Husqvarna Felling Lever

[lxskllr]

Just ordered an Alaskan 36" mill, and will need to manipulate  ~24"DBH*8' ash logs. @Allar got me interested in felling levers, and the Husqvarna also has a cant hook. Would this be sufficient for manipulating a log on a Granberg? I'd like to have a tool I can use in more than one scenario, but if a dedicated cant hook or whatever is clearly superior, I'd lean towards getting that.

https://www.baileysonline.com/husqvarna-felling-lever-with-cant-hook-hva-586-89-69-01.html

[barbender]

They're not much of a cant hook.

[lxskllr]

What don't you like about it? Log manipulation tools are completely foreign to me. I have no concept of what makes a good tool. When I was dealing with my oak. I used rope to move the big pieces around.

[Magicman]

I see various gimmick log handling tools that various customers have.  :  I say nothing and it doesn't take long before they reach for one of my Logrites. 

[HolmenTree]

Big difference between a felling lever with a hook, a peavy and a cant hook.

This is the proper tool for turning logs and cants for  a sawmill.
A cant hook.



 

[barbender]

What I don't like about it, is the hook is too small and the mount slides around. Ot just doesn't work well as a cant hook, compared to a real one.

[Old Greenhorn]

If you are doing 24" logs, by the time you slide that hook up to where it will take a bite, you have precious little handle left for leverage. Also, I searched around, but I can't find a weight on this thing, is it steel, if so, it will be heavier than it needs to be.  Aluminum in that design will not be very strong.
Everybody finds what works for them, i would like to try a felling lever sometime, but wouldn't expect much from it as a cant hook. If you need to move logs around, get a cant hook with enough length to give you the leverage. I am saving up for a 60" Logrite, I am tired of using the old one I have and it slipping enough to keep my bruise count high enough. Also, mine is 48" and too short for some of the stuff I work with. My back is suffering.

[lxskllr]

Thanks all. I'll look into a dedicated cant hook. I've almost gotten one a couple of times, but just didn't see enough need to spend the money. I was turning/moving big logs by driving a splitting wedge in the side, wrapping it with rope, and rolling them into position. I think I'll need a bit more precision with the mill. I was hoping to combine tasks, and try two things at once, but it sounds like it's better to have exactly the right tool for the job.

Any preference for cant hook or peavey for turning wood on a 'milling rack'? Seems like the cant hook is the obvious choice since its function is right in the name, but a peavey looks close in function. Just personal preference?

[HolmenTree]

I'm no expert on the subject as I never used a peavy before.
But from using my cant hook over the years I find it plants  the 2 small teeth square to the log or cant nicely and when lifting with the 4 foot handle there is no side movement. 
It's easy to turn a 16 foot log 360° from near the end plus not much damage to the milled surface either.
Just make sure to dig the hook point into the bark side.

[John Mc]

I prefer a peavey for working in the woods. You can poke the point between logs to separate them (helpful either for sorting/adjusting logs or for gating a choker back off). It can also be stabbed into the ground to stand the peavey up, making it easier to find where you left it.

My neighbor with a sawmill prefers a cant hook for working on the mill. He says it works better for flipping cants and the point on the peavey would just be in the way sometimes.

I reality, you can make either work in either application. It's often as much a matter of personal preference as anything else.

[Magicman]

I will say personal preference, but for me it is Cant Hook.


 
Here is what I was using pre-Logrite and the worst performers were the peaveys.  The metal handled peavey on the bottom still goes with me sawing and is occasionally used as a pry bar as needed.  Never to handle logs.  The best log handler in the above picture is the crooked pipe handled cant hook in the center.


 
These are now my Logrite log handling tools.  Simply put, they work.

[lxskllr]

Thanks all. Just ordered a 60" Logrite cant hook. Just about ready to roll. Only things left are making rails, and an auxiliary oiler for the mill. Hopefully I'll have a bunch of mostly dimensionally correct boards by the end of June  :^D

[Allar]

I've rolled some big trees with felling lever, however cant hook is going to give you better bite into the wood and a lot more leverage.
In forest felling lever with a hook is a godsent but for milling, cant hook is the way to go.

[barbender]

Allar brings up a good point- the hook on the lever is useful, in a Leatherman multi-tool kind of way. It can help in a pinch, and save a walk out to the truck, etc. But it doesn't work as well as the "real" deal.

[Pine Ridge]

Take care of the point on your cant hook! Several years ago i had one that had i believe a 4 foot handle, bought it new, would always get a good bite and stay stuck. I was young and careless with it, throw it down here and there, i didn't take care of it, the point had gotten dull. I got the bright idea i would sharpen it with a grinder. I didn't pay attention to the angles on the point and i practically ruined it, wouldn't stick so i would grind on it some more, best cant hook i've ever had and i ruined it. A cant hook or any kind of hook that is dull and won't dig in and stay stuck can be very dangerous if your really laying into it and it comes loose. A friend of mine who passed away a few years ago owned a sawmill near me, one evening he had a cant hook turn loose, lost his balance and ran backwards and fell into a log, broke some ribs and spent the night in the hospital. Be safe !

[Magicman]

 

 
Yes, even during normal usage the hooks will still sometime become dinged and need some touching up.  There is no need to be aggressive, just follow the original factory angles and you will be fine.  

Also, some of the roll pin "stops" will also periodically need replacing.

A Li'l Logrite Maintenance in LogRite Tools and Rite Leg Co

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Here's my 2 cents worth.

I prefer a peavy over a cant hook.
I like the pointed end, you can stick it in the ground when not in use so you don't have to bend over to pick it up. That means a lot when you are my size and age!
Also it works well on a wooden trailer deck to dig the point into the wood and lever logs around.

Logrite makes the best log management tools I have used.
Since I bought my 60" Logrite's my old peavys are hanging on the wall.

Jon

[trapper]

with logrite you can also buy replacement hooks 

[Weekend_Sawyer]

You can also buy a replacement tip from them to convert your cant hook into a peavy!