Why is my felling lever rubbish.

[cornish wood burner]

Re-grind the hook profile to make it more acute.

Manufacturers don't seem to make hooks sharp anymore.

Many years ago my old man had a cant hook with a wooden handle that he used to roll oak logs up to 3 ft diameter on to a saw bench. It had a point like a needle and would bite in without any help. Shape and point angle probably very important too, possibly a lost art now?

[Johny Walker]

Evening all,

 

So I have one of these.

 

 

And whilst its ok as a felling lever using for anything else is pointless. The black hook just does not hold. What is wrong? What, if anything can, I do to fix/improve it. Or worst case what else should I buy?

 

Thanks

 

Chris

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

operator error

[Stephen Blair]

The hook I usually need to give s good boot to stick it!

The older ones had thinner sharper more flexible metal.

[Billhook]

As mentioned, the felling lever is fine and I always have found the hook to be an irritant. I find that you can jam it to one side of the bar near the handle so that it does not keep sliding down.

I have a proper cant hook for moving logs, one of these

 

Peavey/Cant Hook/Log Jack - Lee Valley Tools

 

However I was using the Palax processor yesterday and a log flipped up and jammed the saw blade. The log was stuck fast and wedged between the blade and the swinging table. I tried most things to move it but without success until I saw the Stihl bar. I had never really used the hook in anger but this time it did the job easily on a 14 inch round that would have been awkward to move with the big peavey.

 

So I think it has paid for itself just by doing that job!

 

I think that Stihl made the bar as a lever and then added the hook as an afterthought thinking it might just grab a few more sales. But I would rather have it around just in case.

 

Now I think about it I remember that I took the hook off and lost it and bought a replacement off the internet which may have been a better design.

[Richard Thompson]

talk to your postie and get a big thick elastic band round the hook, that should keep it in its stowed position. ive got a velcro strap round my hook ATM but the an elastic band is better.

Also sharpen and reground the point to get it to bite better in the log but i normally just plunge cut a slot and use the tip if i want to roll big trunks

[agrimog]

learn to fell without one, they're a waste of time on a proper felling job

[Haironyourchest]

The certainly are a comprise. I find the diameter of the timber has a big affect on the usefulness of the hook. I'm going to reprofile mine as well and see if it works better.

[IVECOKID]

If in doubt.....Hit the Hook with a fecking big hammer ....never fails .

 

Ste

[adamelder]

Get a longer one.

 

Hold it as far towards the end as possible to get as much leverage as possible.

 

Grind the hook sharp and give it a kick to "set" it in the tree.

 

A long one is excellent for ripping old flooring up too!

[Marc Lewis]

As rt said. Plunge cut a slot in the wood and then slot the tip of felling bar into groove. No good if you are using timber for anything other than logs.