and buck a pear tree that came down during a recent storm. The cut up limbed sections were intertwined somewhat but pulled apart really nicely with the pickaroon and I saved my back a lot of bending and straining.

 

[amberg]

Spent a couple days at our mountain cabin and found my buddy's home made pickaroon very handy. So, I did some searching and found them more expensive than I expected. Found a couple on eBay, and the prices were even more expensive. Missed out on several auctions in the final 15 seconds when the price doubled or tripled. Then I found a nice example of a vintage Lamb 0601 head only and managed to squeeze it through an auction that ended on Father's Day.

It came quickly, and was just what I was looking for, sans handle:

View attachment 510060


I have an Ace Hardware affinity card, and it was loaded with enough $$$ to fund a nice, unfinished Hickory "Boys Axe Handle" in 24" length. Picked it up last night, and spent an extra hot afternoon today sanding and shaping the handle for a perfect fit. I like to use some good waterproof carpenter's glue on the wedge, drove it in, sawed off the excess, cleaned up the head, and have a very nice tight fit:

View attachment 510061


I used some aged Mineral Oil that had been deemed unfit for consumption about 30 years ago for a hand rubbed finish on the handle:

View attachment 510062


The new to me tool is drying for a couple days, and it is too stinking hot for actual Timber work anyway, so this will just be a conversation piece for a while till the weather breaks and the mood strikes.

So, what do you call them: Hookaroon, or Pickaroon?
I've had one person suggest if the tip is hooked, it's a hookaroon and if it's straight, it's a pickaroon. But most of my reading finds the names interchangeable.

More interestingly: How many of you use one? My friend who welded up my log arch made his own, and uses it for moving rounds around when he is running his splitter. But, he also uses it to reach into the bed of his pick-up to grab and drag things to within reach. Hmmm.

I call it a pickaroon, as I have two of them, Don't know how I got along for so many years with out one of them. I think they are made in Maine, By Peavey ,

 

[turnkey4099]

I have the 36" Logrite. Used to have the 24" but I lost it off the truck. Recently bought a Stihl 24" (rebadged Logrite), those may have been 30") but have misplaced that one. I wanted one on the truck and one on the woodpile so I didnt' have to keep retrievign one.

I made an 8' from a closet pole, plumber fitting and pieceof 1/2" all thread. Haven't crawled up into the pickup bed to unload a round since.

Like you I thought they were way overpriced for what is basically 'a nail on a stick'. The day I first used mine, I kicked myself for not buying one years earlier. I will never, ever be without one again.

Anyone workign around firewood without one is handicapping themselves.

 

[turnkey4099]

Spent a couple days at our mountain cabin and found my buddy's home made pickaroon very handy. So, I did some searching and found them more expensive than I expected. Found a couple on eBay, and the prices were even more expensive. Missed out on several auctions in the final 15 seconds when the price doubled or tripled. Then I found a nice example of a vintage Lamb 0601 head only and managed to squeeze it through an auction that ended on Father's Day.

It came quickly, and was just what I was looking for, sans handle:
.

Very nice job of 'handling'. I used busted window glass to shave down/fit handles, learned that from a guy back when I was about 8yoa.

You will need to sharpen that point to get the full effect of using one.

 

[Erik B]

Back to the OP's original question, I handle my pickaroon very carefully. Always make sure it goes into the wood and not your leg.

 

[Jere39]

Very nice job of 'handling'. I used busted window glass to shave down/fit handles, learned that from a guy back when I was about 8yoa.

You will need to sharpen that point to get the full effect of using one.

I have an old draw knife that I used for some of the early gross wood removal, but did most of the work with sandpaper. I can't imagine using broken glass, but surprisingly enough, I do have some.

 

[crowbuster]

very nice jere39. mine is like yours. I call it a pickaroon as well. Love it for splitting at my pile and rolling splits to the splitter. Beats bending over 100 times. also good for unloading the truck

 

[srb08]

I have two of the Hume head Pickaroons from Peavey.
Without question, it's the handiest firewood handling tool I've got. I have the 30" handles on mine. For unloading the truck or pulling rounds to you while splitting, it can't be beat. I can't imagine working firewood without one.

 

[turnkey4099]

Back to the OP's original question, I handle my pickaroon very carefully. Always make sure it goes into the wood and not your leg.

I thought sticking it in your leg was to test the sharpness.

 

[turnkey4099]

I have an old draw knife that I used for some of the early gross wood removal, but did most of the work with sandpaper. I can't imagine using broken glass, but surprisingly enough, I do have some.

The glass makes very, very fine shavings. Drive the handle into the tool, remove, shave off the marks, repeat. It is a rather peaceful occupation sitting under a tree on a warm day.

I tore down a schoolhouse and saved a bunch of windows. Over the years the sstock dwindled. I finally got tired of fitting handles and replaced the maulwith a plasstic handled on, the sledge is still going strong on the last wooden handle I fitted about 10 years ago.

 

[svk]

The glass makes very, very fine shavings. Drive the handle into the tool, remove, shave off the marks, repeat. It is a rather peaceful occupation sitting under a tree on a warm day.

I tore down a schoolhouse and saved a bunch of windows. Over the years the sstock dwindled. I finally got tired of fitting handles and replaced the maulwith a plasstic handled on, the sledge is still going strong on the last wooden handle I fitted about 10 years ago.

I'm getting better at sanding and fitting handles but it seems I still take too much off towards the top by the time I'm done.

 

[amberg]

I thought sticking it in your leg was to test the sharpness.

Tried that when I first got mine, I found that it was plenty sharp! ( No need to test but one time )

 

[CTYank]

Interchangeable names: hookaroon, pickaroon, sappie.
Been using 37" LogRite version (CT-made!) for years- bud keeps eyeballing it- can't have it.
Recently got 34" one by Council Tools from Bailey's on special. Forged 1.5 lb steel head/ash axe-handle. Couple minutes with Dremel and sanding drum on the point, and concave cabinet-scraper on the handle, and it's been on the job.
Even fiskars is getting in on these tools, for those whose proclivities run that way.

Now who would call that scrap a log?

 

[Fred Wright]

If I'm not mistaken it's a hookaroon. Pickaroons have shorter handles. Or so I understand.

We didn't get a hookaroon 'til we started getting slab wood from the local mill. Unloading from a pickup bed, these things are a real back saver.

 

[Jimfire85]

The logrite is a hell of a back saver, made right in my town. Got one for my birthday from the missus. Called ahead and picked it up right from the assembly line. Their peavey and hookaroon save me a world of back ache post spine surgery.

 

[svk]

Interchangeable names: hookaroon, pickaroon, sappie.
Been using 37" LogRite version (CT-made!) for years- bud keeps eyeballing it- can't have it.
Recently got 34" one by Council Tools from Bailey's on special. Forged 1.5 lb steel head/ash axe-handle. Couple minutes with Dremel and sanding drum on the point, and concave cabinet-scraper on the handle, and it's been on the job.
Even fiskars is getting in on these tools, for those whose proclivities run that way.

Now who would call that scrap a log?

Oh lord, he's back pimpin the Council Tools products again.....

 

[nitesite]

Sweet Cheese Us....

Ninety Dollars for a Fiskars Sappie tool with injection molded grips that won't even last ten years. Five with heavy use.